Earth Hour Energy Tips

Other Things You Can Do

- Replace incandescent bulbs with energy efficient bulbs

- Make a plan for an energy audit

- Take advantage of rebates and programs offered by the government or your local distribution company

- Seal cracks and leaks in your home to eliminate drafts

- Use a programmable thermostat so your furnace and air conditioner aren’t wasting energy when you’re not home

- Only use your dishwasher when it’s full, and set the timer for the middle of the night

- Turn off a device in “sleep mode” like your computer or TV

- Use a clothesline instead of the dryer, and wash your clothes in cold water

- Take a short shower instead of a bath – and install a low-flow shower head

- Clean your furnace filter, and your dryer’s lint trap

- Use a ceiling fan in the summer for cooling and in the winter to disperse the heat found at ceiling level

- Regularly maintain your air conditioner to increase its efficiency by about five per cent

- A tree or shrub that shades your central air conditioner can improve its efficiency by up to 10 per cent

You've turned off your lights, what more can you do?


	Lighting: Home lighting accounts for roughly six per cent of all electricity use in the province. But there's a lot more you can do to conserve during Earth Hour...
	Dishwasher: Wait until after Earth Hour to run your dishwasher... even if you have a gas water heater, it still uses enough electricity needed to light 18 incandescent light bulbs.
	Phantom Power: Unplug all those cell phone chargers, the TV, the VCR and any other appliances that consume energy even though they are turned off or on standby. It's equivalent to leaving a 100W incandescent light bulb on all day and all night.
	Stove: A roast chicken dinner uses the equivalent of 500 light bulbs in electricity. Use your microwave or toaster oven to whip up something quick and energy efficient.
	Dryer: Your electric clothes dryer uses enough electricity to light 21 light bulbs over an hour. Wait until after Earth Hour to start it up.
	Electric water heater: If you have an electric water heater wait until after Earth Hour to have a shower or bath. A five-minute shower uses the equivalent of 20 light bulbs of electricity.
	Smart Meter: By delaying when you use certain appliances, you're getting ready for the implementation of Time-of-Use rates in the province. Learn more about how much it costs to run various appliances with Time-of-Use rates.

More Information about Managing Your Electricity Use

Contact your local distribution company for local conservation programs in your area.

Powerwise.ca has tips and advice on energy efficiency.

Every Kilowatt Counts provides province-wide conservation programs for homeowners and businesses.

More information regarding smart meters in Ontario, and an interactive tool designed to illustrate how Time-of-Use prices work in your home, is available online.

Ontario’s Home Energy Audit and Retrofit Rebate Programs help Ontarians through tax incentives to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

EcoEnergy Retrofit Grants and Incentives are available from the federal government.

News

March 27, 2010
The IESO reported that compared to a typical Saturday in late March, demand for electricity in Ontario fell by approximately four per cent or 560 megawatts (MW) as a result of Earth Hour
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