The holidays are fast approaching. You must have a long list of people you intend to buy quirky gifts for. But, I am convinced that your name comes first on the list. As the saying goes “Love starts with you”.
You must be wondering what kind of gifts to give yourself in this special season.
We are here to help you, as we have compiled in this article 5 energy-efficient gifts to shower yourself with. No doubt the holiday comes with increased costs, and directly impacts on your utility bills. As you go shopping for gifts, this is also an opportunity to look out for items that can help minimize the impact of increased utility bills.
Let’s find out the perfect quirky energy-efficient gifts you’ll love.
- Get Smart Thermostats.
A smart thermostat is a great gift to buy for yourself. The good thing is, you enjoy it because it’s easy to use and a good item in effectively conserving energy.
How does it do it?
It maximizes your heating and cooling efficiency. This cannot be said of old-fashioned thermostats, because they are difficult to read and program.
The smart thermostat has easy and accessible features. The programming processes and setup are quite easy, making the settings for maximum energy efficiency realistic.
They also come with remote access that allows you to control and monitor temperature wherever you are located. With the mobile app installed on your phone, you can control the thermostats from anywhere. They are equally Wi-Fi compatible, making them accessible from your devices. For instance, if you are out, you can check in to confirm if AC isn’t running, when no one is around, regardless of your location.
Additionally, the ability to track and monitor your home energy use provides the necessary information on your consumption rates and patterns.
Information like the amount of time your HVAC system has been in operation, weather changes that affect your energy usage, and individualized recommendations you need for energy efficiency will be made available. When you have these details, it’s easy to know where the energy is going and how to cut back on it.
- Invest in Energy star Electronics.
If you are a big fan of electronics, and you want to pamper yourself with electronics quirky gifts, you should take into consideration Energy star electronics. They are your best bet for energy conservation.
In 1992, environment protection initiated the Energy Star program, in an attempt to promote energy conservation. Although there have been several modifications in the program, the purpose remains unchanged: Conservation of energy innovations in technology. On the label you’ll find on their products, it’s indicated that these products use less energy than other products in the same category.
- Get Advanced power strips.
This is one quirky gift you can enjoy at home. Basically, advanced power strips help in cutting wasted standby power from your home entertainment system and other devices. You will agree that the bulk of energy comes from our entertainment system, especially on days we are at home, and we often forget to turn them off when leaving the house. This is the ideal gift to help solve this problem. Certain brands from companies like Embertec and Tricklestar can switch off televisions, computers, and other parts when not in use.
- Lighten your world with LED holiday lights.
LED, known as the light-emitting diode is a welcome development In the world. It is the most energy-efficient and fast-developing lightning technology.
Generally, a good LED Cooler light lasts longer and offers improved light quality than others in the same category.
- It’s magical to see the efficiency of LEDs.
It’s magical to see the efficiency of LEDs. It’s an effective energy lighting technology and has been boosting the future of lightning in the United States. The type that is often used at home, Residential LEDs, particularly the ENERGY STAR rated products, consume at least 75% less energy and can last 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting. The acceptance of this innovation has a huge impact on energy saving in the United States. In the near future, most lighting installations intend to use LED technology.
- Electronic streaming devices.
If you love to watch your favorite series and movies, you should consider getting this. Devices like Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Apple TV, do a lot more than just cueing up Netflix.
Not only do they stream live TV, but they do so using 30-75% less energy than traditional set-top boxes. A lot of satellite and cable providers have successfully introduced apps for customers to stream through these devices and give up their set-top boxes, Including their associated rental fee monthly. The good thing is that if your recipients choose to change their plan, they can still use the streaming device with their new service.
- Smart Speakers
This is a good one to buy. From recent studies, smart speakers like Google Home and Amazon Echo are not only energy-efficient, but it’s important that you also use them optimally for energy use. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, some new TVs that enable users to switch on and control their TV through their smart speaker, tend to have a spike in standby power, as soon as the speaker is connected. In some situations, doubling annual TV energy use.
So, there you have it. You can pick from the five gifts we have elaborated for you in the forthcoming festive season. You enjoy your gifts and save energy as you use them.
