In recent years, studies have emerged noting that Baguio City is very prone to the effects of climate change. In fact, the effects have already been felt in the last couple of years. Rains continuously pouring for weeks on end, summers getting too hot, floods, landslides—they all point to one thing. Sadly, one of the main causes of climate change that has led to this comes from our very own homes and in the way we use our energy resources.
Most of us take electricity and our appliances for granted. But, we often forget that using and abusing these things has environmental consequences in the form of greenhouse gases that aggravate climate change. What we can do to help lessen this and do our part in protecting Baguio City from further devastation is to conserve energy. Here are some easy ways to do energy conservation at home:
1. Use Natural Light More Often
Simply opening the curtains and using that good old fashioned natural light goes a long way for both the environment and your wallet. So, don’t waste it. And also don’t forget to turn off the lights when you’re not using them and avoid turning them on in the day when it’s not absolutely necessary.
2. Replace Your Light Bulbs
CFLs and LEDs use way less electricity and last a lot longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. So, even if they’re quite a bit more expensive, do invest in them. They’ll help curb your electricity consumption and save you a lot more money in the long run.
3. Unplug Appliances
Most appliances we still consume electricity when they’re off but not unplugged. So, be extra vigilant about these things. Unplug your computers, TVs, and other appliances when you’re not using them instead of just letting them sit idle all day.
4. Reduce Some Appliance Uses
There are some appliances that we can use less in our daily lives. We can reduce laundry time to once or twice a week, we can reduce our shower times, and we can use the dryer less when the weather permits it for example.
5. Adjust daily habits
In the end, energy conservation all boils down to our daily habits. We should be more conscious of our actions and be willing to change what needs to be changed in order to help protect our environment. Baguio City needs it but, most of all, our future depends on it.