Saving Energy: How savvy you are?

Test your Energy IQ

Image credit:US Dept of Energy

One of the major expenditure for a family or a corporation is energy. This includes heat, fuel, electricity and water.

There are two ways energy can be saved:

One is by conserving, where you can change your behavior to gain savings. For example, switching off the lights when you leave a room or closing the tap when you are brushing or taking short showers instead of long bath.

Another is by looking for efficiency, where you can buy an energy efficient equipment or appliance or vehicle such as an energy star rated or appropriately rated appliance or hybrid fuel vehicles.

Now, take the quiz to identify how much you are energy savvy to save your $$$ or equivalent currencies.

Image credit: N/A	Order the following household items in the ascending order of energy consumption. [Electric Energy] a. Television b. Microwave Oven c. Home computer d. Aquarium/Terrarium Answer: Microwave Oven, Television, Home computer, Aquarium/Terrarium. Yes, your home electronics consumes more energy than your Microwave Oven as they remain on for duration. Moreover the equipments consume energy called "phantom energy" even when switched off but connected to power. Hence it is recommended to unplug or switch off the equipment using a power strip.
Image credit:www.wpclipart.com.	Which refrigerator models are considered to be more efficient? [Appliance] a. Top freezer models b. Side freezer models c. Bottom freezer models d. Any freezer models with water and ice dispensers. Answer: [a] Top Freezer models Top freezer refrigerator models were found to be more energy efficient than side, bottom or dispenser models. You know what to buy now!
Image credit :Unknown	On Laundry, hot water setting helps to clean the clothes better and crisper than a cold water or warm water setting. a. True b. False Answer: [b] False Unless you are dealing with oily stains, cold water can do an equally good job as a hot water. So next time when you are washing keep your water setting to cold.
Image credit :n/a	Which of the following travel choices consumes less energy? a. Several short trips with some time to cool the engine. b. Several short trips with no time to cool the engine. c. Combine all the trips into one. d. Combine all the trips into one with time to cool the engine. Answer: [c] Combine all trips into one. A warm engine helps to save more energy than a cooler engine. So once you get the car warmed up, get all your chores done in one go!
Image credit:www.clipart.com	How much water can you save per minute by turning off the tap while brushing? a. Upto 0.25 gallons b. Upto 0.50 gallons c. Upto 1.0 gallons d. Upto 2.0 gallons Answer: [d] Upto 2.0 gallons True. A tap dispenses 2.0 gallons of water per minute. So closing the tap for your brushing time can save significant amount of water and $$ for you.
Image credit :teacherpictures.com	Which countries/continents are expected to increase by 118% in their energy consumption by 2035? a. US and UK b. China and India c. Central America, South America and Africa d. Russia and other former Soviet Republics Answer: [b] China and India China and India are the 2 countries which are not affected by the global economic recession. Due to this the countries are growing at a rapid pace and its associated energy needs. It is projected that China and India would need 118% more energy than what they are using now. Is the world ready for the increase in demand?
Image credit :N/A	Can you recognize the following standards and match with its corresponding appliances (Furnaces, Hot water heaters, Air conditioners) or home units (Windows, Home insulation, Plumbing units(toilets, showers,faucets)? a. SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) b. FHR (First Hour Rating) c. U-Value d. R-Value e. AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) f. WaterSense Answer: SEER => Air conditioners => 13 SEER or above is considered to be efficient. FHR => Hot water heaters => Indicates the amount of hot water the equipment can dispense in the first hour. U Value => Windows, Doors => The lower the U value the better the insulation. R Value => Insulation => The higher the R value the better the insulation AFUE => Furnace => 90 and above is considered as efficient. WaterSense=> Plumbing units => Indicates high efficiency units which uses less water for the same functionality.

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Hope you had fun playing!

Interested in learning more tips for saving energy & money at home?
Download the US Dept of Energy booklet: Energy Savers