Things You Can do to Conserve Energy
Whenever you save energy, you not only save money, you also reduce the demand for such fossil fuels as coal, oil and natural gas. Less burning of fossil fuels means less CO2 emissions. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the primary contributor to global warming.
· Whenever possible, walk, cycle, car share or use public transport.
· One washing machine load uses 25-40 gallons of water, so it’s best for the environment to wait for a full load before starting the machine.
· It can take as long as 500 years to break down plastic, so by using a refillable bottle for school drinks it stops having to buy a new plastic bottle every day. This is also economical as for example: purchasing 250ml bottles of water costs on average €4 a week, €140 per school year. A water purifier costs on average €30 and the bottle costs no more than €10 so you can save up to €100 a year.
· Always check mobile chargers, wiis, and any other electrical devices are unplugged when not in use.
· Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket, as this can save 1100lbs of CO2 per year, per water heater.
· Reduce the amount of waste you produce by buying minimally packaged goods, choosing reusable products over disposable ones, and recycling. For every pound of waste you eliminate or recycle, you save and reduce emissions of CO2 by at least 1 pound.
· Turn your refrigerator down as they use up to 20% of household electricity.
· Set your washing machine to the warm or cold water setting. Switching from hot to warm for two loads per week can nearly 500lbs of CO2 per year.
Did you know?
· A heavy coat of dust on a light bulb can block up to 50% of the light.
· A hot water faucet that leaks one drop per second can add up to 165
· gallons per month. That is more than the average person uses in 2 weeks.
· A crack as small as 1/16th of an inch around a window frame can let in as much cold air as leaving the window open 3 inches.
· An automatic dishwasher uses less hot water than doing dishes by hand-an average of 6 gallons less.
· Every year, more than €10 billion worth of energy leaks from houses through small holes and cracks.
· Here is an example of our water use per day:
o 3-7 gallons for toilet
o 25-30 gallons for tub
o 50-70 gallons for a 10 minute shower
o 25-40 gallons for a load of washing
o 9-12 gallons for a dishwasher load
by The Scoil Niocláis Green School Committee
