![]() One of the myths about electricity consumption is that leaving lights on is more energy-efficient than turning them on and back off, because it takes more electricity to turn them back on than it would to just leave them running. ![]() One of the ways we can do this is by changing habits around using lights– turning them off when they are not in use, while it seems very simple, is actually a habit that many people have difficulty falling into, as they either forget or have other household members, such as young children, who are not so used to it. Therefore, it is in our best interest to find ways to reduce the amount of electricity we use. The national average carbon dioxide output rate for electricity generated in 2010 was 1,232.4 lbs CO 2 per megawatt-hour (EPA 2014), which translates to about 1,328.0 lbs CO 2 per megawatt-hour for delivered electricity…” Simply put, for every megawatt-hour that electricity was used in 2010, it produced over 1300 pounds of carbon dioxide this is a rather large number. On average, each home consumed 12,069 kWh of delivered electricity (EIA 2013a). According to the EPA, “in 2012, 113.93 million homes in the United States consumed 1,375 billion kilowatt-hours (EIA 2013a). Energy consumption requires the use of fossil fuels, which creates high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as well as other harmful emissions that alter the atmosphere and create health hazards. Why is energy consumption so important, and how can it negatively impact the environment? The answer may not seem immediately obvious, as we all use lights and appliances in our daily lives, even more constantly as technology adapts and makes energy consumption necessary for work as well as leisure. For example, finding ways to curb electricity use is not only good for the environment, but can actually save money and benefit you in other ways! What’s Your Impact suggests several ways you can reduce energy consumption: turning down devices or turning them off, proper insulation, and changing bulbs are all ways that you can be more energy-efficient in your own home. ![]() When it comes to ways to reduce consumption and impact on the Earth, there are many changes that you can make to your own home that not only allow you to consume with more environmental consciousness, but have additional benefits for you. ![]()
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