How to Remain Energy Efficient at Home During COVID-19

If you’re like me, you’ve been cooped up in the comfort of your own home for what feels like a decade! Pre 2020, many of us nine-to-fivers, shift workers, busy moms and dads, and students alike, all had reason to leave the house each day. With the lockdown measures in place for nearly a year now, our homes have become the central hub for work and play, and while we have no choice but to conduct our daily lives from home, most of us haven’t taken a moment to think about the impact it has had on our energy consumption (not to mention our wallets).

With that being said, allow me to offer a few tips and tricks on how to reduce our energy intake, while continuing to conduct our daily lives at home.

Let the Sun do its’ thing

I learned from an early age, when leaving a room I must always shut off the light. The sun is a great source of energy, take advantage of its natural beauty during the day to brighten your home.

Green Meals FTW!

Not every meal you make from home needs the use of electricity. Try preparing some meals ahead of time to reduce time spent in the kitchen. Salads and smoothies are great alternatives to cooking, as well. I know what you’re thinking – “You don’t make friends with salad”. Well, here are a few easy and delicious options for you to wow the whole family.

Triple Berry Smoothie Bowl – Eat Yourself Skinny

Breakfast Egg Muffins (VIDEO) – NatashasKitchen.com

Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette – All the Healthy Things

Caprese Salad with Avocado (15 minutes + no cook!) – Joyous Apron

Cucumber and Avocado Sandwich (twopeasandtheirpod.com)

19 No-Heat Lunches to Bring to Work – PureWow

Unplugged

Something I have been inclined to do in the past, but has become a big pet peeve of mine, is leaving things plugged in when they are not in use. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t go around unplugging every appliance and electronic in my house, but leaving items you are no longer using plugged in will, in fact, waste energy. A quick and easy fix to energy consumption is just a (un)plug away.

Water Waste 101

As Canadians, we are lucky to have the resources we do in order to conduct our lives the way we please. However, being mindful of those resources and our consumption of them is a thought less pondered. Growing up we were all taught to turn off the tap when brushing our teeth – sound advice to live by if you ask me. Taking it a few steps further though, I’m happy to share some initiatives to reduce water waste at home, if you aren’t doing them yourself already.

– Use cold water when doing laundry

– Take fewer baths and reduce your time in the shower

– Collect rain water to water garden/plants

– Fill the sink to wash dishes, and make sure the dishwasher isn’t running at half capacity

– Re-wear your clothes and reuse your bath towels

– Ensure all taps and faucets are fastened tightly

While I know we would all love to resume life as it once was, take this opportunity at home to be conscious what it takes to run a household, while continuing to be energy efficient. Together, our combined efforts to reduce energy consumption can and will benefit our planet. <3