by T88

Created on: March 30, 2008   Last Updated: April 04, 2011

Energy is one of the most valuable resources available. Every product produced requires immense amounts of energy. Every action an individual takes requires energy, whether it is driving to work, washing the dishes, or just watching television. In our world, the principle source of energy is crude oil drilled from the Earth. Oil is used in everything, from obvious actions such as transportation or heating, to making plastic and other goods. The problem with this is oil is a limited resource, and it is running out fast.

With our capitalist society of demand and supply, the demand for oil will explode once the wells begin to dry. The price of everything will in turn skyrocket, leaving many people unable to buy the things they need. What does this mean for the homeowner? Most houses are powered by electricity and heated from oil. What happens when this energy becomes too expensive? Luckily, there are a few options that can be taken to reduce the home's dependence on created energy, and in turn reduce energy bills.

First off, the basics. The easiest way to save money on bills is to conserve energy. If its daylight, don't have the lights on. Seems simple enough right? The same thing applies to all other appliances. If they are not in use, why should they be on and consuming energy? If people are careless with the energy they use, their bills will become out of hand. Use only what you need. The summer season often is an excellent example of wasted energy. How many people run air conditioners when they are not even home? Not only do these appliances consume massive amounts of energy, but they're in turn heating the surrounding environment.

During the day, many power grids are put to the test due to a high demand of energy, mainly from conditioning units. If too many people are consuming too much energy simultaneously, the system could fail. That is why power companies urge costumers to run appliances later in the day, when the demand is less. Certain companies offer cash incentives to turn off certain appliances at peak hours (If my pool filter is shut down during midday hours, the power company sends us a check!). Little changes can go a long way if many people join in.

The winter months are equally demanding. As the price of oil increases, so does the cost of heating a home. Obviously letting your family freeze isn't an option, so people are forced to pay high prices. There are much cheaper alternatives to oil heating. Personally, my house is heated with wood burning stoves. They only need to be payed for once, and they will save thousands in the end. They produce an immense amount of heat that can easily warm an entire home. They can be turned on or off whenever desired, so no energy is ever wasted. Because oil is still used to heat water for washing, there will still be a dependence on it. However, cutting out heating costs will help reduce energy bills immensely.

There are many other small changes that can help as well. Switching light bulbs from incandescent to compact fluorescent for instance can consume far less energy with an extended bulb life. Building sun rooms that utilize natural lighting and heating. Buying a hybrid vehicle that requires far less gas (paying for automobile gas counts in the energy bill too!). Replacing costly air conditioning units with more environment-friendly ceiling fans. Making a conscious effort to use energy consuming products less often, in combination with more efficient appliances can lead to a drastic reduction in the cost of energy bills.

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