How Hawaiians Can Waste Less Energy

Americans waste a lot of energy. In fact, we’re the worldwide leaders in energy waste. We burn fossil fuels at an alarming rate, and we’re far too careless about the ways we waste gas (in cars, and in our heating and cooling systems).

Hawaii is a little different than other areas of the United States, and Hawaiians have long had a special connection to the stunning natural world around them. We work hard to conserve natural areas, but there’s always more to be done.

Global warming and rising sea levels are poised to particularly damage islands and coastal areas. Hawaii is at risk and that’s why we need to find even more ways to be environmentally friendly and here are some possibilities.

Hawaiians don’t often need to heat their homes, but air conditioning is a necessity some days. It’s okay to use energy to cool your home, of course, but be careful not to waste too much.

Keep your air conditioning system efficient. Invest in environmentally friendly systems and — this part is important — maintain those systems with regular tune-ups and repairs.

A better maintained HVAC system is a more efficient one, according to AC repair specialists. And keep that air conditioned air inside, please! Close doors and windows, fight drafts, and make sure your home is properly insulated.

Another big way to save energy at home is to keep your appliances efficient. Your large appliances use more energy than most other things in your home, so make sure that you have efficient and well maintained appliances.

When we drive from place to place, we contribute to one of the largest causes of global warming. Now, this doesn’t mean we all need to stop driving in order to save the planet. But we can be better: why not try to carpool to work?

If possible, you could even take public transit. Public transit options tend to be much, much better for our planet than individual car commutes.

If you must drive your own vehicle, you can take steps to make it as efficient as possible under the circumstances. One thing to consider is alternative fuels.

Thanks to the rise of electric cars and hybrids, it is now possible to drive a car regularly without doing as much damage to the environment. Now is a great time to consider making your next vehicle an electric car or hybrid.

You can use alternative fuels at home, too. Sunny Hawaii is the perfect place to install a solar panel. If you create enough energy through solar panels and other green energy solutions, you can even sell energy back to the electrical company. That means that solar panels can be as cost-effective as they are environmentally friendly.

If you want to do even more, consider joining local Hawaiian environmental advocacy groups. You could help educate others, fight for laws that protect the natural world & our environmental future. It'll take more than individual action to stop worldwide environmental crises like global warming, but you can do plenty to make yourself a part of the solution.

Hawaii is a beautiful place to live, but it won’t necessarily be like this forever. It’s our responsibility to ensure that future generations enjoy the same sort of beautiful surroundings as we’re enjoying right now. Do your part at home and on the go, and you could help make Hawaii — and the world — a more energy efficient place.