Smarter ways to reduce energy consumption this summer

​The summer season is at its peak and the North Indians are very much experiencing its affect. The scorching summers are generally associated with more consumption of energy, comparing to other seasons, by way of extensive use of the electrical appliances like air conditioners, coolers etc at home & offices in order to keep the surroundings cool. 

​But along with this there comes an opportunity to save and store more energy. The summer season is full of sunlight and heat, thus becoming more easy, manageable and feasible to reduce the energy consumption. With bit of common sense and creativity you too can save and reduce your energy consumption at your home and the office. Let us discuss and find the ways to implement the same:

Switch off your air conditioner

• Can you live without A/c this summer?

Yes most of the season, if you keep few things in mind. You know that the a/c creates a fair amount of the temperature difference between your room and the outside environment. When you go out from your room, you experience sudden change in the temperature (cool to hot) which is not good for the health.

• Does it mean that I stay in a suffocated hot room without a/c?

No, the one alternative is the use of dessert coolers. These are very effective in dry summers, generally the months of April, May and June is ideal for the dessert coolers. Moreover, these are less in price, and consume 1/6 of the energy than that of a/c when run for the same duration.

• What about the rainy seasons when there is high humidity and the dessert coolers are not that effective?

Yes, due to moisture the effectiveness of dessert coolers reduces. It is because the evaporation of water from the moist pads slows down, resulting in less cooling. The one way is to run dessert coolers dry in rainy days or use a/c in between to keep your room cool & moisture free. 

The shades are quite effective

One of the creative ways to keep your home cool is to use sun shades like window curtains. The windows right in front of the sun will let most of sun rays to come in, making it a real heating system. The use of curtains, shutter and the blinds will act as a protective film and prevent most of the rays entering the room. These window curtains come in very colorful designs which will not only keep your home cool but will also give aesthetic look to your home. 

Avoid using the dryer of the washing machine this summer

​The hot summers are the natural dryers of the clothes. Wash your clothes and hang them wet on the string under the sun. The clothes will dry in 2 hours naturally and that too without the wear & tear of the dryer. This option will save you energy, increasing the life, and maintaining the natural shine of the clothes. 

Improve your cooking & washing methods

​Avoid using oven in summer days as it adds up the heat in the kitchen and the home. Alternatively, use other energy methods like solar cooker for cooking the food under the heat of the sun. Also, eat seasonal vegetables as these are easy to cook & consume less energy, have more water content, keeping your body temperature down. During hot summers the water from the taps is hot. You can utilize this hot water for cleaning purposes like washing of green vegetables and fruits, clothes, and erasing spot from anything. This alternative will keep excess water consumption under check.

Replace inefficient electrical appliances with smart ones

It is important to replace all those outdated and inefficient electrical appliances which consume more energy and produce more heat. You know that a normal 100 watts incandescent light bulb convert only 20% of the electrical energy into light and the remaining 80% is wasted as a heat. This increases your electricity bill without producing enough light and adding heat in the room and the house. Always use high rating electrical appliances which consume less energy. 

Be smart, install solar panels at your roof-top

The installation of solar panels on the roof of your house is the smarter choice of saving energy and reducing the energy bill. The solar panels are very easy to install and are very durable, lasting for 25 years. Moreover, they require very little maintenance. The solar panels work on a basic principle of converting the solar energy into the electrical energy to run the electrical appliances. If you are really interested in having the solar panels at your roof top, use the solar power spreadsheet to know the feasibility at your location.

Plant a tree near your home

It is always the right time to plant a tree as it has many environmental benefits for you and the society.

• Trees keep the surroundings cool by absorbing CO₂,
• Provide fresh air
• Bind the soil through their roots, keeping floods under check.
• Trees are the home for many birds and animals
• They help in bringing rain
• They are the source of many herbal medicines

Therefore, you should motivate others to plant a tree near their location.

Other smarter ways to keep energy consumption under check

• Using solar mobile charger for your smart phone
• Taking shower twice or thrice in a day
• Keep the window panes of your car slightly open, allowing cross ventilation of air and keeping the car cool
• Go out in the morning and the evening in the public places like nearby park, giving rest to your electrical appliances for sometime
• Motivate your children to engage in the physical activities, avoiding watching TV, playing games on the smart phones
• Shower and wash your roof with water in the evening
• Drink lot of water and eat watery fruits to keep the body temperature down
• Wear cotton clothes in the summer
• Switch off completely the electrical appliances when not in use

Conclusion:

​The resources belong to the community therefore it our duty to utilize them in very judicious manner so that these resources are available to all irrespective to their status. With small creativity you too can save good amount of energy this summer. The above options will transform you into a smart energy user and will make you more sensitive towards nature. You should also try to motivate others to adopt the same lifestyle which I am sure you are going adopt after reading this post.