The energy crisis affects everyone – this is how to cut energy consumption at home

Unplug unused devices.

Few people know, but in fact, all electronic devices that are plugged into the socket use a minimum amount of electricity. Obviously not as much as when they are turned on, but some do. And if you honestly look around your apartment, you will most likely see many such objects around you. Be it the small lamp next to the bed, the turned off TV in the living room, the unused but plugged-in hair straightener in the bathroom, or the kettle and air fryer on the kitchen counter… And we haven’t even talked about the stereo and the microwave yet, but you have certainly taken a look at these and maybe 10 other devices that you are not using at the moment but still have electricity. Unplug everything you can now, at least for these few days, and only plug it back in when you actually use it.

If you work at home and usually use a monitor (or even more) for your work, take a break from it for a while and switch to your computer to eliminate an energy source.

Save energy in the kitchen!

Since extreme heat is expected in the coming days anyway, the best thing you can do is switch to salads, fresh fruits, and vegetables and not cook at all. By doing this, you are doing yourself a favor, as you don't have to work in front of a hot stove in the heat, your body will also thank you for the fresh, vitamin-rich food, and you will even save energy. Of course, many people can't really survive on raw food for days, so we recommend that they try to prepare meals that require as little effort as possible. Simple, quick pan-fried meats, light pasta made from canned tuna, or couscous as a side dish, which only requires a little boiled water. And if you have some frozen ready-made food hiding in your freezer, now is the time to use it!

While cooking, it is worth paying attention to the following:

• Use a lid! Whether you're boiling water or cooking food, use a lid on your pots and pans more often, as this will save you up to 75% less energy.
• If you need to boil water for something (like pasta), use the kettle and pour it into the pot. The kettle works much faster and more efficiently.
• Don't open the oven door! If for some reason you have to bake in the oven in the next few days, make sure to open the door as little as possible, as the temperature inside can drop by 10-15 degrees. You can even turn it off 10 minutes before baking time, because the heat trapped inside will still last until then.
• Pay attention to the refrigerator too! Now, never put warm food in it, because this is not good for the refrigerator compressor, and also check the temperature! It is enough to keep the refrigerator at 4-5 °C and the freezer at -18 °C.

More conscious washing and drying

The washing machine uses 80-90% of its energy to heat the water, so switch to a lower temperature! For most everyday stains, a 30 °C wash is more than enough, which consumes almost half the electricity of a 40 °C program. Not to mention that programs with lower temperatures are usually shorter, which also saves electricity. It is also important not to start the machine with 2-3 pieces of clothing, but rather wait until a larger amount of laundry has accumulated. We hope we don't have to mention that using a dryer in this heat is completely unnecessary, as the clothes you spread out will dry completely in a few hours, especially if you put them on the balcony or in the yard.

These things may seem like small things, but think about how much energy we would save if everyone followed each of these tips!