For the last few years, we have become more and more aware about the damage we are doing to our planet through our voracious appetite for energy. Despite the bizarre claims of climate change deniers, the science behind the human effect on the earth makes it clear that if we don’t start to make serious changes, we will go beyond the point of no return in the coming years. We are already seeing the signs of this with the increasing severity and frequency of natural disasters occurring all over the planet. Whilst big industry and the energy sectors have the biggest part to play in making the necessary changes, we can all do our bit by making changes in our own lives. We have become increasingly reliant on electricity in every part of our daily lives but there are some simple things that you can do to reduce your energy usage.

Here are our expert tips that will dramatically lower home power consumption.

1. Switch Off Lights When You Leave a Room

The most effective energy saving tips are also the simplest, and switching off the lights every time you leave a room can make a huge difference to your power consumption over the course of a year. The energy comparison whizzes at Electricity Monster explain that it is a common misconception that it costs more to switch a lightbulb back on again than it does to just leave it on. With modern light bulbs this is completely false. Depending on the bulbs you use, you can save as much as 0.6 kilowatt hours, and over the course of a year, this can will really start to add up.

2. Recycle

The reason why China uses more energy than any other country is not because its population is so big, it’s because China does such a huge amount of manufacturing. Big industry consumes more electricity than transport, entertainment, or anything else in our world, and so one of the best ways you can reduce your power consumption is to recycle. This will mean that instead of new products having to be made from scratch, your old items can be turned into something for future use which requires far less energy in the process. Most countries these days have started to introduce regulations for household recycling, but it is always worth trying to go that extra mile wherever you can. If everyone in the world recycled just 10% more, it would go a long way to slowing down the impact we are having on the planet.

3. Unplug Electrical Items

One of the biggest wastes of energy in many households is electrical appliances being plugged in when they are not in use. Many people think that because they are not switched on, appliances don’t use any energy but this isn’t true. Almost as much energy is used just to keep an appliance on standby as is used to turn it on. Perhaps the biggest culprits are laptops which people leave plugged on constantly. Not only does this waste energy, but it can also damage the laptop’s battery. In order to reduce your energy consumption, plug your laptop in to charge, and once it is done, unplug it. Whilst appliances like refrigerators need to stay plugged in at all, always disconnect TVs, stereos and other electrical gadgets when you are not using them. You should always do this anyway when you are going on a trip to prevent the risk of electrical fires.

4. Wear More Clothes in your House

We all love our home comforts, and modern technology means that we can be snug and cozy in our homes no matter what the weather outside. Whilst clearly this is a huge improvement on how things used to be in the past, it can make people a little blase about turning on the heating without any thought. This can be incredibly expensive and unless the temperatures where you live are very cold, it is often unnecessary until Winter comes. Simply putting on more clothes when you are a little cold in your house can reduce your power consumption dramatically, and as a result, save you a lot of money on your heating bills.

Reducing your energy consumption at home will not only help to save the planet, but can also save you an amazing amount of money. Electricity bills are increasing year on year and so any little tip that can help to reduce the cost of your bills is always welcome. Despite common misconceptions, even making small changes can have a huge difference over the course of a year. Follow these expert tips and you will be able to dramatically reduce the amount of energy that you use.