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Eco-Friendly Family
Jazzra369
member
need ideas to reduce electricity bill
Jazzra369
member
Ok, so DH and I are having some sticker shock here. Electricity in Italy is $0.40 per kilowatt per hour as compared to $0.09 per kilowatt per hour where we came from. We'd like to save money and as a bonus help the environment. Here are some changes we are going to make and if you have additional ideas please post them here!
1. Sell one car, so we only have one (a Honda Civic that gets good gas mileage). This isn't related to our electricity bill so much but it should definitely help reduce our bills.
2. Use a drying rack instead of the dryer.
3. Use an electric fan instead of the air conditioner. That's gonna hurt on 90 degree days but I can no longer justify the a/c. It just costs too much.
4. Turn off all computers when not in use.
5. Replace burned out lite bulbs with more energy efficient bulbs.
6. Wash dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher.
We already wash everything in cold water and turn off appliances and lights when not in use. Of course, once LO is here we will have to wash the cloth diapers in hot water. Our major appliances (washer, dryer, fridge, and dishwasher) were issued to us so we aren't going to buy new ones, especially since we are leaving in a year.
What else do you guys recommend?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: need ideas to reduce electricity bill
i can't think of anything that you haven't mentioned...
ohhh one other idea is to turn down the temp on the water heater (if this is possible, don't know if they are the same over there as here) that should help as well.
The dishwashers today actually uses less water than handwashing!!!!
Use surge protectors on practically everything and flip them off when you aren't using the stuff (ie: tv, dvd player, computer with computer equipment, etc)
Use blackout shades on all windows (or you can use window tinting)
Double ditto this! Think things like toasters, can openers, lamps, etc. They use more than you think they do. Oh and chargers - unplug when not charging something.
If your space will allow it, creating a cross breeze with fans and open windows can help the no-AC be less sweltering. That combined with the blackout shades or using the shutters you have can really help. Also think about how much light you need v. how much you're accustomed to having--if you have certain lamps that you turn on out of habit, think about whether you need them before turning them on in the evening.
While it's not the most landfill-friendly, you might also think about replacing all your lightbulbs all at once, rather than as they die. You'll see a bigger, more immediate difference in your usage, and with the price differences you're talking, that could be a sizeable help!
Mother's Day, 2011