Appliance and Electronics Efficiency

• APPLIANCES

• Refrigerators, washers, and television are staples of the American home. While we rely on these modern conviences everyday, appliances and electronics comprise more tahn 20 percent of the energy you use. You can reduce this expense by straving yourself, washing clothes by hand, or reading a book by candlelight. Or, consider an easier alternative - just efficiently as possible.

• Wash and dry only full loads of clothes (to use less energy per pound of laundry). Take advantage of CPS Energy's "Wash Right" washer rebates.

• Use cold water instead hot water, if possible, when washing clothes.

• Clean the lint filter in your dryer after every load to improve the unit's efficiency.

• Dry loads of clothes back-to-back to take advantage of the heat build-up in the dryer.

• Use dryer balls to lift and separate laundry items, allowin hot air to circulate more effectively and reducing drying time.

• Save the cleaning chores until after dark. Dishwashes, washers and dryers emit heat, raising the temperature in your home and increasing the operation of our air conditioner.

• Don't open the refrigerator door repeatedly and don't leave the refrigerator door open for an extended period of time. Every time your refrigerator opens, cool air escapes and must be replaced.

• Use a cooking pan that best fits the burner. Cooper-bottomed pots and pans heat up faster. Use lids to reduce cooking times.

• Use a microwave oven or toaster as an energy-efficient alternative to a conventional oven.

[edit] Electronics

• Turn off the television whenever you leave the room.

• Unplug battery chargers for cell phones, digital cameras, MP#s, power tools ot other gadgets when they are not being used. These energy vampires can quietly account for up to 10 percent of your monthly energy bill.

• Consider an ENERGY STAR® model when purchasing your next TV, DVD or home theather system. Qualified products use less energy without sacrificing quality or performance.

• Shut down your computer and monitor when you're not using them. Use a power strip/surge protector for these devices. Enable Enable your computer's power down or sleep mode feature - screen savers don't save energy.

• Plug bundled devices into the same power strip such as a TV and DVD player or a computer, monitor and printers. Then turn off the power strip when you're not using the devices.

• Use a laptop instead of your desktop computer, if possible, because it uses less energy.