By: Henry

Every now and then, when we turn on the radio or read the newspaper, we hear about the grim prospects of our environment as a result of… yes you guessed it, each and every one of us. Among them is one of the biggest threats facing our planet is the energy crisis. Of course, everyone knows that the solution is to reduce our energy consumption, but how exactly are we supposed to achieve this? We are all busy, but we shouldn’t ever be too busy to make a few small changes in our own daily habits.

Here are a few tips to get the ball rolling:

1. Blackle

Did you know that there is a black version of Google? It is called Blackle. This energy saving search engine was launched in 2007 by Heap Media and the theory behind Blackle is that a monitor consumes more energy displaying a white screen than a black screen. On a Cathode Ray Tube screen (CRT screen), a white page uses around 74 watts, whereas a black page requires only 59 watts. However, experts claim that background colour does not have much impact on the energy consumption of LCD screens, as they always have the backlights turned on. Regardless, Blackle points out that we can save energy when surfing the web.

2. Turn off that tap!

As easy as it may sound, 40% of Canadians don’t turn off the taps when they are brushing their teeth. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, leaving the water running for 14 seconds can fill us with 64 ounces of water. Not only does shutting off the taps save water, but it also lowers our water bills. Considering that we brush our teeth at least two times a day, the water that we save all adds up! 

3. Technological Modes of Greenery

Before we press the print button, click on Properties to check the setting. If we don’t need high quality printing, change the mode to “Fast Draft” instead; this can significantly reduce the toner that we use. In addition, we can adjust page margins in Microsoft Word documents. By doing so, more words can be squeezed into each line, thus reducing the number of pages needed. Better yet, print double-sided or reuse paper for internal planning.

4. Cut your car's power.

Many tend to leave the engine running when they are waiting in a drive-thru line or to pick up someone at the side of the road. Leaving the car idle for more than 10 seconds consumes more energy than just simply restarting the engine. Canadian drivers idle their engines on average for 5 - 10 minutes a day, which accounts for the $1.8 million dollars of fuel that gets burned everyday. By killing your engine while the car is stationary, not only can you save trips to the pump, but also you can reduce the risk of triggering respiratory conditions for pedestrians. 

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