Tips to go green and pollute less

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Energy consumption in Spanish homes between 1990 and 2004 grew by 77.5%, which is three times that in other countries of the European Union.

We cannot continue like this, we have to act. We are all responsible. Therefore, in Green Ecology we make a list with some tips to go green and pollute less. Take note!

Turn off the light whenever you don't need it

Don't waste light when it's not needed. Take advantage of natural light, paint walls and ceilings in light colors, reduce ornamental lighting to a minimum.

Take the stairs, forget the elevator.

A 15-second elevator ride is equivalent to keeping a 60-watt light bulb on for 1 hour. Walk up instead of taking the elevator, it's good for the environment and for getting in shape.

Change your bulbs for other low consumption ones

A low consumption light bulb compared to a normal one saves almost 60 euros in a year. If we were to replace five normal light bulbs (with an average use of five hours a day) with other low consumption ones, we would avoid around 250 kg of CO2 per year. It is enough to buy energy class 'A' lamps and bulbs to achieve greater efficiency and savings in the medium-long term.

Wash with cold water and a full load

Filling the washing machine and dishwasher saves energy consumption: you wash more things in one go. The 30 ° C temperature can be sufficient for heavily soiled laundry and saves three-quarters of the consumption of the hottest cycle. If you wash with cold water, the saving is 80% of the energy.

Close electrical appliances completely when not in use

Devices such as televisions, computers or videos in the standby state consume 15% of their total consumption. In some homes, the consumption of these devices in 'stand-by' can reach 10% of the household consumption. If we place a power strip with a switch to completely cut off the current that reaches them, we can reduce 39 kg of CO2 per year.

Find efficient appliances and make good use of them

Choosing an efficient appliance is synonymous with savings. After ten years, a period that is equivalent to the lifetime of any appliance, we will have saved a 74.7% of total electricity consumption with regard to the consumption of a non-efficient appliance, which can be more than 800 euros in some cases.
Make smart use of your appliances: not opening the refrigerator more than necessary or not putting hot food in are other tips to reduce electricity consumption.

Unplug all chargers

The charger consumes even when it is not connected to the phone. Unplug the mobile charger when you are not using it.

Dispenses with the dryer

Hanging clothes outdoors instead of using an electric dryer saves about 50 kg of CO2 each year, in addition to avoiding the 318 kg of CO2 emitted in its manufacture.

Lower the heat and adjust the cooling

Reduce the temperature just one degree enough for cut the bill by 5% -10% of household energy and avoid 300 kg of CO2 per house per year. Adjusting the thermostat to 20 ° C or lowering it several degrees at night are easy measures that, added to proper insulation with double glazing, weather stripping on doors and windows, curtains or insulating the boxes where the blinds are rolled (where heat and cold penetrates) will save us up to 40% in heating consumption.

Uses passive systems to cool your home, how to take advantage of the currents. You can also install ceiling fans. If you cannot do without air conditioning, protecting the outdoor unit of the appliance from direct sunlight allows you to save up to 10% in consumption … and in the electricity bill. In summer, if you set the conditioner to 25 ° C or more, you will reduce the energy consumption between 10% and 20%.

Use double windows for your house

Double glazing prevents up to 350 kg of CO2 per year. The most efficient windows reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 15%. This measure requires an initial investment, but in the long term it pays off.

Dress according to the ambient temperature

If you try to dress at home according to the temperature, you will avoid having to turn on the air conditioning or heating when it is not really necessary. Wear warm clothes in winter instead of turning up the heat.

Recover the jugs in summer

The hotter the jug, the more refreshing the water it contains. Much better than chilling water in the fridge. The 'Botijos against climate change' campaign tells you about this simple advice.

No to the bathroom, yes to the shower

Showering instead of bathing divides your energy use by four. You can also install a low-flow shower head and taps to save about 230 kg of CO2 per year and reduce water heating costs by 10% -16%. Lowering the hot water thermostat also saves.

Kitchen saving energy

With a gesture as simple as boiling only the water we need when cooking, you can save about 25 kg of CO2 per year. If you are using an electric kettle, completely cover the heating elements. You can also use a pressure cooker: you will reduce cooking times, and therefore energy.

Don't leave the iron on

An hour of ironing is equivalent to 20 hours of television or seven hours of the computer. Try ironing large amounts of clothing and turn it off if you are not using it.

Avoid taking the car to move when shopping

Shopping in the neighborhood has its advantages: avoid taking the car to go to large stores. You can easily substitute plastic bags for the trolley or a backpack. Consuming local seasonal products and betting on vegetables also helps: transporting products by plane from one side of the world to the other generates about 1,700 times more CO2 emissions than if they are transported by truck 50 km.

Use the public transportation

A bus carries as many people as ten fully full cars, takes up three times less space on the road and emits half the CO2 per kilometer per passenger. A person traveling alone by car produces three times more CO2 emissions per kilometer than traveling by train.

Make efficient use of your vehicle

Do not use the car on small routes where you can walk. With the bicycle you save up to 240 kg of CO2 per year. If you can't get by without a car, at least try to get as many seats as possible on the move.

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