Must-do’s during ‘Earth Hour’

Earth Hour is a time where people everywhere are encouraged to switch their lights off for just one hour. Awareness of the event has become more widespread lately, with people from all over the world participating. But one should remember that Earth Hour isn’t really about sitting in the dark with no lights on. Rather, it is to reduce the amount of electricity that we use. Therefore, there is a lot more that we can do for that one hour than just turning off the lights.

Here are some example of things that you can do to further conserve energy:

Turn Down the Heat

If you live in a colder climate, you may have your heating on during March. One way to save energy is to turn your heat down during Earth Hour. You should also clear any objects that are placed too close to floor heaters, as this will help them function in a more efficient way. Also, you can try turning down the heat in rooms that you don’t use.

Shut Down Your Computer

Many of us have a computer that is on all the time. But it should be remembered that even a computer that is idle and not being used still consumes power. Thus, one way to contribute to saving power during Earth Hour would be to shut down your computer for that time. Remember that it is also a good idea to turn off your computer completely when it is not being used, as this will help you save electricity at other times.

Unplug Your Refrigerator and Leave it Closed

Your food won’t go bad because your refrigerator or freezer has been turned off for just an hour. And remember that your fridge is one of the appliances in your home that consumes the most electricity. Unplug it during Earth Hour to save as much power as possible.

Unplug Your Chargers

Chargers for cell phones, battery rechargers and other power adapters use power even if they are not charging anything. It would be a good idea to leave them unplugged when you’re not using them. By doing so, you will contribute to saving electricity all year round.

Unplug Electronics

Televisions, DVD players and gaming consoles all consume electricity, even when they’re not being actively used. So unplug as many devices as you can during Earth Hour. While it may take a few minutes for you to reprogram them after, you will have done a good part for the environment by keeping them completely unplugged during just one hour.

These are just a few suggestions of things that you can do to conserve even more energy during Earth Hour. If everyone does their part, we can all help the environment by preventing wasted energy.