How Consumers And Businesses Can Better Save Energy

March 5th is Energy Saving Day - a good opportunity to question your own energy consumption and look for potential for improvement. In addition to the pleasant effect of protecting your wallet, consumers also contribute directly to environmental and climate protection. And saving energy does not always have to mean expensive retrofitting - sometimes rethinking our daily behavior is enough to improve our own energy balance. The climate protection campaign "CO ₂ Online" gives many tips for saving energy - we have put together 6 tips for consumers:

1. Switch off electronic devices completely

Is there a constant light on the TV or DVD player? Is there no proper switch on the PC or espresso machine? Then these devices consume electricity around the clock. In an average household, standby consumption accounts for around a tenth of the electricity bill. By not using standby, consumers can save 400 kWh and 115 euros per year.

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2. Saving energy when shopping

You can also save a lot of energy outside your own four walls, for example when shopping, because the energy balance of individual foods differs enormously. Animal products such as meat, but also butter or cheese put a strain on the energy account, as high energy costs and CO ₂ pollution are incurred in animal husbandry. When it comes to fruit and vegetables, seasonal goods should be used, because if a kilogram of fruit or vegetables is flown in, the flight alone consumes 3 to 5 liters of fuel.

3. Ventilate in winter

Even in winter, ventilation should be carried out regularly to prevent mold and to provide fresh air. Instead of tilting the windows, open the windows wide for five to ten minutes. Blow ventilation instead of permanent ventilation saves 1750 kWh and 135 euros a year in the average household.

4. Save energy when you go to the bathroom in the morning

You can easily save energy in the early morning by simply turning on cold water when washing your hands. Because even with cold water, soap develops its cleaning power and removes almost all pathogens when it is thoroughly cleaned. Cold water is therefore completely sufficient and, according to the climate protection portal, avoids CO ₂ emissions of up to 265 kg per year. In a three-person household, energy costs of up to EUR 75 can be saved each year. And with a hot shower, energy savers do not necessarily have a guilty conscience - with a savings shower head, a three-person household can save around 37,000 liters of warm water and thus around EUR 290 per year.

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5. Carry out hydraulic adjustment

If it doesn't get really warm in individual rooms despite the thermostats being turned on, then the heating system is not set correctly. A specialist can provide a remedy with the hydraulic balancing. In a single-family house with 125 m ² , the heating energy requirement drops by about 1400 kWh per year. This saves around 100 euros annually. In addition, 30% of the net heating optimization costs are borne by the state.

6. Replace heating pumps

Heating pumps are on average responsible for almost 20% of a house's electricity consumption. Replacing an old heating pump with a highly efficient model can reduce the annual electricity consumption in a family house of 125 m ² by 350 kWh. That means around 100 euros less electricity costs per year. There is a 30% government subsidy for pump replacement and hydraulic balancing.

It is also worthwhile to check and monitor your own energy consumption regularly. The free electricity check from CO ₂ Online and the energy savings account, in which users can enter and evaluate their consumption online, can help.

Content of the article:

• Page 1: How consumers and companies can save energy better
• Page 2: 6 tips on how companies can save energy

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