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DO YOU KNOW WHAT USES THE MOST ENERGY IN YOUR HOME?

The increasing levels of carbon dioxide over recent years have led to the acceleration of global warming effects like the rising sea levels, temperature changes and even the near-extinction of animals. In an effort to slow down such negative impacts, here are some simple steps to reduce carbon emission from our common electricity-consuming home appliances.

Air Conditioning Unit

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With a hot and humid Singaporean climate, it is easy and tempting to blast the air conditioner all day. As most of us are aware, the air conditioning unit is the most energy hungry home appliance. It consumes up to 15,000 watts per hour, which translates to around $2 an hour.

Go green: Set the temperature to 25 degrees Celsius for minimal power consumption, and opt to use the automatic shutoff function to avoid prolonged power usage when it is not necessary (e.g. sleeping). Alternatively, it is still best to use fans to cool down, which are about 13 times more energy efficient than air conditioners and save around $400-460 annually. 

Water Heating 

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Heating water for showers and your washing machine cycle can be pricey, especially when your electric water heater have to run for an hour or so after each shower or load of laundry just to reheat the water.

Go green: One of the easiest ways to cut down on electric usage is to shorten your showers and have everyone in the house shower within the same time period so the heater doesn’t have to stay on for too long. You can also wash your clothes with cold water, which can lower your monthly energy cost by 3-5%.

Clothes Dryer

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It might not be a common appliance in Singapore, but clothes dryers (or the dryer setting on your washing machine) can be a lifesaver when you’re doing laundry during the monsoon season, or when you’ve got a massive load to clean and pack up after a vacation. These machines actually use up more energy than you might think because they need to spin and produce heat simultaneously.

Go green: Delicate clothing might not fare well after a tumble dry, so avoiding the dryer is a win-win situation for both your wardrobe and your wallet. If you’re cleaning a bigger load, such as holiday winter wear, consider taking it out to a larger capacity dryer that can accommodate the full load in one cycle rather than having your home dryer do multiple cycles.

Electric Kettle

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Are you guilty of keeping your electric airpot plugged in all day to keep your water warm, or have the tendency to reboil your water in your electric kettle every time it cools down? All these seemingly innocuous habits all add up to your bills and your household energy consumption.

Go green: Don’t let your utility bill boil over. Use a Thermos® Carafe to keep the water hot for hours, without needing any electricity after you boil it using your kettle. You can also pour individual portions into the Thermos® One-Push Tumblers to enjoy a hot beverage throughout the day.

Refrigerator

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A necessity in most homes, refrigerators are one of the top energy hogs, accounting for more than 20% of household electricity consumption. This is because they are running continuously every day.

Go green: When you’re purchasing a fridge, look out for the NEA energy saving rating that is presented in the form of green ticks. Getting one with a 3-tick rating can save you around $75 a year! If you have an older model, make sure to check the seals around the door to ensure there’s no unnecessary heat loss that will make the machine work harder than needed.

Light Bulbs

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Relatively speaking, each incandescent light bulb don’t use that much electricity however costs can add up quickly. Think about it: many light fixtures use more than one bulb and it’s easy to leave lights on around your house when you’re not using them. What might only be a few cents per day will accumulate to well over $100 a year on lights.

Go green: Switch to energy-efficient LEDs or CLFs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) and develop the habit of turning off the lights when you leave a room. If it’s a viable option, try using solar-power bulbs in the garden and around the house.
 

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SIMMERED PUMPKIN

Ingredients (serves 4):