With the dog days of summer coming up, air conditioners across the country will be blasting to keep the heat at bay. In fact air conditioners are the largest residential use of electricity in the United States. We can sometimes lose focus of just how much energy we use on an everyday basis. For example, taking that warm shower in the morning can account for about 14 to 18% of your utility bills. Our Energy use in the United States is about 13 times greater than energy use in the 1950s. Obviously electricity is an essential part of all of our lives,but with a little bit of consideration we all can conserve more power. There are small energy reduction strategies the average person can employ to regulate their individual energy usage and keep costs down.

Understanding Electric Company Charges
Your electric company charges for kilowatt-hours(kWh), roughly 1000 watts of electricity for one hour. Take this calculation into account when using your appliances or electronics. For example, a 60 watt light bulb left on all day and night for a week would be about 10 kWh. There may also be additional service charges associated with the delivery of electricity added to your bill. The average American, uses about 903 kilowatt hours per month, which costs about $107 per household.

Energy Conservation Strategies

• Installing a programmable thermostat can result in energy savings of up to 10% per year.
• Minimize the use of your dishwasher by air drying dishes when you can. When washing laundry make sure to only wash full loads.
• An oldie, but a goodie, turn off lights and appliances when they are not in use.
• Taking shorter showers not only saves energy from heating water, but also saves water.
• When running your air conditioner make sure that all your windows are closed
• Research renewable energy options for your home. Some states provide incentives for homeowners who install solar panels.

Following these steps will not only lower your monthly bills, but will benefit the planet in the long run. To see more, read this. More can be found here.