Our utilities conservation efforts are always on at Soaring Heights. Your help is essential. All military housing communities will be taking part in mandatory utilities billing programs at some time over the next few years. Many of these installations will be starting ahead of others, while some are already underway. We will make sure you are aware of when this program will be initiated at Soaring Heights.
Six Easy Ways to Reduce Your Energy Consumption
1. Turn Off Unneeded Lights
Lighting is responsible for about 11 percent of a home's energy bills. By turning off lights you don't need, you'll begin saving right away, and will extend the lifetime of all those bulbs.
2. Switch Out Your Lighting
CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) are well known for substantial energy savings (they use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescents), plus they last much longer. Take a few minutes and survey all of your personal lights and lamps at home – then make the decision to replace less efficient incandescent bulbs with CFLs.
3. Turn Off Your Computer At Night
Many of us spend so much time on our computers, and check e-mail and other services so frequently that we never turn the things off. It may occasionally take you a few more seconds to get to work, but you'll save energy if you turn your computer off at the end of each day. It will also reduce wear and tear on your hardware, extending its life. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren't going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you're not going to use it for more than two hours.
4. Use a Laptop Instead of a Desktop
If you have the choice between powering up your desktop or a laptop, choose the latter. Also, when it's time to upgrade to a new computer, think laptop. Laptop computers draw only 15 to 25 watts during regular use, as compared to the 150 watts used by a conventional desktop computer and monitor. Plus, laptops also draw just a fraction of a watt when in sleep mode.
5. Look for Energy Vampires
Ever heard of an "energy vampire" or "phantom load"? When electronics like TVs, DVD players and cell phone chargers are plugged in but not on, they still draw power, resulting in about 8 percent of our annual electric consumption. It's simple to stop the drain: look around your house, and unplug any unused devices you find! To make it even easier, plug your electronics into a power strip, and switch that off when you are finished channel surfing, jamming or charging up. It will keep the energy vampires at bay.
6. Be Cool -- Wash Clothes in Cold Water
You may already know that this saves energy, but do you know how much? Up to 90 percent of the energy consumed while washing clothes comes from heating the water, so use hot water only for very dirty clothes. Another tip: Match the water level to the amount of clothes, or wait to wash full loads.