Saving energy is an excellent way to improve your comfort and budget while simultaneously protecting the environment. By making your home more energy efficient, you can also keep your heating and hot water bills down. That will be especially beneficial when energy prices continue to rise. In addition, conservation is good for your health, so you’ll feel better knowing that you’re doing your part to help the planet.
Saves money
Using energy efficient appliances and turning off the lights when not in use are easy ways to conserve energy and save money. Other ways to save energy and money include hanging clothes to dry and washing dishes by hand. These small actions add up over time. By making changes to your daily habits, you can make a significant impact on your energy bills.
One of the most effective ways to save energy is to replace devices that use excessive amounts of energy. Many of these devices are essential to your daily life, but switching to more energy efficient devices can result in significant savings. For instance, a low-flow shower head can be an easy way to save money by reducing the amount of heated water needed. Another great way to save money on energy is to switch to a different type of appliance altogether.
Improves health
Keeping energy costs down is essential for health care institutions. By implementing energy conservation strategies, they can reduce the energy consumption of their facilities and reduce their reliance on pollution-producing energy sources. Most health care organizations have committed to improving energy efficiency and transitioning to renewable energy sources. An estimated 87 percent of healthcare respondents plan to electrify their space and water heating systems to reduce their fossil fuel consumption. In addition, a growing number of healthcare organizations have set goals to convert to renewable energy by 2020.
In addition to saving money on electricity bills, energy efficiency also improves health. Recent studies suggest that energy efficiency measures can prevent asthma attacks and reduce the health risks associated with air pollution from power plants. A report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and Physicians for Social Responsibility estimates that a 15% reduction in electricity use in US cities could save six lives a day and prevent nearly 30,000 asthma attacks. The report also estimates that reducing electricity use by 15 percent would save approximately $20 billion per year.
To harness the energy benefits of clean energy, collaboration between the health and energy sectors is essential. It is also necessary to work with the investment community, who can provide funding for capital-intensive projects in the absence of public funds. The recent Clean Energy for Health Care Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, was an excellent opportunity to initiate cross-sector dialogue. Here, midwives and solar energy experts came together to discuss energy efficiency and health care. There were also discussions between government officials and development professionals in the private sector. Such dialogues are an important first step to breaking down silos and creating a more sustainable energy future.
Energy efficiency initiatives can reduce the energy burden of low-income households. These efforts can also improve housing stability, which is an essential quality of life issue. Low-income households are three times more likely to spend more than middle-class households on utilities. Furthermore, energy efficiency can help to reduce global CO2 emissions. A new study by the International Energy Agency shows that energy efficiency can reduce CO2 emissions by up to eight percent by 2020.
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