One of my favourite parts of the holiday season is the downtime I get to enjoy with my children. Now that they are more independent, and helpful, we are having a blast planning and decorating for the season. The greenery, lights and aromas of fresh baked bread, cookies and turkey remind me of my childhood and all the things I am grateful for today. It is important for me to share these similar experiences with my children.
Another of my favourite things is energy efficiency. During this time, we don’t often think about the energy that goes into our seasonal preparations – aside from our own endless hours of searching for the ideal gift, wrapping, trimming the tree, visiting, and cooking. Here are few of my favourite ways to be more energy efficient throughout the holidays:
Use LED lights and set them on a timer. The beauty of LED is the light is brighter and they last longer! Add a timer and save yourself the effort of having to remember to turn them on and off yourself. Aim for no more that 8-hours on to optimize your enjoyment and minimize your energy spend.
When cooking up a storm, remember to fully thaw frozen foods before cooking; this will reduce cooking time. Also, try to avoid opening your oven door to check food while it cooks (even though the aromas filling the house are so tempting)! Remember – every time you open the oven door, heat escapes.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a fireplace in your home, light a fire. This will help you save on heating costs and give an ambiance that simply can’t be beat on a cool winter’s evening.
Consider giving gifts that are energy efficient, durable, and made of natural products. Most of all, make sure it is something the receiver will like and use.
When running errands, plan ahead. The errands and to-dos pile up this time of year! Many of us are constantly out and about, picking up one more thing for dinner or one more gift for that special someone. Did you know several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm? Plan to combine multiple errands into one trip to be as efficient as possible.
Enjoy this Holiday Season and all it has to offer!
Seasons Greetings,
Roxanne Tate
President, Tate Engineering Inc.
Energy Efficient Holiday Season