Conserving Energy: Daily Personal Activities
We use energy every day during many different activities. Here are some specific ways to conserve energy and water during personal activities.
Whether you are using it or not, all that entertainment equipment requires a lot of energy.
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• Turn off devices when not in use and unplug them.
• Plug media devices, such as TVs and DVD players, into a power strip. Then, turn off the power strip when the equipment is not in use.
We use a lot of energy to power our communication devices in order to stay in touch with people.
![](http://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/conservation/communications.jpg)
• When a device is fully charged, unplug it.
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
• Consider getting a laptop as your next computer. Laptops use a lot less energy than desktop machines.
• Use rechargeable batteries for items like cordless phones and mobile devices. It’s more cost effective than throwaway batteries.
Taking care of personal hygiene requires not only energy but also a lot of water.
![](http://ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/conservation/personalcare.jpg)
• Use a low-flow showerhead.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Unplug your hairdryer when you are not using it.
• Put a brick in your toilet tank to conserve water during each flush.
• Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Turn it on only when you need it.
• Lower the thermostat on the hot water heater and when upgrading, chose an on-demand hot water system.