Go Green With Your Family's Energy Use

By Jeremy Mitchell

As a consequence of increased development, China became the world’s largest energy consumer in 2010, burning 3.8 million tons of coal to keep the country powered; that’s nearly as much as the rest of the world combined. The electricity used to power our homes is created in power plants that burn fossil fuels, emitting harmful carbon dioxide into the environment. Alex Shoer, CEO of Seeder Energy told us that,

“In China the amount of electricity (that comes) from coal is as high as 70 percent and the rapid pace of urbanization requires even more buildings and energy in the future.”  

Conserving energy in your home is an easy way to reduce your family’s carbon footprint, while saving you money in the process. It’s encouraging to see clean energy alternatives being created and instituted all around Shanghai, but what we do as individuals is paramount to leading a greener lifestyle. With a few easy changes, your family can be well on their way to making an impactful difference to our planet’s future.

1. Reduce hot water use

Hot water is one of the biggest energy users in your family’s home. Conserve hot water by installing low flow showerheads in your bathroom, removing the need to rush your morning or evening routine. Wash most of your laundry in cold water, unless they need the extra deep clean that comes from the heat. Last on the list, only run your dishwasher when full – if your family is big enough, this won’t be hard to do. 

2. Unplug

There are a number of devices in your family’s home that are plugged in 24/7. Even if they’re powered off and not in use, they are still zapping energy. Get into the habit of unplugging your devices when you’re not using them. Phone chargers, televisions, DVD players, microwaves and blenders are wasting small doses of energy that really add up. The easiest way to stop this is to plug everything into power strips that you can turn off when your devices aren’t in use. 

3. Stay away from the stove

If you’re lucky enough to have a grill, use it. It’s a convenient way to keep your house cool, while making a delicious meal at the same time. The more heat we generate within our home, the more energy it takes our air conditioner to cool the place back down. Keep this in mind on especially hot days – when you don’t want to be outside, you can try some cold food alternatives, rather than firing up your oven or stove.