Sustainable living does not have to be difficult, but integrating sustainable choices into your daily life in a successful way requires you to be dedicated to making a change.
Conserving Water:
Did you know that having a shower that lasts longer than 5 minutes consumes the same amount of water as a bath?1 Conserving water is vital to combating water scarcity. In developed countries water is often used absentmindedly without thinking about the effects of irresponsible usage. A fact that may help put this issue into perspective is that only 0.75% of our world’s water is fresh and available for use, and it is estimated that by 2025, 67% of the world’s population will face shortages.2
Steps to conserving water in your home are easy and can involve making minor changes to your life! This can include actions as easy as turning off running water when it is not in use while you brush your teeth, shave, or clean kitchen items, collecting running water to reuse for tasks such as watering plants, and taking a short shower as opposed to a bath.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint:
Reducing the carbon footprint in your home is an effective way to help combat Greenhouse gases, and ozone depletion. This can include taking public transportation, or even riding a bike.
Another effective way to reduce your carbon footprint is to ensure that when chargers or other items are not in use, they are unplugged from the walls. When chargers and other electronic items are left plugged into an outlet, there is still an electrical current passing through them, consuming energy in your household. The action of unplugging your phone charger when you are not using it can save up to 7 kilograms of carbon dioxide a year.1 This will not only save energy but also reduce your electricity bill!
Try using an online carbon footprint calculator to see what your current footprint is, and track your results to see how much you can reduce your carbon footprint!
Overall, living a more sustainable life can involve making very small changes to your daily routine, and it will have a positive impact on our environment for future generations!
1 https://www.activesustainability.com/
2 http://savethewater.org/2015/03/07/world-water-day-issue-water-shortage/
3 https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbage-to-decompose-2878033
Natural gas is an efficient and fairly environmental friendly source of electricity generation. Below are some ways that natural gas is used to generate electricity.
Steam Generation
The most common method of electricity generation from natural gas is via a steam generation unit. This utilizes a boiler or system of boilers which produce steam. Steam is produced by burning natural gas in boilers, which heats water and thus produces steam, and the steam then turns a turbine. This method is also very common with other sources of electricity generation such as coal. The steam generation units are more commonly seen in large scale facilities rather than residential or commercial units.
Generation from combustion
In combustion engine units, natural gas is burned and the hot gasses produced are used to turn a turbine and produce electricity. These are generally slightly less efficient than steam powered units in large scale facilities. One of the largest benefits is the speed at which these can be turned on and start generating power, it is much faster than most other units. The increased speed can be useful in reaching higher demands during peak hours or other instances. These combustion units can also be scaled down to supply energy to a residential or commercial building.
Combined Cycle Units
The most complicated to install but most efficient generation method is a combined cycle unit. These units utilize both steam and combustion for increased efficiency and power generation. First the gas is burned in a combustion engine which turns a turbine, and then the hot gas is moved into a boiler which boils water to produce steam, which turns another turbine. This methods cheaper over time but its initial costs to install can be much more expensive. It is also a more complicated unit to operate and maintain. This type of generation is typically only seen in large scale power plants or industrial facilities.
http://naturalgas.org/overview/uses-electrical/
To continue the theme from a previous week’s article, we have answers to some common questions about power outages.
- Can I shower or flush my toilet during a power outage?
- Yes, you can still use your toilet during a power outage, and if it has trouble flushing, you can easily fix the problem by pouring water into the bowl
- Showering during a power outage is perfectly safe. However, if you have a tankless water heater, it does not provide hot water in the event of a power outage unless it is connected to a backup generator. If you have a traditional water heater it is also important to note that there will be a limited supply of hot water available in the heater, and therefore depending on the length of the power outage, you should try to conserve water
- Where do I report a power outage?
- To report a power outage in your area you should inform your local utility. Have your local utility’s number on hand in advance!
- How long will my power be out?
- This depends on the severity of the storm and the accessibility of your home to electrical workers.
If you haven’t read last week’s article about preparing for a power outage be sure to check it out for more tips and tricks!
As the weather starts to change, it’s important to be as prepared for the possibility of a power outage. Although many power outages do not last long, some can last for days or even weeks after a severe storm.
To assist you in preparing your home for a possible power outage, we have compiled various tips and tricks that every home owner should be aware of!
How to Prepare for a Power Outage:
• Prepare an Emergency Kit and make it Easily Accessible – The best possible way to prepare for a power outage is to do so in advance. This can be done by having an emergency plan that the whole family is aware of. This includes putting together an emergency kit that will allow your home to be self-sufficient without energy. This kit should contain non-perishable food items such as water (at least 2 litres/person/day), first aid supplies, as well as a flashlight and extra batteries. To see a full list of recommended items, you can visit this website.
• Turn off all appliances and equipment to ensure they are not damaged when the power turns back on. This will help alleviate damage to your appliances from a possible power surge.
• Sign up for emergency services text messages – By going online to your local government disaster agency you can easily sign up for text message notifications about possible weather events in your area. This will allow you to stay up-to-date in the case of any emergency.
• In the case of cold weather ensure you have blankets on hand as well as extra candles and matches. It will also be helpful to have a small generator powered heater in winter.
Overall, the most important thing to remember during a power outage is to stay safe!
Be sure to back next week for more common FAQs concerning power outages.
To continue the theme of last week’s article, we have compiled some common questions that are asked about power outages.
• Can I shower or flush my toilet during a power outage?
o Yes, you can still use a toilet in a power outage, and if it has trouble flushing you can easily fix this problem by pouring water into the bowl.
o Showering during a power outage is perfectly safe. However, if you have a tankless water heater, it does not provide hot water in the event of a power outage unless it is connected to a backup generator. If you have a traditional water heater it is also important to note that there will be a limited supply of hot water available in the heater, and therefore depending on the length of the power outage, it should be conserved.
• Where do I report a power outage?
o To report a power outage in your area you can call your local utility. Have your local utility’s number on hand in advance!
• How long will my power be out?
o This depends on the severity of the storm and the accessibility of your home to electrical workers.
If you haven’t read last week’s article about preparing for a power outage be sure to check it out to learn all of our tips and tricks!
If you’re like me, then you like reward programs; cash back, points, miles, travel, coupons, discounts, etc. It doesn’t matter, just as long as I’m getting them, and the more the merrier, plus “double dipping” is my favorite past time. I am not an extreme couponer or anything, not yet anyway, but the opportunity to combine the odd coupon with a sale item and rewards sure does save me money every month.
Another way to potentially save money is to lock in your electricity and natural gas rates through an energy retailer. With electricity rates continually fluctuating and natural gas being one of the most volatile commodities, this seems like the way to go, in fact it’s just like having a fixed rate mortgage.
Family Energy residential customers who provide a valid email address are automatically enrolled in the Family Energy Shopping and Dining Rewards Program, and are awarded $50 per month in Rewards Dollars to use toward shopping and dining, travel and hotel deals. So not only do I save on my electricity and pay my utility bill with my 2% cash back credit card, but I also receive $50 per month for the triple dip and that’s why I am The King of Rewards.
Sustainable Living in Your Home
Sustainable living does not have to be difficult, but integrating sustainable choices into your daily life in a successful way requires you to be dedicated to making a change.
Conserving Water:
Did you know that having a shower that lasts …
How is natural gas used to generate electricity?
Natural gas is an efficient and fairly environmental friendly source of electricity generation. Below are some ways that natural gas is used to generate electricity.
Steam Generation
The most common method of electricity generation from natural gas is via a …
Answers To Your Questions About Power Outages
To continue the theme from a previous week’s article, we have answers to some common questions about power outages.
- Can I shower or flush my toilet during a power outage?
- Yes, you can still use your toilet during a power
Power Outage Tips
As the weather starts to change, it’s important to be as prepared for the possibility of a power outage. Although many power outages do not last long, some can last for days or even weeks after a severe storm.
To …
Common FAQs Concerning Power Outages
To continue the theme of last week’s article, we have compiled some common questions that are asked about power outages.
• Can I shower or flush my toilet during a power outage?
o Yes, you can still use a toilet …
King of Rewards
If you’re like me, then you like reward programs; cash back, points, miles, travel, coupons, discounts, etc. It doesn’t matter, just as long as I’m getting them, and the more the merrier, plus “double dipping” is my favorite past time. …