Switch off unnecessary lights.
•       Use CFL bulbs with a label that saves 80% electricity instead of ordinary bulbs. (Labels on CFL bulbs have been made compulsory by the gazette notification No. 1611/10 dated 22nd of June in 2009.•       Get the maximum use from the daylight. Install windows in the places where maximum of natural lights are received while designing the houses.•       Clean the dusts on the bulbs more often so that you can get maximum light.•       Use light colours for walls, ceiling, curtains etc. Light colours will reflect the light.•       Get the light to the required place only. Then a bulb with low wattage will be sufficient. For example, focus the light to the required place like using a reading lamp when studying.•       Use more efficient ballasts with fluorescent lamps. Electronic ballasts are very energy efficient.

•       Now there are LED lamps in the market which are even more efficient and durable than CFLs. They are available for ordinary lighting as well as decorating purposes.

Tips on the use of Refrigerator

Do you know that a refrigerator will consume 30%-50% from the household electricity consumption?•       Close firmly the door of the refrigerator.•       Reduce the number of opening times of the door of refrigerator. The electricity consumption will be more if hot air goes inside the refrigerator.•       Keep the back side of the refrigerator in an area where direct sunlight or hot air not presents.•       Leave a distance of 10 inches between the refrigerator and the wall to provide a good ventilation to the back side of the refrigerator.•       Do not store hot food in the refrigerator. Wait until they reach the room temperature to store food in the refrigerator.

•       Set the cooling level of the items in the deep freezer to the lowest level. When there are items to be frozen in the deep freezer, keep the temperature at 40% level.

•       Take out the foods in the deep freezer 10-15 hours before and store in the normal compartment. Then the electricity consumption will be less.

•       Wrap vegetables and fruits in polethene covers and store in the refrigerator. Store liquids in closed containers. Then the release of moisture will be limited and the electricity consumption will be less.

•       Store only the necessary items in the refrigerator, properly.

•       Buy a refrigerator to suite the requirement of the house.

Tips on the use of Electric Iron
Iron clothes of few days instead of ironing clothes every day. Start from rough cotton clothes and end in soft clothes. Switch off electricity connection and Iron soft clothes using the already heated iron.•       Keep a thin aluminum paper under the ironing plank. It will reflect the heat allowing the iron to be heated from two directions simultaneously.•       Keep the iron vertically when keeping the iron away while ironing clothes.•       Use irons with automatic heat controllers.•       Do not iron wet clothes.

Tips on the use of Washing Machines
Buy a washing machine suitable to the quantity of clothes for washing. A washing machine with a capacity of 5kg is sufficient for a family with 4-6 members.•       Reduce the number of washing times. Wash clothes of several days at one time. Refrain from washing extra large or small clothes than approved quantities.•       Limit the use of drier and always try to use sunlight for drying clothes.•       Front loading machines are more efficient than up loading machines. Therefore, try to buy a front loading machine.

Tips on the use of Electric Fans
Try to use electric fans instead of air-conditioners.•       Cover the windows of the air-conditioned rooms so that the air will not go out.•       Use curtains and grow trees if the direct sunlight comes to the air-conditioned rooms. Install the air-conditioners in more shady areas of the building.•       Leave the temperature control at 26°C. Reduction of 1°C will result in the increase of 4% in the cost.

In the Use of Air Conditioners
Try to use fans whenever possible and avoid the use of air conditioners•       When using the air conditioner, make sure the windows and doors are closed properly.•       Make sure direct sunlight does not enter the room that is air conditioned. Use heavy curtains or grow shady trees to prevent direct sunlight.•       Always maintain the temperature at 26 degrees, and keep in mind that every reduction of 10 C increases your cost by 6%.

Tips on the use of Televisions
Do not use only the remote controller to switch off the television but use the switch on the television as well. When a colour television is in stand-by mode it consumes 18-25 watt of electricity.•       Switch off the lights of the unnecessary areas while watching television.Tips on  boiling water

  • Use only the required quantity of water
  • Avoid using electric heating equipment that is higher in cost and use other heating sources such as gas, firewood etc instead.

When using water pumps
  • Use an appropriate water pump when pumping water from a well to a water tank, taking into consideration the level of water in the well
  • Transportation of water costs a great sum, therefore refrain from wasting water
  • Rain water is a excellent source of obtaining water for general purposes, hence try as much to utilize rain water for general requirements when ever possible