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Tips at School

 

• Keep doors and windows closed when the air conditioning is on.
• Turn off lights whenever you leave a room or don’t need them, even for just a few minutes.
• Open blinds to brighten up a room.
• Shut off computers when you are finished using them.
• Turn off computer monitors if you leave a computer for a few minutes. Most of the power is used by the monitor!
• Make sure you enable your computer’s energy-saving features.

 

Tips for Renters

Lighting

 

• Turn off lights whenever you leave a room or don’t need them, even for just a few minutes.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescents.

• Take short showers instead of baths. A five-minute shower uses about half as much water as a bath.
• Turn off the air conditioner when you’re not home.

Heating & Cooling

 

• Use curtains or blinds to control the heat.
• Use more blankets in bed at night to keep your body warm enough without warming your whole apartment.
• If you have control over your heat, you'll save by manually setting the temperature to these recommended thermostat settings:

 

Electronics

 

• Use a laptop computer instead of a desktop PC.
• Shut off your computer when not in use.
• Turn off your computer monitor as much as possible - 60% of the power used by a computer is used by the monitor!
• Put your home entertainment systems on a power bar and turn off the bar when you are not using them.
• Unplug infrequently used TVs and other appliances. They continue to draw power even when turned off.

In the kitchen

 

• Reheat food in a toaster oven or microwave oven instead of a standard oven.
• Keep the oven door closed when cooking.
• Use an electric kettle to boil water instead of using the stove top which is less efficient.
• Don’t overfill the refrigerator, as this blocks air circulation. Conversely, a full freezer will perform better than an empty one.
• Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
• Don’t use a bigger pot than you need, and match it to the right size element.

 

Tips for Students in Residence

• Unplug clock radios and other electrical devices when you are away on holiday.
• Turn off your dorm room lights when not in use.
• Turn off lights, TVs and other energy users in common areas if you are the last one to leave.
• Use a task lamp instead of a ceiling light to illuminate your study area.
• Wash your laundry in cold water.
• Run full loads of laundry whenever possible but don’t overload the machines.
• Dry consecutive loads to utilize otherwise wasted heat from the dryer.
• Take short showers instead of baths. A five-minute shower uses about half as much water as a bath.
• Report energy wastage to your Residence Advisor.