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I used to be more of a night owl, but off-grid living encourages me to live by the sun. Once the sun goes down at about 9 pm, I tend to stay awake for an hour or so, read with my headlamp or listen to a podcast.
A significant amount of our energy is used to keep us awake, entertained, and productive after the sun goes down. In order to extend the day, we have to leave our lights and other appliances on. Keeping to a more healthy daylight cycle can also greatly reduce our energy usage and energy spending.
When harvesting one's own energy, the impact of each energy required action receives full disclosure, continuously encouraging the user to be more resourceful. But the same energy saving concepts can be applied to living on the grid, where our impact isn't fully realized until we receive our energy bill.
Here are a few suggestions:
- If your goal is to get 7 or 8 hours of sleep at night, rearranging when those hours are can significantly reduce your energy costs.
- Turn the AC off and open windows open at night in the summertime for cool fresh air. Screens help to keep the bugs out.
- Invest in a warm down comforter and good pajamas for the winter months and turn your heater down at night. It is more cozy and makes more sense than keeping your entire living space heated.
- Let your appliances and electronics sleep too by turning them off at their root. You can also install a timer on your hot water heater (electric heaters only) and let it chill out while you do.
Want to know what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint? Find out on Planet Green TV's Wa$ted.
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