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Test your knowledge: Energy awareness

  • Published
  • 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Test your energy awareness savvy by answering the following questions with either true or false. Compare your answers with the answer key at the bottom. Then, think about making some of these conservation ideas a part of your daily routine.

Questions:

1. Houses warm up faster by setting the thermostat higher than the desired temperature.

2. Freezers are more efficient when filled to capacity.

3. Fluorescent and incandescent bulbs of the same wattage produce the same amount of light.

4. Always use cold water when running a garbage disposal.

5. Driving faster uses less fuel since the car is running for a shorter period of time.

6. Always preheat the oven for broiling or roasting.

7. Never turn on the oven and open the door for a quick warm-up of a cold kitchen.

8. Leave computers and monitors on continually since it takes more energy to power up than to leave on.

9. The federal government is the largest consumer of energy in the world.

10. Opening the refrigerator door costs money and energy.

Answers:

1. False. Setting the thermostat higher than the desired temperature does not warm the house up quicker. The inside temperature will warm up just as quickly with the desired thermostat setting.

2. True. Freezers operate better when filled.

3. False. Fluorescent lights produce 3.5 times more light than incandescent bulbs of the same wattage.

4. True. Garbage disposals are designed to operate with cold water. Letting the water run until it gets hot just wastes water and the energy it takes to heat the water.

5. False. The higher the speed, the more fuel is burned, regardless of how long the trip takes.

6. False. Broiling and roasting do not require preheating.

7. True. Using the oven is a costly way to heat the kitchen.

8. False. While turned on, computers and monitors use energy constantly. Turning off and powering down is much more energy efficient.

9. True. The United States uses more energy than any other nation in the world -- about 35 percent of the world's total energy consumption and the federal government is by far the largest consumer of American energy.

10. True. Every time the refrigerator door is opened, cold air escapes and the compressor has to work to keep the temperature constant.