The Energy Collation! Plan to save energy and water usage
Story Map
Story Map
We should conserve energy and water to fight climate change, reduce pollution, and protect natural ecosystems. It helps ensure sustainable resources for the future, lowers costs, and supports environmental health, making our world more resilient and sustainable.
That being said here are 5 ways you can conserve energy and water!
A smart thermostat can save energy by optimizing your heating and cooling system. It automatically adjusts the temperature based on your schedule and preferences, reducing energy use when you’re not home. This can save about 8% on your heating and cooling bills.
However, actual savings vary depending on the local climate and how comfortable you prefer your home to be. The savings might be less significant, while in extreme temperatures, they could be higher.
Additionally, smart thermostats can provide insights into your energy usage, helping you make more informed decisions about your energy consumption.
Purchasing energy-efficient appliances helps save energy by using advanced technologies that consume less electricity or water compared to standard models.
Energy Star-certified appliances are a great example; they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
These appliances use 10-50% less energy and water, leading to significant savings on utility bills.
Reducing heating use can help save energy and lower utility bills in several ways.
Simple actions like taking shorter showers and washing clothes in cold water can significantly reduce hot water usage.
Insulating the first six feet of both hot and cold water pipes helps minimize heat loss as water travels through the pipes, allowing the water heater to work more efficiently.
These measures not only save energy but also extend the lifespan of your water heater and reduce the risk of scalding from excessively hot water.
Weatherizing your home by sealing air leaks can significantly reduce heating and cooling costs. Common leak sources include vents, windows, and doors.
To prevent leaks, apply caulk to cracks between stationary objects like walls and window frames, and use weather stripping for moving objects like doors and operable windows.
Air leaks can also occur through wall, floor, and ceiling openings for plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring, often leading to heat loss through the attic.
Insulating your home thoroughly maximizes savings by preventing heat from escaping through these small openings.
Upgrading your HVAC system to Energy Star-certified models can significantly save energy and reduce utility bills.
These systems use advanced technology to operate more efficiently, consuming less electricity while delivering effective heating and cooling.
Energy Star-certified HVAC systems also come with features like programmable thermostats and enhanced air filtration, which further optimize energy use and improve indoor air quality.
Upgrading to these models can extend the lifespan of your HVAC system and reduce maintenance costs, offering long-term savings and environmental benefits.
Preventing running faucets conserves water by reducing unnecessary flow, saving gallons of water per minute.
This simple practice not only lowers water bills but also preserves freshwater resources vital for ecosystems and communities.
Adopting habits like using faucet aerators and fixing leaks promptly enhances water conservation efforts, promoting sustainability and reducing environmental impact.
Limiting time in the shower saves water by reducing the amount used during each shower session.
Showers typically use about 2-2.5 gallons of water per minute, so cutting down shower time by even a few minutes can significantly decrease water consumption.
This practice not only conserves water but also reduces energy usage associated with heating water. Installing water-efficient showerheads can further enhance savings by reducing flow rates without sacrificing water pressure.
Installing water-saving showerheads conserves water by reducing flow rates without compromising water pressure, resulting in significant water savings over time.
This also lowers energy consumption related to heating water, promoting environmental sustainability.
Checking for leaks in your faucets, pipes, or hoses is crucial for conserving water and reducing your utility bills. For instance, a faucet that drips just once per second can waste over 3,000 gallons of water annually—enough for more than 180 showers!
You can fix leaks by inspecting faucet washers and gaskets for wear and replacing them as needed.
This simple maintenance not only saves water but also ensures efficient use of this precious resource.
Switching to a dishwasher saves water when used efficiently, especially by running it only when fully loaded.
Modern dishwashers are designed to use water more efficiently than handwashing, typically using 4-6 gallons per cycle compared to potentially over 27 gallons by hand.
Using features like eco-cycles and load sensors further enhances water and energy savings, contributing to environmental conservation and reducing utility costs.
During my time at The Energy Coalition (TEC), We did a lot of data collecting and analyzing. One of the tasks me and my peers had to work on was to collect our own water and energy usage over 2 weeks.
Below are two graphs explaining my predicted water usage per use compared to my overall water usage
Before my peers and I worked on our audit data collection, we had top make predictions to help us calculate how many gallons we actually used.
Here are my predictions, I tried to stay reasonable with how many gallon I would/would not use and because I don't take baths I decided to keep that 0
This graph represents my total water usage after 14 days, I notice that i wash my hands so many times, in fact i used more water washing my hands than actually showering.
Something else tahts tood out to me was that washing my face took almost 100 gallons over the course of 2 weeks.
From this I learned that I use too much water and should manage my time on doing everyday routine.
Alike my audit data collection assignment, this was another task that I had to do. During my time at The Energy Coalition, I learned how to use ArcGIS. It was confusing and hard for me at first but I had gotten help.
Below are two ArcGIS maps that I've decided to speak about.
Copy Of California Important Farmland: Most Recent
This map shows where the different types of farmlands are most recently in California. On the right, there is a polygon-type chart that previews what each color signifies, looking at the map most of California is Grazing land, Local potential farmland. A mix of Prime Farmland, Statewide Importance Farmland, and Unique Farmland. Along the map there are little bits of Residential and Urban built up land.
Copy Of 2015_California_Drought
This map represents the different levels of drought in California. The other colors indicate the drought levels throughout California, with dark red being the most severe case. In simpler terms, the dark red represents high crop and pasture loss. At the same time, lighter colors like yellow and light yellow indicate decent to short crop and pasture loss.
Drought can have a devastating effect on farmland, drying out the soil, stunting plant growth, and reducing crop yields, which leads to food shortages and economic hardship for farmers. To tackle and prevent drought, it's crucial to use water wisely.
Techniques like drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting can help reduce waste and ensure we have enough water when needed. Managing soil by mulching and rotating crops can keep the soil healthy and moist, growing drought-resistant crops also helps lower water use.
Simple water-saving actions, such as fixing leaks and using efficient appliances, make a big difference. Conserving energy by switching to renewable sources like solar and wind power and using energy-efficient devices also reduces water consumption.
These steps are essential for keeping our food supply stable, supporting the economy, and protecting the environment, helping us become more resilient to climate change and saving resources for the future.
The last task, my internship tasked me with was to analyze Powerville USD data, this data involved consumption of energy and gas, this data also included billing and costs.
This graph represents the electricity consumed every month over the course of a year.
There are some trends such as a rise and fall between different seasons and even how some months share similar consumption.
This graph represents the days of the month billed.
In this graph we can see every day of each month is added to the final bill. The only month that falls short of 30 days is february because it only has 28 days.
The internship provided an opportunity to learn and expand my skills in creating stories and gathering data. The challenging part was the first week, but it was not difficult after that. The internship inspired me to learn more about ArcGIS and its applications in various subjects. It has influenced my future goals, including professional goals and better ways to find data. Overall, the internship has been a valuable experience that has helped me achieve my goals.