Yesterday evening, my nine-year-old son walked into my room, and after noticing my ceiling lights on, the bedside table lamp on, and the tv on, he shook his head, and said, “I hope these haven’t been on all day.” After assuring him that I had just turned them on (as I was about to embark on folding the pile of laundry sitting in front of me), I took a pause to recognize what he said and shared how proud I was of him to be thinking in such an environmentally-focused way.

With him in mind, here are five easy ideas for families to help save energy in your Camden apartment home.

1. Many Camden properties feature energy-efficient LED lightbulbs installed in our apartment homes. You can purchase LED bulbs for your standing and table lamps at your local hardware store too. As my son shared, it’s important to also be mindful of turning the lights (and TVs) off when you leave the room! Get your kids involved by asking them to turn off their own lights, and to hold you accountable for doing this too!

2. Ask your family to save water by turning it OFF while they brush their teeth! Did you know, the average person wastes 4 gallons of water (EPA) while they brush their teeth? Brushing twice a day, that’s 8 gallons a person that could be saved – saving your family’s water bill too!

Save water by turning off the faucet while you brush! Photo courtesy of Camden Westchase Park Apartments in Tampa, FL

3. If you’re like me, you may often wonder, “How is it possible that we’ve used so many cups in one day?” To help save yourself time cleaning and water usage from constant dishwashing, designate one cup for each family member to use each day. You can label, color-code, or designate however your heart desires, but you’ll thank me later when your cups are happily tucked into their Camden cupboards instead of hanging out all over your apartment home.

4. Unplug and get outside! Turning off electronics is not only good for your family’s health, but it’s also good for the environment! And while you’re enjoying the wonderful amenities that your Camden community offers, unplug because even when turned off, devices continue to draw small amounts of power when plugged in. “An average American family can save around $100 a year simply by unplugging appliances and charges when they’re not being used.” - Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin, True Green Kids.

5. Use your time together to help educate children about other ways to save energy and the world. Check out your local library or bookstore for recommendations! Here are a few of ours:

Photos courtesy of Krista Ammirato

And in case you were wondering, I did turn off at least one of those lights – taking one little step at a time to save energy where I can. Find your next apartment home at camdenliving.com and go green with us!