Category: Home Energy

Turn off your computer at night

3/28/2025

Turning your computer off at night could help you reduce its energy costs by 33%.

There is a misconception that the small surge of energy when turning on a computer uses more energy than leaving it on. It is also untrue that turning a computer on and off is harmful to the computer. Turning your computer off for the hours that it is not in use is the best way to reduce its energy consumption. Electronic devices, including your computer and monitor, draw some power even while turned off. Plugging these devices into a power strip and turning it off when you're not using them will save you even more. Allowing your computer to go into sleep mode when you are away from your desk is the helps reduce energy use during the day.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Line dry clothes outside, even in winter

2/14/2025

Even in the coldest months of winter, you can dry your clothes outside due to a process called sublimation.

Drying clothes outside is simple in summer but it’s also possible in the coldest months of winter. Due to a process called sublimation, water turns from a solid to a gas without having a liquid phase. Essentially, it evaporates without turning to water first, the same basic process as freeze-drying.

Read more at Ecowatch.com.

Use rechargeable instead of disposable batteries

1/17/2025

Rechargeable batteries cost a little more upfront than disposables, but they save you money in the long run because they can be reused hundreds of times. According to Consumer Reports, rechargeable batteries are useful for devices that draw a lot of power over a shorter amount of time and require frequent battery changes, such as toys and computer mice. Disposable batteries are still better suited for clocks and smoke detectors which draw a low amount of energy over a long time.

When they come to the end of their life, be sure to keep rechargeable batteries out of the landfill and instead deposit them where they are accepted for recycling, such as The Home Depot, and Lowes. Recycling rechargeable batteries not only recovers their toxic metals to keep them out of the environment but also reduces the need to mine metals needed for new batteries!

Read more at ConsumerReports.org

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Open doors manually

11/22/2024

Open doors by hand without using electricity; only use the paddle to automatically open doors if you are otherwise unable to open doors manually.

It’s very straightforward: Every time a door is opened automatically, electricity is used; when opened manually, the electricity use is zero. Unless you truly need the assistance of the automatic door, resist using electricity to have the door opened for you and just open it by hand. Opening the door yourself is actually faster and more efficient than waiting for the motor. The slower speed of the automatic door also keeps it open longer, letting more heated or air-conditioned air leave the building. The high use of the automatic system also adds to its wear and tear, and a break-down of the system would have a greater impact on those who rely on this automation.

Read more at Recycle Nation.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Heat water with an electric tea kettle

11/15/2024

Boiling water with an electric kettle uses less energy than either the stovetop or microwave.

Because the heating element in an electric kettle heats the water directly, it is the most efficient method for heating water. The stove and microwave transfer heat to the pot or mug. You can increase the efficiency of making your tea even more by only adding the amount of water that you need to the kettle. If you simply fill the kettle to the top, you are heating more water than you need.

Read more at Treehugger.com

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Stop using gas-powered lawn equipment

10/11/2024

The inefficient technology of gas-powered lawn equipment makes them, pound for pound, more polluting than trucks and cars and exposes gardeners who operate them to carcinogenic exhaust fumes, including the concerning pollutant known as PM2.5.

Collectively, gas-powered lawn equipment contributes about 5% of U.S. CO2 emissions annually, according to the EPA, a shockingly high amount. The inefficient small engines disproportionately cause pollution and health problems. Make the switch to electric equipment and expand your landscaping to decrease the size of your lawn. In Swarthmore, you can help others make the switch to electric lawn equipment by contributing to our new initiative (Sw,eLL: Swarthmore Electric Lawns) to fund the purchase of electric technology.

Read more about the effects of gas powered equipment here at Grist.org

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Take the stairs instead of the elevator

9/13/2024

Whenever possible, use the stairs instead of the elevator to save electricity and give you more opportunities to exercise.

Elevators can use 20-100 kWh per day.* The amount of power used is greater for going up than down, and increases with more passengers carried. Starting from a stop requires a burst of energy, so making fewer stops uses less electricity. Walking, on the other hand, uses no electricity and gives you a chance throughout the day to get some healthy exercise. Choose to take the stairs, particularly if you are only going a couple of floors and do not have a cart or are carrying items that would otherwise require using the elevator.

* R. S. Caporale , Space and Physical Requirements in Strakosch, G.R., and R. S. Caporale, eds. 2010. The Vertical Transportation Handbook. 4th ed. John Wiley &Sons, Inc., NJ

Use cold water whenever possible

8/2/2024

Heating water requires a lot of energy; use cold water whenever possible, especially for short water uses such as handwashing. According to the EPA, running the warm water from your faucet run warm water for 5 minutes uses the equivalent amount of energy as a 60-watt light bulb that is left on for 14 hours.

The water heater is the second largest consumer of residential energy. When you run the hot water for a short time, such as to wash your hands, cold water replaces the water removed from the hot water tank, and the water heater must work to heat that water, even though you never felt the water run warm from the faucet. If you do not need hot water, just turn on the cold tap so that the water heater does not have to turn on unnecessarily. Taking shorter showers and washing laundry with cold water also saves heating costs and saves money too. Lowering the set temperature on your water heater reduces the overall cost of heating water.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Set your AC to 78°F to save energy

7/26/2024

Save energy and money by setting your air conditioner higher, particularly when you are away from home.

Cooling can account for a large portion of your home's summer energy use. To save energy and money, Energy Star recommends setting your thermostat to 78°F when you are home, and raising the temperature at least 7°F when you're away and 4°F when you are sleeping.

See more information and tips at HowStuffWorks.

Photo by Susan O'Donnell

Cool off with a spray bottle

6/14/2024

When it's hot, keep a spray bottle of water in the refrigerator and spritz yourself throughout the day.

Heat escapes through the skin, which is the largest organ in the body. So, the more skin you can cool down when you’re hot and uncomfortable, the better. Spray your skin and you’ll feel cooler as the water evaporates.

Read more here

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