Fuel is a precious resource that often comes at a cost to the planet. Everyone still needs to use that fuel to carry out their daily lives, so how can you reduce your consumption, change your life for the better and aim towards sustainability?

There are a number of different ways that you can make a difference, save energy and reduce your own carbon footprint. Every little bit counts, so you should take the initiative and start tweaking your home and your habits to help preserve the environment for the future.

1.    Energy Efficient Lightbulbs

Lightbulbs that are energy efficient are now becoming a staple in many modern homes, and they should be in yours, too. There are three types of lightbulbs that are considered to be much more eco-friendly than traditional filament bulbs:

• LED
• Halogen incandescent
• CFL

Out of these, LED lightbulbs are the most efficient. While a filament bulb would use 40 watts of power, an LED bulb would use merely 5 watts to produce the same energy.

Once your old filament bulbs have expired, swap them for energy efficient lightbulbs.

2.    Turn Off, Not Standby

Many electronic appliances, like TVs and gaming consoles, have a standby option as well as the option to turn the appliance off.

To save energy, you should always turn off your appliances completely, even at the plug. While an appliance is in standby mode, it can still use electricity and energy without your knowledge.

Make sure to turn off all your appliances completely.

3.    Solar Power Energy

The energy used to generate electricity nationwide is enormous. To help reduce this, you can install solar panels on your roof and use your own eco-friendly energy. Solar panels can store energy for a later date when the weather conditions aren’t as optimal, so you won’t have to worry about losing power on a cloudy day.

If investing in solar panels sounds too extortionate, you can look into Solar Panel Funding and receive support for this lifelong and sustainable investment.

4.    Install a Water Meter

Instead of having a standard water bill, you can switch to a water meter so that you only pay for the water and the energy you use. This will help you keep track of the amount of water you actually use — and will encourage you to reduce it— because it will accumulate in your overall water bill.

By tracking the amount of water you use, you can also reduce the amount you waste.

5.    Use the Washing Machine at a Lower Temperature

Washing your clothes at a high temperature uses a lot of energy. You don’t even have to wash your clothes on a cold cycle; simply lowering the temperature bit by bit will help to reduce the amount of energy you use.

Many modern washing machines have an eco-friendly setting already installed, which is useful too.

Saving energy at home means you are doing your bit to help the planet. Not only will it reduce the amount you pay on your bills, but it will reduce your impact on the planet.