It’s the summer! With Canada Day weekend behind us, it’s time to start enjoying the summer season in its full force. Summer isn’t just great for fun, though; it is also one of the best times to maximize those energy savings—and you can do it the fun way! Here’s how you can make the most of your summer, both in terms of fun and your energy bill.
1) Patio Evenings
It’s patio weather—and that means we don’t need the TV, the computer, or even our phones to entertain us. Instead of sitting inside with the air conditioning on, why not benefit from the cooler evening air—and the reduced sunburn exposure—by inviting a few friends over for cocktails in the evening? The best part: with everyone outside, you can turn the A/C off (or at least down) in the house. You can make energy conservation the theme of your gathering by using solar lights and candles to create an ambient setting, and by using ice-filled coolers to keep your drinks cool instead of having everyone constantly opening and closing your fridge.
2) Glow in the Dark Parties
One of the easiest ways to cut electricity costs is to turn the lights out when they aren’t needed—so why not make that into a game in itself? Throw a glow in the dark party featuring glow in the dark bracelets, necklaces, and glow sticks. You can even get glow in the dark paints and fabric paints if you really want to take the party to the next level.
3) Bon Fires
We don’t need electronic devices to entertain ourselves. Why not have a bonfire instead? You can take turns telling campfire stories. Use your citronella candles and solar lights for extra lighting (the blue tinge of solar LED lights cast some pretty spooky shadows if you need to add to the effect of your story). The best part? You don’t need to use electricity for cooking. Roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire. If you want to get a bit more creative than the old stand-by, there are tons of campfire recipes out there you could try.
4) Camping
Instead of paying for the electricity to light and cool your home at night, why not go camping instead? It’s a great weekend or weekday activity that could help you save quite a bit more energy this summer. And you don’t have to pay to save more: there are lots of free campgrounds to try, but you can also camp out in your backyard to benefit from the most cost savings—and you’ll probably have to worry a bit less about bears.
5) Beach Days
Looking for a good daytime activity that can help you beat the heat as well as the electricity bill? Why not head to the beach? Or, if the beach is too far, head to a lake for some swimming, kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boating, or paddle-boarding. Get your kids to try snorkeling to see the lake’s natural inhabitants, or head to a river for some white-water rafting or some tubing. Just remember to pack and re-apply the sunscreen, and make sure you’ve turned off any unused electronics at home before you take off for the day.
6) Star Gazing
Light is your enemy for this fun activity, so save some power by turning out the lights, turning off (or down) the A/C, and heading outside with your friends or loved ones to check out those stars. To add an extra challenge to the mix, take an astronomy book and a solar powered light with you and see who can find the most constellations. Or maybe you’ll find some of those stellar lights closer to the Earth—see how many fireflies you can count once you switch those lights off.
