As we begin to realize the impact we have on the environment, it’s becoming more and more important that we conserve energy. It’s good for the environment, and good our families, so doing everything we can to conserve energy is incredibly important. We use energy every day. In our homes, our cars, in almost everything we do. It is, however a finite resource. “Finite” means that it won’t last forever. There’s a finite amount of energy that we can use, so we have to take care of it, conserve it in any way we can. By following the information below, you can take some small steps to conserve energy. If everyone takes these small steps, it will have a huge impact. Here are a few ways you can do your part to conserve energy.

Water Conservation

The first question people usually ask when they’re told they need to conserve water is, “Why?” It’s a good question. Just look at a globe. Most of it is blue. There’s plenty of water! The problem is, though, that only about 1% of that water is fresh according to water.org. Even so, most of that water is locked up in glaciers. Despite it being all around us, water is rare. Even if we were to take all the seawater and take the salt out of it (something called desalination) it would require a huge amount of energy. Further, if we were to do that, water would still be a finite resource, and so we should take care to conserve it whenever possible.

Conserving water use also reduces energy use in your house, which can save your family money. This doesn’t only mean that if you use less water your water bill will go down. Of course, that’s true, but if you think about it, it also means your electricity bill will go down. This is because by figuring out the ways to make the most of each load in the dishwasher or washing machine will reduce the number of times you have to use it. You’ll reduce water and electricity. You’re an energy conserving star!

Electricity Savings

Kind of like water, the main reason we need to conserve electricity is that the resources needed to make most electricity (coal and other fossil fuels) are a finite resource. They can’t renew as fast as we use them, and when they’re out, they’re out for good. Again like water conservation, the most immediate advantage of conserving electricity is that the bill for running electricity through your home won’t be as high.

There are bigger, more important reasons to save energy, though, and they all revolve around protecting the environment. Getting electricity, even if we get it through a water turbine, is a dirty business. The more energy we use, the more turbines we need to produce. The more turbines we need to produce, the more we need to extract oil and coal and other fossil fuels from the earth. The more we do this, the more we harm the environment. So conserving energy isn’t just about saving money, it’s about saving the earth.

Recycling and Other Wastes

Now that we know so much of what we use is made with exhaustible resources, it’s important to consider what we do next. Of course, we can conserve energy and resources as was stated above, but that’s only part of the equation. The other part is making new use of the things we use. For instance, recycling the plastic you use today means we don’t have to make as much of it tomorrow. It mean less oil involved in the manufacture of the plastic as well as less oil involved in the shipping of it. Recycle the paper and metal you use for the same effect. This effort, combined with conserving these materials in the first place, require little effort and can have a big impact.

Winter Heat Savings Tips

Saving on your winter heat has the same impact as saving on your electricity. This is because they’re essentially one in the same thing. The impact to the environment, however, becomes even greater if you are using natural gas to heat your home. In either case, you can reduce your heating needs in the winter by taking a couple small steps. One of these could be replacing your old drafty windows for energy efficient ones, or perhaps you have an uninsulated attic that’s letting cold air in without you even noticing. Figure out what’s letting the cold air in and fix it and your family will have a lower heating bill and be saving the planet all at the same time.