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How much energy could be saved if we didn't iron our clothes?
September 14, 2011
How much energy could be saved if we didn't iron our clothes?
Social norms persuade us to press clothes and linen, but ironing consumes both time and energy.
Any chance of an investigation on ironing and energy use? If we didn't iron for a month, how much power would it save?
This US Department of Energy webpage has a handy formula for estimating the energy use of various household appliances, including the iron.
(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption
NB: 1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts
Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year for the annual consumption. You can then calculate the annual cost to run an appliance by multiplying the kWh per year by your local utility's rate per kWh consumed.
Read more in The Guardian UK article.
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