As a society, we are moving towards becoming more conscious. This entails watching how we speak, broadening our acceptance, and examining our impact on the planet. One of the main areas in which we can adjust our daily habits in order to help the Earth is reducing our energy consumption. Did you know that saving energy saves the environment?

When you reduce you power consumption, less toxic fumes are released by power plants. This conserves the natural resources on the planet, which prevents ecosystem destruction. The good news is there are many steps that you can take on a daily basis to reduce energy consumption. Though you can certainly look into making long-term energy saving investments, the good news is many of these tips require little daily effort to maintain!

1. Unplug electronics that are not in use

Unplugging idle electronics is one of the easiest ways you can lower your monthly electricity bill. There are many sources of “vampire power” that you might not be aware of, and they are reaping energy and costing you money! When electronics are plugged in, they are consuming energy. Some of the biggest sources of vampire energy consumption are computers, televisions, and stereos. Simply turning off your computer monitor at night can make a tremendous difference overtime. If it it necessary to leave software on in order to allow for updates, you can still go into your settings and switch the system to power saving mode. To make the unplugging process easier, use a power strip to easily turn off all devices at once.

2. Be selective about light choices

When it comes to selecting the right light bulb, your choice matters. The most energy efficient lighting option is LED bulbs. The option is environmentally preferred because it uses 75 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs. Consider replacing your light bulbs with LED options in order to save energy. As an added bonus, LED bulbs last significantly longer than traditional bulbs and do not contain any mercury.

3. Consider solar paneling

This step is certainly not the cheapest on the list, but it is one of the best choices to make to ensure for consistent and long-term energy saving. Over time, it will save you money, too! Solar panels harness energy from the sun, exporting excess energy onto the electric grid from the paneled home. This cuts down on local power plant pollution, significantly helping the planet. The best states for solar include, in order, California, North Carolina, Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Texas, Utah, Georgia, and Florida. These states are all innovators in solar electricity production, with California easily securing the top spot for the most solar powered state.

4. Improve airflow circulation

Though you’ll get laughed out of Texas if you suggest replacing an air conditioning unit with a ceiling fan, installing a ceiling fan can help circulate and distribute both hot and cold air depending on the season so that you can give your furnace or air conditioning unit a bit of a break. Run the fan on high counterclockwise to circulate cold air and on low clockwise to help pull and circulate warm air. Cleaning filters is also a prime way to have your systems run more efficiently in order to save energy. You can also look into purchasing Energy Star appliances, which use 10 to 50 percent less electricity compare to non-Energy Star brands.

5. Turn off your lights

This step might seem simple, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t often forgotten. Do you really need to leave all those lights on? When you’re walking from room to room, be conscious of the amount of lights you are leaving on. If you have young kids, be sure to instill the practice of turning off lights when you leave rooms. This simple practice can make a big difference! To help reduce electricity usage, you can also look into the right electricity plan for your home. You can consider using smart readers to receive regular reports about your electricity usage. Overall, being more conscious of your power usage can help you find areas to cut down.