15 ways to slash your energy and water bill

Save 240 gallons of water a month by turning off the tap when brushing. Photo: Shutterstock.

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Natural resources cannot be replaced once gone. If they can be reproduced by man, it is likely to be a long renewal process. Without natural resources, humans will not be able to sustain life. A replacement for soil, fossil fuels and water does not yet exist.

However, there are many simple steps that you can take in your daily life to help conserve natural resources including recycling items such as aluminium and newspapers, taking a shower instead of a bath to save water, and changing your household’s light bulbs to those that are labelled energy efficient.

Here in the UAE, highlighting the importance of natural resource conservation is on the rise. DEWA has launched ‘The Peak Load’ campaign, which it hopes will be instrumental in educating residents on reducing their energy consumption and Dubai’s environmental footprint.

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The peak hours of energy consumption are between 12pm-5pm, particularly between July and August. The campaign, which will be rolled out in July, aims to encourage Dubai’s residents to limit their usage and unnecessary wastage of electricity and water between these hours. It takes critical environmental messages to the consumer in a friendly and informative manner by bringing to life animated household appliances that become delighted at the opportunity of taking a daily break between the peak load hours.

HE Saeed Al Tayer, managing director & CEO of DEWA said: “During the last few years we have witnessed the highest consumption levels of water and electricity during the summer months’ peak hours. This encouraged us to adopt the idea of reducing consumption during the peak load and give a break to the household appliances and daily chores during this time,” he added.

The following list details a number of recommendations DEWA is including as part of the campaign to encourage residents to reduce their energy consumption.

• Turn off the lights
  
• Swap for fluorescent
  
• Low wattage bulbs
  
• Microwave over oven
  
• Flat-bottomed pans
  
• Use pressure cookers
  
• Minimum preheat oven times
  
• Clean or replace AC filters
  
• Self-cleaning ovens
  
• Quick showers
  
• Efficient shower head
  
• Fix leaky taps
  
• Turn off the tap
  
• Install aerators on kitchen and bathroom faucets
  
• Composting