Lighting:

• Turn off lights that are not being used.

• Use LED bulbs for lighting, especially for security lights that are kept on throughout the night. LEDs use 75 per cent less energy than incandescent lighting.

• Use one large wattage lamp, such as a 13 watt LED bulb, (comparable to a 100 watt incandescent bulb), instead of several small ones in areas where bright light is needed.

• Opt for motion sensor lighting in bathrooms and bedrooms, so that they go off, once there is a set period of time, with no motion in the room.

In the kitchen:

• Electric stoves use a lot of energy. If you cook with an electric stove, turn off burners on your stove a few minutes before the allotted cooking time.

• Maximise the use of your electric stove by using a pressure cooker or by cooking or baking several dishes at the same time. This will also save you from cooking several times per week, giving you more time to enjoy your retirement.

• Use a toaster oven for smaller meals as this appliance uses a lot less energy than an electric stove.

• Try making a double batch of your favourite dishes then freeze the leftovers in individual portions. This saves cooking energy and time.

• Do not open refrigerator unnecessarily.

• Refrigerators 10 years or older are less energy efficient than new models. Consider changing out older refrigerators.

• Never place your refrigerator next to a heat source such as an oven and avoid direct sunlight. Always ensure that your refrigerator has sufficient ventilation as heat will cause the unit to use more energy to stay cold.

Staying cool:

• Use air-conditioning units (AC) only when necessary — use natural ventilation by opening windows on cooler days.

• Reduce your AC costs by using it for a short period of time to cool the room, and then switching over to inexpensive, energy efficient ceiling and standing fans to circulate the cooled air.

• Position your favourite comfy chair to a cooler area or under a fan during the summer.

• Make gardening one of your new hobbies! Plant a tree near windows to help keep the house cool.

• Turn off ceiling or standing fans when you leave the room.

• Don’t place lamps or television sets near air conditioning thermostat. Heat from the appliances could cause the air conditioner to work harder and longer than necessary.

• Conduct regular maintenance of air conditioners to ensure that the unit functions efficiently, using less energy.

Water heaters:

• Switch on your electric water heater one hour before use and switch off immediately after use. There is no need to keep it on all day.

• Reduce the amount of hot water you use by installing low-flow showerheads outlets and faucet sink aerators on bathroom and kitchen pipes.

Televisions/computers:

• Do not use television sets as radios. Turn off when no one is watching.

• Turn off radios when leaving home.

• Televisions are still consuming electricity when in standby mode (that is the bulb that remains lit after you turn off your TV). Switching to standby is better than leaving your TV on, but it’s still more energy-efficient to switch it off completely.

• If you’re buying a new TV, look for the energy-saving rating recommended label, that way you can be sure you are buying a TV with optimised energy-saving features.

• When choosing a computer, a laptop is more energy-efficient than a desktop. If you have an older model computer, it might be worth thinking about upgrading to a newer, energy-efficient laptop.

Source: Jamaica Public Service