Five energy wasting habits you should drop today

Generally speaking, we consume a lot of energy daily as a people, from watching Television and charging electronics to leaving lights on unnecessarily.

But in today’s Nigeria, for obvious reasons, it has become more important than ever to manage energy usage wisely and efficiently.

Energy-wasting habits are behaviors that result in excessive and unnecessary energy consumption. And here are five of the most common energy-wasting mistakes people make and how to adopt more eco-friendly practices.

1. Leaving the Lights On

This is the most common energy wasting habit in most Nigerian homes – leaving the lights on when not in use.

By simply turning off the lights, especially when when not in use, you’d be saving electricity cost, and also helping the light bulbs last longer.

What’s more, it is not economical to leave the lights on during the day when you can easily make use of natural daylight by opening up the curtains and blinds.

2. Leaving Electronics Plugged In

It is very relatable that Nigerians leave their electronics plugged in, especially phones even after they are fully charged.

It is important to note that many devices still use energy even when they are turned off. So, electronics and electrical appliances such as chargers, microwaves, fans should be unplugged when not used.

This way, you are saving a significant amount of energy.

3. Using Incandescent Bulbs

Incandescent lights use a great amount of energy. A perfect example is the popular yellow bulb. One of the ways to reduce energy is to switch to energy efficient light bulbs such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which last up to 25 time longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and also consumes less energy.

The popular yellow bulbs use between 60 and 200 watts of energy while the LED bulbs can consume as low as 5 watts and 25 watts. The maths is simple when you relate the energy with cost.

4. Using Energy-Inefficient Appliances

Using old or inefficient refrigerators, air conditioners and other appliances can consume energy a lot. Their usage leads to reduced efficiency.

Using energy efficient appliances instead, is a long-term cost saver. You can shop around for appliances with high energy efficiency ratings but use less electricity.

5. Not properly insulating homes

Many Nigerian homes are not well-insulated, allowing heat to enter during the day and escape at night. This leads to increased use of air conditioners and fans which results in waste of energy.

Proper insulation can reduce the need for heating and cooling. You can achieve this by sealing windows and doors to prevent air leaks thereby ensuring your homes maintains a stable temperature.

By implementing these tips, you can reduce energy cost, contribute to energy conservation and reduce our environmental footprint.