EN | ES Quick Pay !
"
Your Guide to Understanding Energy
Conservation
by Tara Energy | Educational, Energy, Energy
Conservation
In today’s world, energy is not only the
future — it drives everything in the
present. As a global society, we
generate and use more energy than ever
before, and the demand for energy is
continually increasing. While we have
been able to expand energy production
to keep up with demand, there are
physical, geographical, and economic
limits to how much can be produced.
What’s more, greenhouse gas emissions
that accompany many forms of energy
generation (such as using fossil fuels for
electricity) are accumulating in the
atmosphere, bringing the potential for
climate-related consequences. This is
especially true for fossil fuels, including
natural gas.
One of the ways to deal with the
constantly expanding need for energy
and the issues it brings is to focus on
energy conservation. This is a term that
has been discussed at great length
recently in the news, on social media,
and in academic circles. But what is
energy conservation and how can you
help? Read on to learn more about
energy conservation and how it can
impact the world.
What Is Energy
Conservation?
Energy conservation means reducing
the consumption of energy by
producing or using less of it. This could
be in the form of using fewer energy
services or using devices that require
less energy. Refraining from using
services or products is one way to
conserve energy, but this can also be
done by using more energy ef]cient
products designed to consume less
energy than their standard counterparts.
Energy conservation is a big part of
sustainability and sustainable
development.
There are countless examples of energy
conservation that we know. These
include ^icking off the lights when
leaving a room, unplugging devices or
appliances when they’re not actively
being used, and cycling instead of
driving whenever possible.
Energy Conservation De?nition
and Meaning
Energy conservation is “the prevention
of the wasteful use of energy, especially
in order to ensure its continuing
availability,” according to the of]cial
Collins de]nition. This is important to
note because there is another de]nition
of the term. In physics, energy
conservation is de]ned as “the principle
by which the total energy remains
constant in a system that is not subject
to external in^uence.”
The fact that the general use de]nition
precedes the description of energy
conservation in physics shows how
important the concept has become in
everyday life. Due to the current issues
facing energy consumption and its
associated limits, the meaning of energy
conservation today mainly encompasses
ways to prevent wasteful use of energy
in the environment.
What Are Some Methods
of Energy Conservation?
There are many methods to save energy.
Most of these involve refraining from
using energy-consuming devices
whenever possible, while some rely on
energy ef]cient products and practices.
Here are some simple ways you can
conserve energy and become more
energy ef]cient.
Turn Things Down
Given that energy cannot be created or
destroyed, energy conservation is about
conserving it rather than eliminating it.
One of the most effective methods to
conserve energy is to turn things down
that require a lot of heat or energy.
Heating a home or of]ce takes a lot of
energy, and even turning the thermostat
down by a degree or two can create
energy savings equivalent to taking
several cars off the road. The same goes
for water heating: using cold water for
regular tasks, from washing dishes to
washing clothes, will conserve a lot of
energy over time.
Turning down the heat on your shower is
another way to help conserve energy.
No, that doesn’t mean you have to take
a cold shower. Even turning a hot water
shower down to a nice warm one
reduces the amount of energy needed to
heat the water. To conserve even more
energy, try shortening the length of time
you spend in the shower by just two
minutes. Doing so can cut your water
consumption by 10 gallons considering
the average shower uses ]ve gallons of
water per minute.
Turn Off and Unplug
Some things are better to turn off
completely, as they use energy even
when not being actively used. While it’s
better to turn the heat down rather than
off (because spaces need to be heated
to at least some degree), many
appliances and devices should be
unplugged or switched off when not in
use. Turning off a ceiling fan or air
conditioner when leaving a room helps a
great deal to conserve energy, as does
shutting off the television when nobody
is watching it.
Appliances such as televisions, stereos,
computers, and more also draw energy
from the power grid when plugged into
a wall even when they are shut off. To
reduce energy usage, make sure these
devices are completely unplugged and
not connected to a power source when
not in use.
Substitute and Be More
Ef?cient
Substituting certain devices for others is
one way of practicing energy ef]ciency
to achieve energy conservation. Some
items and devices you need to use on a
daily basis, but swapping them for more
energy ef]cient versions could result in
valuable energy savings. For example,
you could buy more energy-ef]cient
appliances, such as an Energy Star-
approved washer and dryer, or change a
regular shower head to a low-^ow
version that reduces the amount of
heated water you need.
If you’re looking for a new car, consider
an electric car or more energy ef]cient
vehicle, such as a hybrid or small
economy car. You can also think about
installing solar energy water heaters
and heat pumps in your home. From
small changes to more substantial
substitutes, every new energy-saving
habit you adopt can make big
differences in the long run for the
environment and your bank account.
Do It Yourself
Using human power instead of a device
to do the same job will help conserve
energy. This could include walking or
biking instead of driving whenever
possible, using a hand saw instead of an
electric one, or a push mower instead of
a gas lawnmower. Doing things yourself
can add up to a lot of energy
conservation over time — think about
how much gas and associated energy
you would save walking or riding your
bike to work or your local grocery store
instead of driving.
Why Is Energy
Conservation Important?
source
Energy conservation is incredibly
important for several reasons. Along
with reducing our reliance on non-
renewable energy resources (like fossil
fuels), it also helps save you money on
energy costs, including utility bills and
other energy bills. Conserving energy
also cuts down on expanding
development where natural resource
extraction (such as oil or even lithium) is
impacting natural areas. When we
conserve energy and use it more
ef]ciently, we directly reduce the
amount of greenhouse gas emissions
entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
Why Does Energy
Conservation Matter To
Consumers?
Energy conservation matters to
consumers because of the economic
and environmental bene?ts it offers.
Conserving energy results in lower living
expenses as energy savings leads to
monetary savings. Along with helping
consumers keep more cash in their
pockets, it also helps protect the
environment from excess resource use
and carbon dioxide emissions.
Energy conservation also bene]ts
wildlife and natural areas by lessening
the demand for new power plants. This
is even true with carbon-free and
renewable energy sources. For example,
hydroelectric dams can damage aquatic
areas, wind farms are potentially
dangerous for birds, and nuclear waste
can cause devastating harm if leaked
into the ecosystem.
Other reasons to embrace energy
conservation include its role in
promoting general cardiovascular, lung,
and brain health as it reduces the
amount of pollutants in the environment
that stem from using fossil fuels.
Becoming less reliant on ]nite resources
also moves us towards large-scale
energy independence — the more
energy that is conserved, the more
energy independent the entire nation
can become. Conserving energy also can
give you potential rebates or tax credits
for adopting better energy management
practices. Given the ]nite nature of
energy resources, even small forms of
conservation can have a positive
impact.
What’s the Difference
Between Energy Ef?ciency
and Energy
Conservation?
source
Although we often use the phrases
interchangeably, there’s a subtle but
important difference between energy
ef?ciency and energy conservation.
Energy ef]ciency refers to using
technology that requires less energy to
perform the same desired task or
function as other high-energy using
tools. Meanwhile, energy conservation is
any behavior or deliberate action that
results in the use of less energy.
These may be related terms, but their
de]nitions are very distinct in the energy
world. Energy conservation dictates
using measurably less energy by
adjusting habits and behaviors. In
contrast, energy ef]ciency relies on
technology that utilizes less energy to do
the same or similar thing as a
comparable device.
The main difference is that energy
conservation is a conscious effort that
requires a change in how a person
behaves or acts, while energy ef]ciency
does not require any of these changes —
it only requires changing the technology
that is used on a daily basis.
What Are Some Types of
Energy Conservation
Devices?
While energy conservation is about
using less energy, it still has an aspect of
energy ef]ciency built in — after all,
almost everything in life requires energy
in some form or another. Energy saving
devices come in all shapes, sizes, and
price ranges.
Some of the most notable types of
energy conservation devices are smart
sockets, eco chargers, and Energy Star
appliances such as washers and dryers,
refrigerators, dishwashers, air
conditioning units, and “smart”
programmable thermostats. There are
countless others, but these are some of
the most popular types of devices to
make conserving energy that much
easier.
What Are Some Ways To
Help With Energy
Conservation?
There are many ways to help with
energy conservation. Along with using
proven methods of energy conservation
— such as utilizing human power over
internal combustion motors — people
can do a lot of small things that add up
to big changes over time.
For example, turning off unnecessary
lights and making the most of natural
light will conserve energy. Taking
shorter showers and turning off water
when brushing your teeth or shaving
can also help. Likewise, using laptop
computers instead of desktop versions
can reduce energy consumption.
You Can Help With Energy
Conservation
Energy conservation and ef]ciency can
seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t
have to be. You can help by adopting
new habits and choosing energy-
ef]cient devices in your daily life and
monitoring your energy use. Regular
home and vehicle maintenance can go a
long way in conserving energy.
For instance, ]xing leaky faucets or
toilets can be an energy saver, while
making sure furnaces are optimized and
keeping air ]lters clean can also result in
a great deal of energy savings. Swap
incandescent light bulbs for LED light
bulbs and always unplug unused
appliances and electronic devices.
It’s also important to make sure you get
your electricity from a reliable and
ef]cient source. By making small
changes every day, you can make a big
difference today and tomorrow.
Brought to you by taranergy.com
All images licensed from Adobe Stock.
Featured image
Related Posts:
What Is Energy? A
Guide to
Understanding
Energy
Understanding
Geothermal Energy
4 Tips to Keep Your
Energy Bill From
Haunting Your
Halloween
Calculating Your
Christmas Energy
Costs and Usage
Formula
14 Tips for Lowering
Your Winter Energy
Bill
Why Your Energy Bill
Has Increased
Recently?
Greenovate Your
Home and Save
What Is Natural Gas
Used for at Home?
Your Questions…
Search this blog... Search
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update
Want Options?
We’ve got them
Talk to one of our friendly energy experts today
to get the right plan that suits your energy
needs.
844-466-3808 OR ! LET'S CHAT
Residential Commercial About Us
Blog Contact Us
© 2021 Tara Energy and the Tara Energy design are
trademarks of Just Energy Groups Inc. used under license.
PUCT License #10051 | P.O. Box 3607 Houston, TX 77253
Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Report an Outage |
Sitemap
