What You Can Do
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Written by Gary A. Seidman
SwitchYard Media, Inc. - contact | website
Designed and produced by Kent Harris
Tin Can Rocket, LLC. - contact | website
A production of SwitchYard Media, Inc.
Photo Credit: EPA Energy Star
SWAP AND SAVE
If every U.S. household swapped one incandescent light bulb for a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), $600 million in energy costs would be saved in a year. Put in greenhouse gas terms, that bulb swap is equivalent to taking tens of thousands of cars off the road, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
On average, lighting accounts for about 20 percent of a home's electricity use. Bulbs with the government’s Energy Star rating use about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last six to ten times longer, saving significant money over time. One thing to be careful about, however, is disposing of CFLs. They contain a small amount of mercury.
Tip 1: Swap an incandescent for a fluorescent, which can last as much as 10 times longer and produce 75 percent less heat.
Tip 2: New CFLs offer brightness and color that is comparable to incandescents.
Photo Credit: EPA Energy Star
DON'T OVERCHARGE
Did you know that battery chargers for your cell phone, iPod, laptop and a slew of other gadgets, tools and appliances draw electricity even when they are not connected?
To save energy, unplug the chargers when they’re not in use and replace transformer adapters – the ones that remain warm even when not attached to a device – with Energy Star-labeled chargers.
On average, electronics account for about a quarter of all the electricity used in a typical American home.
Tip 1: About 230 million products with battery chargers are used in the U.S., the EPA says. Rechargeable batteries are more cost effective than throwaway batteries but they draw a lot of unnecessary electricity.
Tip 2: By unplugging the chargers when not in use you'll save energy.
Photo Credit: EPA Energy Star
SCRAPE AND STACK
Using an energy-efficient dishwasher can save time, money and thousands of gallons of water every year.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency an average energy-efficient dishwasher uses four gallons of water per cycle. Over the course of a year, machine washing could conserve as much as 5,000 gallons compared with hand washing. The EPA estimates that the energy saving is about $40, not to mention some 230 hours or so of scrubbing and rinsing at the sink.
Doing the dishes at an open tap could use as much as 20 gallons of water, the EPA says.
Tip 1: Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. Check your owner's manual to see if you can set the water heater to a lower temperature.
Tip 2: Let your dishes air dry by propping open the door after the final rinse.
Photo Credit: Sharon Mollerus
PLUG THE LEAK
One of the quickest methods of saving yourself money year-round is by caulking, sealing and weatherstipping all the seams, cracks and openings to the outside of your house. That will help keep the air-conditioning in during the summer, and the frigid air out during the winter.
Get started at the most obvious spots. Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows. Then do a thorough evaluation, looking for anyplace that plumbing, ductwork and electrical wires penetrate through exterior walls, floors, ceilings and soffits.
One trick you can employ is walking around the house on a windy day with a lit incense stick. Watch as drafts shift the smoke.
Tip 1: Keep the flue damper tightly closed when the fireplace is not in use.
Tip 2: Install rubber gaskets behind switch plates and outlets that are on exterior walls and use storm windows and double pane windows whenever possible.
Photo Credit: Justin Henry
SORT AND SEPARATE
Is all that recycling really beneficial?
In 1999, recycling and composting kept some 64 million tons of garbage from ending up in U.S. landfills and incinerators, according to the EPA. Today, almost a third of all the country’s waste gets recycled. That means that 63 percent of all major appliances are recycled, 52 percent of all paper and 45 percent of all beer and soda cans.
By shopping for products that are more easily recycled, millions of tons of garbage are diverted away from landfills and smokestacks each year.
Tip 1: Aluminum is the most efficient material to recycle. It can be recycled indefinitely at a significantly lower melting temperature than producing new aluminum.
Tip 2: Recycled aluminum saves 95 percent of the energy cost of processing new material.
Photo Credit: Joanna Orpia
THE CLOTHESPIN SOLUTION
Obviously, the most energy efficient thing you can do with your clothes dryer is to not turn it on. By line drying you’ll save energy and you won’t have to worry about shrinking.
But even if you do turn the dryer on, there are ways to make it more efficient. First, use the moisture sensor to automatically shut the machine when the clothes are dry. That can reduce CO2 emissions by 10 percent. Next, clean the lint filter to speed up drying.
And lastly, dry heavy fabrics with other heavy fabrics and light with light. That’ll ensure that like clothes dry evenly.
Tip 1: By periodically cleaning the dryer's outside vent you'll not only save energy but guard against fire.
Tip 2: Gas dryers generate 60 percent less CO2 than electrics. They are more expensive but could save about 25 cents per load, according to Consumers Report.
Photo Credit: Courtesy KitchenAid
COOLER AND CLEANER
The bad news is that refrigerators alone can eat up 10 to 15 percent of an average monthly home energy bill. The good news is that newer Energy Star models are better insulated, have efficient compressors, precise temperature controls, and use about half the electricity of a 10-year old unit.
But if you are not ready to buy a new one, there’s plenty you can still do.
First, adjust the thermostat to 38-to-42 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer to 0-to-5. Next, clean the condenser coil twice a year and use the power-save switch. And, if possible, move it away from heat-producing appliances like ovens and dishwashers.
Tip 1: Check the Energy Guide label when shopping for a refrigerator to see how many kilowatt hours of electricity it will use.
Tip 2: Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator to reduce the release of moisture which makes the compressor work harder.
Photo Credit: EPA Energy Star
A/C THAT'S PC
The EPA estimates that if every room air conditioner sold in the U.S. were Energy Star qualified, greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to what 100,000 cars produce would be prevented from entering the atmosphere.
The Energy Star machines consume at least 10 percent less energy than conventional models and often have timers.
Even so, take a few steps to make youe A/C more efficient. Place the unit in a window that receives the least sunlight, seal the spaces around the air conditioner, keep the filters clean and don%27t cool rooms that are not being used.
Tip 1: Use timers and thermostats to turn central air on and off. For window units, consider using a fan to help spread cool air through your home.
Tip 2: Keep lamps and TV sets away from thermostats, which sense heat from appliances.
Photo Credit: Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS
All lit up at night, those city skylines are beautiful. But all those lights eat up an enormous amount of energy.
At home you can install energy efficient bulbs and urge your family to shut off lights when they leave a room. But what can you do at work?
For one, you can encourage your employer to install timers and occupancy sensors in the office, and to simply turn off the lights at night. Swapping out an office full of existing bulbs for compact fluorescents will go a long way as well to benefit the environment and save on the monthly utility bill. That's an incentive that will get the attention of a bottom-line business.
Tip 1: Instead of lighting an entire room, consider using task lights to focus the illumination where you want it.
Tip 2: In large areas, 4-foot fluorescent fixtures with reflective backing and electronic ballasts are an efficient method of lighting.
Photo Credit: Peter Harrison
USE SLEEP MODE
Giving your computer a rest when you wander away from the keyboard can make a big impact on your personal energy consumption.
According to the EPA, running a computer and monitor 24 hours a day uses about 1,100 kilowatt hours per year. Switching the machine into "sleep mode" when you're finished for the day can save 80 percent of that expense and cut CO2 emissions by up to 1,250 pounds annually.
Given the number of computers in use, that is a huge savings in electricity and pollution for the country.
Tip 1: Screen savers do not reduce the amount of energy your computer uses. Put the computer into sleep mode or to turn it off when not in use.
Tip 2: Energy Star certified computers have power management features and use about 70 percent less electricity than those without.