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If you are thinking of ways to lower your electricity bills, here are 9 easy ways. Go for it, today and be environmentally friendly too.
Is your electricity bill too high? If it accounts for a major chunk of your household budget, here are some ways to save both money and energy; easily and effectively.
During the daytime, make full use of natural light. This can reduce the amount of electricity you use. Whether you are at work or inside your house, open your curtains/blinds/windows and let the sunshine and fresh air come in! Also, buy/use curtains or blinds in a lighter shade that lets light come through and offers you privacy as well.
This is one of the easiest and simplest ways to save electricity. Make it a habit for you and your family to switch off any fans/lights every single time you leave the room (the bathroom/washroom lights/exhaust fans are often ignored). In addition, start paying attention to how many lights are on in your house at a given time; whether you really need to be using them all at once. If possible, get your family to make use of just one or two rooms. It not only makes a difference to your power consumption but helps your family bond together as well.
Another way of saving power is simply changing your bright light bulbs to LED bulbs. They save electricity and also last longer.
Replace your old appliances like refrigerators with the newer models which are designed to conserve energy.
Very often we either leave/ forget to switch off the power button after using plugged in appliances like television /computer/laptops/ music systems/microwave ovens and even phone chargers. Many of us may not be aware that these devices keep consuming energy all day long. Unplugging your appliances every single time you are done may be inconvenient and tiresome; But, make an effort to unplug them at the end of the day. The savings are worth the trouble.
Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly. Keep your fridge and freezer organized. It will not just be easier for you to find what you need quickly but spend less time standing in front of the fridge door and debating what to eat. More importantly, leaving the fridge door open for a longer time only results in more power consumption. Any food which is hot first needs to be brought down to room temperature before being put away in the fridge; as the heat from the food can warm up the fridge which in turn has to spend more energy cooling( but, do not leave any food out -especially meat, for too long as it can encourage bacterial growth).
Limit your baking (sweet/savory) to once a week and aim to make the most of your baking session by making several dishes during that time. While it may be tempting to keep checking on your pizza or cupcakes (if they are done/ how long before it is going to be done); remember that every time you open the oven door while it’s in use, you release heat and the oven has to use extra energy!
In summer, it is sometimes unavoidable to use an air conditioner. But, one does not have to have the AC on unnecessarily or at all times just because you have the privilege of having one. You can find other ways to cool yourself down when possible- like having good cross ventilation or using ceiling fans instead when possible. Close all doors and windows tightly when the AC is on so that the cool air does not escape. Also, avoid switching it on and off or adjusting the temperature repeatedly as you are only making the AC work harder by re-starting itself and cooling down the room all over again(using up even more electricity).
This might seem impractical thing to do but aim to use candles once a week over dinner-time! They are not just cost effective but give a peaceful and romantic ambiance as well.
Take a look around yourself right now- whether you are at home, office or a public place. Is there any electrical device(a tube light/fan) or appliance that you think is running needlessly? Switch it off now or get someone to do it for you( in a public place).
Conserving electricity helps serve a twin purpose over a period of time – helps you stop global warming and definitely saves a lot of your hard-earned income!
Cover image via Shutterstock
First published at the author’s blog
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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