An Opinion on Sustainable Household Energy Consumption

With Earth Hour approaching, spring in full swing, and spending plenty of time inside my apartment, I’ve been thinking a lot about energy consumption. Energy is something I grew up without really thinking too much about. Turning on the TV, a light switch, turning up the thermostat or opening the fridge. All of these simple actions in our daily routine use energy in the form of electricity that is generated by various means. In New Brunswick, electricity is generated from several energy sources including fossil fuels, nuclear, and hydroelectricity. It is interesting to start thinking about how electricity is created and the impact it has on our planet. I hope as you read this blog post you will learn something new and it might encourage you to think differently about energy consumption.

ELECTRICITY & ENERGY SOURCES

It is truly amazing how electricity works. Energy sources (which can be renewable resources or fossil fuels) are processed using different technologies, and then transmitted from power plants to the power grids, and then further distributed by power lines to our homes. Some electricity is generated from natural resources like water, wind and solar, and are referred to as renewable energy sources. Moving water is an extremely valuable resource for electricity production in Canada, accounting for approximately 60% of the supply (Government of Canada, 2019). Renewable technologies are becoming more common around the country as cities develop greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets and move away from fossil fuels.

Table 1: A comparison of GHG emissions from three fossil fuel energy sources (Natural Gas, 2013.)

The generation of electricity from non-renewable sources (i.e. fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas) have a significant role in the current global climate crisis. During the processing of fossil fuels, chemical by-products are created, many of which are GHGs (Table 1). Other methods may use large volumes of water which becomes contaminated with chemicals, such as hydrocarbons, that are toxic to the ecosystem. In Canada, natural gas is the most common fossil fuel used to generate electricity, as it is one of the less harmful choices. The process of burning natural gas does still release GHG, however the emissions are lowest compared to coal and oil.

The convenience and ease of electricity allows us to forget about energy sources and the processing that takes place. When we switch on the light, we may not take time to think about the power plant or the transmission line right outside our homes. We might not be thinking about the energy source and how it is impacting the environment in different ways. But we can learn and practice thinking about energy in these ways, which can lead to the development of sustainable habits, ultimately helping our planet and reducing our energy bills.

Renewable energy technologies have been on the rise for the past decade and are slowing becoming integrated into electricity networks. This is great news! For Saint John, the proposed Burchill Wind Project to be developed in Lorneville, will showcase the effectiveness of wind energy and hopefully encourage further development in this sector. Some arguments suggest that these energy sources do not produce as much energy as fossil fuels and are therefore insignificant. However, the transition from fossil fuel energy generation will not be a quick cut. To start this transition, the implementation of renewable technologies will complement natural gas or oil, to reduce the amount of fossil fuel electricity required to meet demand. As various energy sources are combined (i.e. hydro, solar, wind, nuclear), less and less fossil fuels will be needed. At the end of this transition, cities will be powered by several energy sources and although they may still have fossil fuels as a back-up, the reliance on environmentally harmful energy sources will be eliminated.

To give a local example, in July 2018 The Community Loan Fund installed rooftop solar panels at The Social Enterprise Hub (home to the ACAP Saint John office). These panels contribute to powering the building reducing the amount of fossil fuel electricity required. In 2019, they produced a total of 17 567 kWh of electricity for the building! This is the first of its kind in Saint John and an amazing step forward in the transition away from fossil fuels!

CONSERVATION PIECE

Transitioning to a less harmful energy source is only part of sustainable energy consumption. Finding new ways to consume electricity and go about our daily routine is just half the battle. Once we understand and are thinking actively about where our energy is coming from, then we can start to think about how we are using energy. When do we tend to use more energy? Do we need to use that much? How could we cut back? For me, I enjoy seeing the bar graph on my energy bill and try to see if I have reduced my energy consumption from the previous month. During this time of social distancing, I’m sure I will reach a new highest record on my upcoming bills.

The spring is a great time to set goals for reducing energy consumption. After the long, cold and dark winter, the sunshine is here, and warmer weather is around the corner. I am excited to have the sunshine lighting up my apartment until 8 pm this week! When less artificial lighting is required, more energy is conserved. Although, how much electricity are my lamps using? This is a challenging part of the energy conversation, is it worth turning off and unplugging? How much of a difference does it really make on the energy bill? I’ve been troubled by this perspective and I try to think less about how much money it saves and more about the energy itself. I try to remember that it takes less than 20 seconds for me to unplug my toaster, so why not. I only use it once or twice a week and keeping it plugged in is unnecessary. This action is not saving an enormous amount of electricity, but it is still something.

Figure 1: Breakdown of the energy used by electronics and appliances (Dawson et al., n.d; Above: Direct Energy Business, 2017.)

The term phantom power, sometimes referred to as vampire power, is used to describe the energy being used when appliances or electronics are plugged in, but not in use. Statistics show that keeping a phone charger plugged in may cost you about $1 per year which is not a significant amount, however when each household has 3 or 4 chargers plugged in, along with other electronics, this can add up quickly (Direct Energy, 2018). While unplugging small appliances may seem futile and is inconvenient for some, I choose to take the perspective that every effort counts, and all energy matters. I unplug what I can in my apartment and when I plug it in, that is when I think about the whole electricity process. For larger appliances that cannot be unplugged so easily (i.e. televisions, kitchen appliances, laundry machines) there are technological options to reduce the phantom load. A Smart Power Strip, which looks similar to an extension block, actually shuts down power to electronics when they are not in use. This is a great option that eliminates the inconvenience of unplugging!

Figure 2: A few examples of commonly used electronics comparing the energy they use when active (dark blue) and the phantom power used when in sleep/off mode (light blue; Hydro One, 2020.)

Of course, we all use electricity. It’s a truly fantastic advancement in our world and works to benefit our lives in many ways! It is important to be grateful and think about places in our world that don’t have the same access to unlimited electricity. I want to share some energy conservation habits that you can try out. See what works for your lifestyle and what doesn’t. I would like to thank you for trying something new to help protect our environment. And thank you to so many people in our community that already take these actions! Give yourself a pat on the back, it really matters, and every effort counts!

Give it a try !

• Unplug unused electronics. See how often you have to re-plug and how that effects your routine. You may find you forget that you have unplugged some items until you go to use them. If there are other items that you use often, keep them plugged in, but be conscious of phantom energy.

• Purchase a smart power strip to reduce the phantom load. The device can be set on a timer to turn off at an assigned time or after a period of inactivity.

• Switch off lights when they are unnecessary. Save the electricity and the bulb lifespan!

• Turn off and unplug electronics when you travel!

• Dress for the temperature of your home. Wearing sweaters and socks, or alternatively wearing shorts is an easy way to reduce the energy used to heat or cool your home.

• Use the sunlight! While the days are getting longer, avoid artificial lighting and let natural light fill your space. Insulating the windows may be necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature.

• Use blinds and curtains to regulate temperature all year around. For example, during the winter open blinds during the day to let sunlight and heat in but close them in the evening to prevent drafts. In the summer keep blinds closed when sunlight is directly on your windows to reduce heating and keep cooling costs at a minimum.

• Turn off laptops, tablets, and phones when they are not in use. This will reduce the charging time required!

• Track your energy consumption and look for trends. Try hang-drying your clothes instead of using the dryer (an energy intensive appliance).

• Purchase energy efficient light bulbs for your lighting.

• Use smart home systems to control temperature and lighting around your house.

• If you have one, use a toaster oven instead of the conventional oven. It is smaller and uses less energy to heat up to the desired temperature.

REFERENCES

Dawson, E., Meier, S., & Potter, J. (n.d). Are Phantom Loads Haunting Your Energy Bill? Retrieved online: https://pages.uoregon.edu/hof/W09HOF/19Phantom_ppr.pdf

Direct Energy. (2018). Live Brighter Blog: Should you unplug appliances to save electricity? Retrieved online: https://www.directenergy.com/blog/should-you-unplug-appliances-when-not-in-use/

Direct Energy Business. (2017). How to Exterminate the Dreaded Phantom Load. Retrieved online: https://business.directenergy.com/blog/2017/october/exterminate-the-phantom-load

Government of Canada. (2019). Natural Resources Canada: About Electricity. Retrieved online: https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/electricity-infrastructure/about-electricity/7359

Hydro One. (2020). Phantom Power. Retrieved online: https://www.hydroone.com/saving-money-and-energy/residential/tips-and-tools/phantom-power

Natural Gas. (2013). Natural gas and the environment. Retrieved online: http://naturalgas.org/environment/naturalgas/