CITIZENSHIP HOW TO SAVE ENERGY EVERY DAY Since producing electricity in a clean and sustainable way is one of the major problems of our time, it has become more and more important not to waste it. Here are some tips on how to save energy and benefit on the electricity bill, too. choosing, for example, LED bulbs. Incandescent bulbs generate much heat, wasting a great amount of the electricity used; on the contrary, even if LED bulbs cost more, they use most of the power to generate light and last longer. And, of course, turn off light bulbs when they are not needed. Change your old incandescent bulbs : washing machines and dishwashers should be used at full load and possibly at night, which is the time when electricity costs less. To save even more energy, cool washing programmes should be used. Use household appliances meaningfully : when a device or appliance is on stand-by, it consumes electricity. Avoid leaving your computers, TV sets or other devices on stand-by, but turn them off. Do not leave appliances on stand-by : appliances have labels showing their degree of energy efficiency; this is especially important for those appliances which are on all day, such as fridges; having a less energy-efficient one may mean spending a lot on your electricity bill. If you have to buy an appliance, choose an energy saving one : choosing to take quick showers instead of baths means saving a lot of hot water, consequently reducing the amount of electricity used to heat water. Try to save on electricity to heat water Finally, it is also important to : smart meters give information about your energy consumption at any time, as well as the electricity bill. Checking them often helps you control your energy consumption and, if you think you are consuming too much, change the way you use electrical equipment. monitor consumption 10. Watch the video and complete the sentences with a word or phrase. It is necessary that people consider the way ........................................ energy more attentively. It is also necessary to consider the products people choose and the ........................................ they do. The two ideas presented in the video are ........................................ and energy efficiency. The first way to conserve energy mentioned is to ........................................ When you do not need them, you should ........................................ Going to work ........................................ is a good way to save energy. Using an ........................................ of an incandescent one reduces energy consumption. Conserving energy while being more ........................................ is the best thing to do to preserve the environment. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 11. In your own words, explain the meaning of the following expressions. Carbon footprint Energy conservation Energy efficiency To go green 1. 2. 3. 4. GLOSSARY : meaningfully in modo sensato