There are all sorts of waste. Wasted words, wasted food and possibly the most concerning at the moment, wasted energy. Energy waste is not only expensive for you and your household, but it causes problems for the planet too. If you want to be more ‘green’ and less wasteful, you might need to take a look at your habits. Here are five of the biggest energy wasters that you can fix for your home while saving the environment too.

1. Using incandescent bulbs

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According to the government, you could be saving $75 a year in energy bills by switching your incandescent bulbs for energy-efficient light bulbs. They can use up to 80% less energy than typical bulbs, but people still see the initial higher cost as a negative when versus incandescent bulbs. So many energy-saving light bulb brands offer smart technology, so you could enjoy further savings by managing your lights from your phone or computer – now wouldn’t that be something to show off to your neighbors?

2. Leaving the heating/air conditioning on

Did you know that 35% of energy consumed in US homes is wasted energy? It’s a shocking statistic when you factor in the financial cost of this waste and the impact on the environment. Seemingly meaningless things such as leaving the heating, air conditioning on when it’s not needed could be having an impact. Set timers switch to smart energy – do whatever’s necessary to reduce your waste from heating/cooling, and you’ll soon see the benefits add up in your bank account.

3. Leaving your cell/laptop plugged in

Providing constant power to your cell phone or laptop is another huge energy drain – why do so when it’s unnecessary? By leaving your devices plugged in, you’re actually damaging the battery, which will make them burn out quicker. Only plug your devices in when they need charging, and then pull the plug.

4. Not turning off your appliances

How many appliances in your home have standby? How many of those do you leave turned on at night? Even though you’re using less energy than if the devices were powered on, standby mode uses unnecessary energy. Turn everything off at the source when not in use.

5. Swimming pool pumps

If you’re lucky enough to have a swimming pool in your home, make sure you’re using the right pumps. Some pumps are big energy drains, while you could be using an Energy Star rated pump that can help you save money and the environment through conserving energy. It’s important that you choose the right energy provider too, which Direct Energy Electric can help you find, as this can bring down the cost of powering your pool significantly. You may also want to consider switching off the filtering systems when you know there are periods where the pool won’t be in use.

Get some more tips for saving money on your electricity bill and be sure to practice better habits at home. Tackling these energy wasters at the source will be good for your bills, and the environment too.