How Does Reducing Your Use Of Energy Combat Climate Change?

Reducing energy use is one of the most effective ways for individuals to combat climate change. Most of the energy we consume comes from fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas. When burned, these fuels release heat-trapping greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that are the primary cause of global warming. By using less energy in our homes, transportation and lifestyles, we can make a significant dent in global emissions. Simple everyday actions like turning off lights, adjusting the thermostat and driving less have a cumulative impact. This article will explore the strong link between energy use and climate change, and provide suggestions for how individuals can dramatically reduce their energy consumption. With some effort, we can all play a valuable part in fighting climate change.

The Link Between Energy and Climate Change

The primary link between energy use and climate change is the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. When fossil fuels are burned, they release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. According to the UN, fossil fuel emissions account for over 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions (source). These greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, causing global temperatures to rise over time. The EPA reports that burning fossil fuels for energy is the largest source of US greenhouse gas emissions (source). The vast majority of scientists agree that emissions from fossil fuel combustion are the main driver of climate change (source). Reducing the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas is critical to mitigating climate change and its impacts around the world.

How Individuals Use Energy

Most of the energy consumed by individuals is related to their homes, transportation, and everyday activities and appliances. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, electricity accounts for most of an average U.S. household’s energy consumption, with appliances, electronics, lighting, and air conditioning making up the bulk of home electricity use (U.S. EIA). The major uses of electricity in U.S. homes in 2020 were air conditioning (17%), space heating (15%), water heating (14%), refrigerators (11%), lighting (9%), clothes dryers (7%), and televisions and related equipment (5%) (Direct Energy).

Heating and cooling homes also accounts for a significant portion of residential energy use. Most homes in the U.S. use central furnaces and air conditioning systems powered by electricity and natural gas. Properly insulating, sealing air leaks, and taking advantage of programmable thermostats can help reduce energy demands for heating and cooling.

For transportation, most individuals and families rely on personal vehicles running on gasoline or diesel. Reducing transportation emissions can come from driving fewer miles, purchasing more fuel efficient or electric vehicles, using public transportation, biking, walking, or carpooling whenever possible.

Reduce Home Electricity Use

One of the easiest ways for individuals to reduce their energy use and combat climate change is by decreasing electricity consumption in their homes. Simple changes like replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, unplugging devices when not in use, and installing Energy Star certified efficient appliances can lead to major reductions in electricity usage.

Replacing old incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs can reduce lighting electricity usage by 75% or more. LEDs use a fraction of the energy and last years longer than traditional bulbs. It’s a simple swap that dramatically cuts the amount of electricity demanded. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if every home in the U.S. replaced just one incandescent bulb with an LED, it would save enough electricity to light more than 3 million homes for a year and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equal to 800,000 cars.

Many appliances and electronic devices draw power even when switched off. These “vampire” loads can account for 5-10% of home electricity use. Simply unplugging devices when not in use eliminates those standby loads. Using power strips makes it easy to completely disconnect multiple devices with the flip of a single switch.

When old appliances like refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines need replacing, choose new efficient Energy Star models. Energy Star appliances often use 20-30% less energy than standard models. Over the 15+ year lifespan of major appliances, the electricity savings really add up, along with the accompanying reductions in fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions from power plants.

With simple steps like LED light bulbs, eliminating standby power, and installing efficient appliances, individuals can make a real dent in their home’s electricity use and contribute meaningfully to the fight against climate change.

Reduce Home Heating and Cooling

One of the easiest ways to reduce your energy usage at home is by improving your home’s insulation and installing a smart thermostat. According to the FTC, insulating your home properly can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs (source). This means less energy wasted heating and cooling the outdoors. Focus insulation efforts on the attic, exterior walls, floors, windows, and doors. Aim for an insulation R-value of at least R-30 for attics and R-13 for exterior walls. Caulk and weatherstrip any gaps or leaks around windows and doors as well.

Installing a smart or programmable thermostat allows you to customize the home’s temperature settings for different times of day (source). By lowering the temperature at night or when away, you can significantly reduce energy usage while staying comfortable when home. Aim for a temperature of 68°F during the day and 60°F at night during winter. In summer, 78°F when home and higher when away is recommended. Smart thermostats make temperature scheduling easy and automatic.

Reduce Transportation Emissions

Transportation accounts for around 29% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, making it the largest contributor to climate change, according to the EPA (source). Reducing your transportation emissions is one of the most impactful ways individuals can combat climate change. There are several ways you can reduce your transportation footprint:

Drive less by consolidating trips, walking, biking, carpooling, or taking public transportation when possible. Eliminating just one car trip per day can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1,590 pounds per year (source). If you need to drive, reducing your speed and avoiding sudden accelerations and stops can improve fuel economy by up to 40% on the highway and 30% in town (source).

Maintain your vehicle by checking tire pressure, getting regular tune-ups, and removing extra weight. Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by around 3% (source). Regular maintenance helps your engine run more efficiently. And reducing weight by removing unnecessary items in your car can improve fuel economy as well.

Use public transportation, carpool, bike, or walk whenever possible. Public transportation produces about 45% less CO2 per passenger mile than private vehicles. Carpooling, biking, and walking produce even less (source). Using these lower emission options just 2 days per week can reduce your carbon footprint by 20% (source).

Larger Impacts of Reduced Energy Use

When individuals and households reduce their energy consumption, the larger impacts can be significant. At a societal level, lower energy demand means less infrastructure is needed for energy production and distribution. For example, if total electricity demand decreases, fewer power plants and transmission lines may be required (WEF, 2022). Construction of this infrastructure is extremely costly and has its own environmental impacts.

Lower energy demand can also increase energy security for a region or country. Relying less on imported fossil fuels reduces vulnerability to price shocks and supply disruptions (IEA, n.d.). Local and renewable energy sources become more viable when overall demand is lower.

In summary, individual actions to cut energy use can multiply to have much broader impacts. Less infrastructure required for energy production and distribution means large capital cost savings. Energy security also increases through reduced reliance on imports.

Challenges and Counterarguments

Reducing energy use can be challenging for many reasons. One major barrier is the expense involved in upgrading to more efficient appliances, vehicles, and HVAC systems. According to a recent article, the upfront costs of energy efficiency improvements can be prohibitive, especially for lower-income households.

Convenience is another factor. Driving less, adjusting thermostats, and changing habits and behaviors all require more effort and reduce comfort in the short term. This overview of energy challenges notes that people are often resistant to lifestyle changes that impact their daily routines.

Additionally, some individuals are skeptical that their personal actions make an impact in addressing large-scale issues like climate change. They may feel reducing individual energy use is trivial compared to changes needed in industry and government policy. Overcoming this skepticism and showing tangible benefits are key to gaining wider participation.

Support and Incentives for Reducing Use

There are various forms of support and incentives available to help individuals and households reduce their energy usage. Two key programs are energy audits and rebates/tax credits.

Energy audits analyze how and where a home is losing energy and provide recommendations on improvements that can be made. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an energy audit can help you identify areas where your house is poorly insulated or air is escaping and steps you can take to improve efficiency [1]. Many utilities and state/local governments offer free or low-cost energy audits to help consumers identify energy waste.

Rebates and tax credits can offset the upfront costs of making energy efficient upgrades in your home. For example, purchasing an Energy Star certified appliance or adding insulation may qualify you for a tax credit [2]. Many utilities also offer rebates on the purchase of high efficiency heating/cooling systems, appliances, lighting, and more. Taking advantage of these financial incentives makes it more feasible for households to make changes that will reduce their energy usage.

With the help of energy audits, rebates, and tax credits, individuals can take concrete steps to decrease their energy consumption and costs while also benefiting the environment.

Conclusion

Reducing energy use in our homes, transportation, and broader lives is one of the most impactful ways we can combat climate change as individuals. By being mindful of our electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation choices, we can significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change.

As we have discussed, climate change is an existential threat to our planet, and much of it is driven by the energy choices we make every day. Simple habit changes like turning off lights, adjusting thermostats, walking and biking more, and buying energy efficient appliances can add up to major reductions in emissions.

While larger systemic changes in energy production are crucial, individual actions matter. By educating ourselves and making conscientious energy decisions, we encourage broader societal shifts and climate-friendly policies. This protects our shared future.

With some effort and willingness to change engrained habits, our daily energy use can be compatible with a livable climate. It not only benefits the planet, but saves money and enhances quality of life. We all have a role to play in determining our future.