After School Special: Conserve

Have you been avoiding opening that electricity bill after these past few record-breaking heat waves? Now is a good time to begin good after school (3 p.m. to 7 p.m.) habits any time of year.

A  few good ideas include:

• Set the DVR before your kiddos get home from school to record their favorite shows –  so they can watch them after 7 p.m.
• Do homework first instead of playing on the PS3 or gaming stations until after 7 p.m.
• If homework or other household activities require PCs and the Internet, use the battery power of your laptop versus having it plugged into the wall until 7 p.m.
• If your kids come home sweaty after playtime, athletics or other outdoor activities, hold off on showering or bathing until 7 if you can because your AC has to push the steam from the shower out of your home.
•  The same goes with the heat and humidity of stove-top cooking…in terms of dinner, think about something cold like sandwiches – or use your microwave or grill out to avoid heating up the kitchen and adding humidity that will make your A/C continue cycling to cool back down.

Click here for an energy audit kit for kids to help them understand more about conservation.