During the holidays, travel, entertaining, cooking and gift-giving can create excess waste and increased energy consumption. If you’re committed to reducing your carbon footprint and you’ve found yourself asking, “How can I save energy during the holidays?”, read on for some helpful tips.
Use LED Lights
If you’ve been digging out the same old decorative lights every year, maybe it’s time for a more efficient upgrade. When purchasing lights for your home, opt for LED bulbs rather than the standard incandescent bulbs of the past. LEDs consume much less energy, are cooler to the touch, and are longer-lasting. You can even buy LED string lights that operate on a timer to ensure they shut off automatically when you’re not home.
Break Bread
Get in the spirit of the holidays by organizing communal dinners with friends and family to reduce the amount of energy consumed by cooking. Ovens use a lot of energy, and being mindful of this can make a difference — and it’s a lot of fun to celebrate the holidays together. Where possible, avoid preheating your oven for longer than is necessary and repeatedly checking on your food, which lets heat out.
Combine Errands
The lead up to the holidays can be chaotic. We recommend creating a plan of attack in advance of your commitments and making a list of what you need to buy. That way, you can make fewer trips to pick up what you need and you’ll also conserve gas.
Unplug
If you’re going to be away for a few days, unplug any devices or appliances that don’t need to be plugged in. Things like cell phone chargers, computers, modems, coffee makers, and cable tv boxes are some examples. The energy that is consumed by these devices, even while they are not in use, is referred to as “phantom power” and can cost approximately $150 a year in wasted electricity.
Reduce Waste
During the gift-giving season, if you’re committed to easing your environmental impact, you may also want to reconsider your purchases. Each Christmas, Canadians throw away 540,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags. Where possible, wrap gifts in recycled fabric or newspapers and flyers to reduce waste.
Check HVAC Efficiency
Ensuring that your home’s HVAC equipment is in excellent running condition will keep your home comfortable and prevent wasted energy. We recommend that you routinely check your home’s exterior vents to ensure that they are clean and free from debris and obstructions. Be diligent in replacing your furnace filter every 3-6 months to prevent your furnace from working overtime.
At Sinclair Homes, we are passionate about energy conservation. That’s why all our homes surpass standards of energy efficiency. As an owner of a Sinclair home, your furnace will be equipped with an energy-efficient ECM motor, which means you get to enjoy the benefits of reduced energy usage and a smaller carbon footprint.
If you’d like more information about Sinclair Homes communities, get in touch with us here.
