Your electricity bill comes in, and your face is overcome with dread at the costly price. This situation is familiar for many households; however, we pay little to no attention to the reason why. Electricity is prevalent in most, if not all, countries and the mass utilization of it aids global warming through air pollution, a hotly debated environmental issue. So how can the average person reduce their usage of electricity as well as their bill?

The answer lies in our common household appliances such as vacuums, microwaves, hairdryers, and etc. According to IGS Energy, “The average U.S. household uses 11,280 kWh per year, which is roughly 940 kWh per month.” The cost varies depending on the specific appliance, but the fact remains the same: energy consumption(and our bill) is costly. For example, a hairdryer can use 1.5 kWh(daily kilowatt-hour consumption), resulting in ＄0.17 per hour and around ＄10 a year.

Furthermore, air conditioning can use 3.0 kWh per hour(＄0.33 per hour), drying/washing your clothes is 2.5-4 kWh(＄0.28-＄0.44 per load), and ,in some cases, clocks can use 2-4 kWh per month(＄0.22-＄0.44 per month). To put into perspective, “the clothes dryer is one of the largest energy users in the home, often consuming as much as a new refrigerator, dishwasher, and clothes washer combined”. Instead, we could air dry it and let the sun do the work But the essential question is: why does this matter? Globally, it lessens the amount of pollution spread in a day, and personally, it saves you extra cash. Just turning off the lights in your hallway, using a power strip, or even switching to LED bulbs can help in the long run where every moment counts.

Although most of the energy we spend can be labeled as essential to our everyday lives, the rest can still make a huge difference. According to Harvard University, “the total electricity consumed by idle electronics equals the annual output of 12 power plants”. AltE store confirms that although the “amount of energy consumed on an hourly basis is small, the fact that they run all day can easily add as much as 100W*Hrs per day.” By “idle electronics”, they refer to “vampire power”, the unnecessary drainage of energy while not in use. However, those “vampires” can be quickly stopped. For example, changing the settings to your TV, especially if it has a quick start feature, goes a long way and at no expense.

Global warming is a serious issue in today’s world, despite what others may say, and there are several things that can mitigate it. The amount of electricity used in one’s household is not a major source of air pollution, but it still contributes. These small, simple things such as turning off your computers, lights, etc. are beneficial not only to yourself, but also to the world. In a world where “the majority now spends roughly 35 percent of their energy consumption on appliances, electronics, and lighting”, there will always be room for improvement. The next time your electricity bill comes in, you can be proud about the few dollars you’ve saved as well as your contribution to preserving the earth.

<Sara Lim Sonora HS 11th grade>