As we all share in energy costs, it's everyone's responsibility to do their part to avoid wasting energy.
Here are some things you can do:
- Use energy saving florescent or LED light bulbs
- Turn off lights, appliances, baseboard heaters, computers, tvs, stereos, etc, when they are not being used. This is particularly important when you are going out or going away.
- Unplug or use power bars to completely turn off electronic items such as computers and TVs, since many of these items continue to consume electricity even when "off"
- Keep your windows closed when your heating or air conditioning is turned on. Although your electricity bill will not include the entire cost of central heating and air conditioning, since some of the system is common elements, your electricity bill will still include the cost of running the fan
- Conversely, in moderate weather, such as spring and fall, save energy by turning off your heating and cooling, and opening windows as necessary to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature
- Set your thermostat fan mode to "auto" (phase 1)
- Regularly clean the lint traps in and above your clothes dryer, and have the dryer and venting professionally cleaned from time to time
- Avoid running your clothes dryer for only one or two items
- Do not leave refrigerator or oven doors open unnecessarily long
- Occasionally clean the coils on your refrigerator
- Use energy saving appliances. Some owners have replaced the standard appliances supplied by the builder with more energy efficient models.
- The same applies when purchasing other electronic equipment. For example, plasma televisions consume substantially more energy than LCD models.