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Turn off the lights Saturday night. People around the globe will participate in the fifth annual Earth Hour—an initiative encouraging individuals, businesses, and governments to reduce their environmental impact—by flicking off the lights between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. The World Wide Fund for Nature started the movement in 2007 when more than 2 million people and 2,000 businesses in Sydney, Australia, turned off their lights to fight climate change. This year, more than 130 countries and territories are registered to participate and landmarks including Times Square, the Eiffel Tower, and the London Eye will go dark, too. (See below for the stunning before-and-after shots from previous years.)
Why should you flip the switch? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average American family spends about $1,900 each year on home utility bills. By making simple changes that reduce your energy consumption, you’ll contribute to fewer greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Here’s how:
1) Turn your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer—around 78 degrees or higher. The closer the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the cheaper your cooling expenses will be.
2) Screen savers don’t reduce energy use. Instead, use your computer’s power saving settings to place it in sleep mode when it’s idle.
3) Lighting accounts for 11 percent of your household’s energy consumption. Replace incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent ones. They use up to a quarter of the energy and last up to 10 times longer, saving you about $30 or more in electricity costs annually for each bulb.
4) One load of laundry can use 32 gallons of water, so wash only full loads. This saves water—and the energy used to pump and heat it.
5) Your dishwasher’s drying cycle gobbles up a whole lot of power. Air-dry your dishes instead.
Why should you flip the switch? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average American family spends about $1,900 each year on home utility bills. By making simple changes that reduce your energy consumption, you’ll contribute to fewer greenhouse gas emissions and save money. Here’s how:
1) Turn your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer—around 78 degrees or higher. The closer the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the cheaper your cooling expenses will be.
2) Screen savers don’t reduce energy use. Instead, use your computer’s power saving settings to place it in sleep mode when it’s idle.
3) Lighting accounts for 11 percent of your household’s energy consumption. Replace incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent ones. They use up to a quarter of the energy and last up to 10 times longer, saving you about $30 or more in electricity costs annually for each bulb.
4) One load of laundry can use 32 gallons of water, so wash only full loads. This saves water—and the energy used to pump and heat it.
5) Your dishwasher’s drying cycle gobbles up a whole lot of power. Air-dry your dishes instead.