Tips and tricks for an energy-efficient student winter
© Mariam Farkhani
It’s the only thing we talk about these days: rising energy prices and the cost of living… You know what that means, right? Less money for beer! But don’t panic, STAN to the rescue. We tell you what you can do to bring down your energy bill at home to make sure you can still paint the town red during this academic year.
Brighten up you kitchen by being energy-efficient
Everybody loves good food but we can try as hard as we can, it are still mommy and Dr. Oetker who make the best dishes. So, hooray for the freezer! From now on, defrost those delicious meals in the fridge instead of the microwave. Your fridge uses less, your microwave uses less and your meal stays just as tasty. A win-win-win! Stock your freezer properly too. Empty space consumes unnecessary energy and that way you always have something left in the house. Your fridge, on the other hand, does use up energy the more it is filled, so check that nothing is left over in the fridge.
Want to be the kitchen prince(ss) yourself? Remember: Every pot has a lid, so use it! You use up to 75% more energy if you cook without a lid on your pot. Also, always use your small cooker for a small pot and keep the oven door closed during baking so no heat is lost. Need a kettle? These are real energy guzzlers, so only heat the amount of water you really need.
Shower-showtime! Give an ecological performance
Singing in the shower and unleashing your inner Beyoncé, there’s nothing better than that! But from now on, make your concert a mini one. The less time you shower, the cheaper it gets. After two songs, you’ll also be completely fresh and clean. Still want to add a third song? Then buy a water-saving shower head. That will make sure you use up to 30% less water for a similar shower. You can find such a shower head for the small price of 20 euros at IKEA and it will make a huge difference on your final bill. An excuse to eat Swedish meatballs again, two bats with one stone!
Electricity between you and your crush instead of your electronic devices
Saving electricity is often forgotten, yet it can often be done without you even noticing. Did you know that almost 10% of your daily energy consumption is lost on electric devices that are on standby mode? It is not much of an effort to turn off that television, but it does make a big difference on your bill. Moreover, it’s best to unplug unused chargers because they continue to use energy even when your phone or laptop is no longer plugged in. Lifehack: buy a power strip with a general switch: that way you can switch everything off in one go!
By the way, have you checked your bulbs already? Buy LED lights and replace your old ones. It’s a small investment but one with a big effect, because LED bulbs use a lot less energy and therefore make a big difference. But don’t forget to switch them off when you leave the room! Going out for the evening? Turn off your lights when you leave. The spots lighting up the dancefloor will be the only necessary ones tonight!
Alarm, alarm, it is toooo warm!
Cold winter months mean heating on full blast. Full speed, unfortunately, leads to a less full bank account. Want to save on your spendings? Well, than save on your heating! You probably have some extra jumpers lying around. Put one on and turn your heating down a degree. You will hardly feel the difference and it will reduce your energy consumption. Turn off your heating at least an hour before you go to bed. Do you have shared rooms with other students? Discuss with your dorm mates which rooms need heating. And in the end, you also have each other’s cosiness to warm you up.
Dorms are often a bit older too. Super charming, but a lot of heat slips out through small cracks or windows and doors that don’t close perfectly. Draught excluders to the rescue! Stick these on places where you feel the cold coming in and there you go: problem solved. Take a look at you radiator yourself as well. Place radiator foil behind the radiators. The foil reflects heat into the room. It is not absorbed by the wall behind the radiator, so no heat is lost. Another tip: insulate your heating pipes. For just a few euros, you are set! It may sound contradictory, but air your house well too. Open your windows for 10 minutes every day. ‘Old’ air is damp and you are less likely to get warm.
Want to share these tips with your flatmates? Download a poster to hang up in your dorm here.
