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Make energy conservation your New Year’s resolution!
Dec 17th, 2007 5:38 AM
Shed extra kilowatts in 2008
To everyone who answered my call to use less electricity in 2007, thank you. We reduced our electricity use significantly, and to get the specific details on our progress, please see my 2007 Annual Report, Taking Action, at www.conservationbureau.on.ca. But there’s much more we can do to reach our provincial goal of saving an additional 1,350 megawatts by 2010, so here’s some ways to do so.
Here are 10 easy tips to get you started:
• Turn off the lights in an empty room. Replace the old,
incandescent bulbs in your home with compact
fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs whenever possible; they
use 75 percent less electricity and last much longer
than incandescent styles. Consider solar powered
lights, timers or motion sensor equipped light
fixtures for outdoor security
• Use a power bar with a timer to automatically shut
off electric appliances that are not being used, and
purchase ENERGY STAR appliances – their savings
add up.
• Dispose of the old “energy hog” fridge in the
basement which is wasting both space and energy.
The fridge you bought in 1975 costs about four times
as much to run as a new ENERGY STAR model. Is the
temperature of your refrigerator and your freezer set
for only as cold as you need? Defrost your manual-
defrost freezer regularly to ensure it operates at
maximum efficiency.
• Have your home assessed by an energy audit expert.
Homeowners interested in making energy efficient
changes to their home may be eligible for provincial
and federal retrofit grants. To find a local energy
auditor go to:
www.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-home-improvement.
Weather stripping and caulking around windows,
ducts and doors can cut your heating bill by 10
percent.
• Defend the purchase of that stylish new sweater by
using it as a reason to keep your thermostat set
lower in the winter. For every degree you lower the
heat, you’ll save up to 5 percent on your heating
cost. Programmable thermostats will automatically
lower the heat of your home when you are not there
and warm it prior to your return.
• A dirty furnace filter reduces air flow and makes your
furnace work harder; clean filters can save up to 5
percent of energy use. Clogged lint traps on clothes
dryer also waste energy by reducing the efficiency of
the unit. Use special tape to seal leaky heating ducts
and keep heat going to where it is needed.
• Take a quick shower instead of a bath; a typical bath
uses about 75 litres of hot water, while a five-minute
shower with a low flow showerhead you will use about
half that amount.
• Wrap your electric water heater and reduce energy use
by 8-10 percent with an easy to install “tank
insulating blanket,” available at hardware and building
supply stores. Foam sleeves that cover and insulate
the heated water pipes exiting you water heater are
very easy to install.
• Wash your clothes in cold or warm water. Did you
know that 85-90 percent of the energy used by
washing machines is used to heat the water? If you
are buying a new clothes washer, check out front-
loading models, which cost a little more but use
about half the water of conventional washing
machines. When the weather is right, use an outdoor
clothesline to dry laundry. Clothes dryers account for
about 6 percent of household energy use in Ontario.
• Use energy-saving small appliances, like an electric
kettle, toaster oven, or microwave whenever
possible. Run your dishwasher only when you have a
full load, and use the energy-saving cycle.
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The Ontario Power Authority creates and implements conservation and demand management programs, ensures adequate investment in new supply infrastructure, performs long-term, electricity system planning. The Chief Energy Conservation Officer and the Conservation Bureau are part of the OPA, and work toward promoting a culture of conservation throughout the province (www.powerauthority.on.ca and www.conservationbureau.on.ca)
For high resolution photos, or to arrange an interview with Mr. Love, please contact:
Jonathan Laderoute, e|c|o, 416-972-7401, laderoutej (a) huffstrategy.com
Don Huff, e|c|o, 416-972-7404, huffd (a) huffstrategy.com
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