Conserving Energy and Saving Money during the Holiday Season

The week before Christmas Break is a busy one for all of us at ESandC and the schools. The kids are keeping parents, grandparents and guardians entertained with Christmas concerts, school dances, spirit days and learning all about holiday traditions around the world, not to mention bouncing off the walls from all the extra sugar and excitement. Teachers, Principals and school staff are busy organizing all of these special events and looking forward to the vacation time that awaits them at the end of the week. 

It’s also a busy week for all of the utility companies that we work with. Everyone is finalizing their year-end budgets and preparing for next year. As we are getting our approvals for next year’s budget we are contacting the schools, so if you haven’t heard from us yet, give us a call or email and we can schedule a date for 2019!!!

The holidays can be an expensive time of year for everyone. Between gifts, baking and hosting expenses the dollars really add up quickly. Here are some conservation tips to help you keep a few extra pennies in your pocket:

1 – Switch to LED Christmas Light – LED Christmas lights use 90% less electricity than regular Christmas lights, and can be purchased for around $10 a strand.

2 – Use Fibre Optic Decorations – Fibre optic trees and decorations are the ultimate in energy efficiency. In most cases, they use a single light bulb located at the base of the unit to light the entire decoration.

3 – Limit the Time Lights are on – Wait until dark to turn on your Christmas lights and then, turn them off before you go to bed. Six hours or less of daily use is a good goal to aim for. If you have trouble remembering to turn your lights on and off, then set a timer and forget about it. 

4 – Turn Off Room Lights When the Tree is Lit – The lights on your Christmas tree should provide more than enough lighting to navigate around the room. 

5 – Turn the Thermostat Down When You Have Guests – When you are throwing a holiday shindig, turn your thermostat down. The body heat from people gathered will heat your home, and turning down the heat will save money and prevent rooms from getting stuffy.

6 – Buy Gifts that Don’t Use Electricity or Batteries – According to energyquest.ca.gov, 40% of all batteries are purchased during the holiday season. That’s a lot of money spent on batteries and a lot of energy used! 

7 – Invest in Rechargeable Batteries and a Charger – If you buy or receive gifts that require batteries, consider purchasing rechargeable batteries and a charger.

8 – Buy Energy Star Electronics – Energy Star certified electronics – TVs, Blu-Ray players, and cordless phones, use up to 60% less electricity than their non-certified counterparts. Visit energystar.gov for a list of qualifying models or look for the Blue Star. 

9 – Take a Walk to See the Christmas Lights – Leave the car in the driveway this year when you go out to look at Christmas lights. A walking tour of your neighbourhood will be just as fun, won’t use any gas and help burn off some of those extra holiday pounds.

10 – Bake Several Dishes at a Time – The holiday season is a big time for baking. Make the most of your oven and the energy that goes into heating it, by cooking several dishes at once. Remember: it takes the same amount of energy to heat a full oven as it does a nearly-empty one. And don’t peek – 
Every time you open the oven door, the temperature drops by as much as 25%.

11 – Use the Smallest Appliance to Get the Job Done and Keep Lids on Pots – Use your microwave and toaster oven for small holiday cooking tasks; save the oven for big cooking tasks. Foods cook faster when the lid is on which in turn uses less energy.

12 – Unplug Phantom Energy Users Before You Go On Vacation – TVs, DVD players, computers, printers, radios and many other electronics use energy when they aren’t turned on. Unplug these items before you go on vacation, and enjoy the energy savings.