Wednesday December 17, 2008
Energy Conservation
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Listen to Mike on various energy issuesOne of the most effective ways to deal with high energy costs is to simply use less. Through various conservation efforts, Americans can save energy at home, at work and on the road.
At Home
The typical American family spends more than $1,600 a year on utility bills. But there are a number of actions you can take to reduce your home energy use. Energy-efficient improvements not only make your home more comfortable, they can save you money in the long run.
- Turn off unneeded lights.
- Turn up the thermostat in the summer, down in the winter. For each degree the thermostats is set above 72 degrees F, you can save 1 to 3 percent of your bill per degree on your summer electric bill.
- Use major appliances before noon or after 7 p.m., when energy demand is lower.
- Use ceiling fans to cool rooms rather than air conditioning.
- Line dry your clothes, which can save up to 5 percent on your electric bill.
- Switch standard light bulbs to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
- Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
- Plug home electronics (TV, DVD players) into power strips, and turn the strips off when the equipment is not in use.
- Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees F.
- Take short showers instead of baths.
- If possible, use low-flow aerating showerheads. A family of four, each showering for five minutes a day, uses 700 gallons a water a week. A low-flow aerating showerhead can cut that amount in half.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes. Allow dishes to air-dry rather than using the dry cycle on the dishwasher.
- When making major appliance purchases, look for the ENERGY STAR label, as those appliances and products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the federal government.
At Work
- Power off electronic devices when not in use (i.e., fans, copiers, office machines).
- Do not turn on electronic devices until you will actually be using them.
- Power off computer equipment during non-business hour.
- Configure your computer to go into low-power or sleep mode after 20 minutes of inactivity.
- When purchasing new office equipment or computers, consider energy -efficient choices.
- Do not use screen savers.
- Configure your monitor to go to sleep (blank screen) after 20 minutes of inactivity.
- Power off the monitor when not in use.
- Power off peripheral equipment (i.e. printers, copiers) during non-business hours. Configure them to operate in power savings mode.
- Don't turn on your printer or scanner until ready to use.
- Review documents on the screen rather than printing out a draft.
- Do not use a printer for multiple copies; copiers are more efficient for this purpose and the cost is less.
- Avoid printing out copies of email unless necessary.
- Reduce paper use by printing on both sides.
- File documents electronically whenever possible rather than filing a hard copy.
- Use email instead of faxes or send a fax directly from a computer to eliminate the need for a printed copy.
- Disable the power-on test page print for devices that include this feature.
- Buy and use recycled paper.
- When possible, use smaller font sizes to save paper.
- Turn off lights when not in use or reduce overhead lighting use as appropriate.
- Close blinds and window covering on all solar exposed windows during appropriate times of the day.
- Monitor the thermostats in the office, keeping it a little warmer in the summer and a little cooler in the winter to conserve energy.
- Minimize the use of portable electric devices like microwaves, toaster ovens, electric heaters, personal fans, etc.
- Use videoconferencing and teleconferencing if available to reduce travel expenses.
On the Road
- Drive sensibly; aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas.
- Lighten the load your vehicle is carrying; reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks. Remove roof racks and carriers if not in use.
- Keep current with car maintenance. Clean air filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
- Make sure your tires are properly inflated.
- Don't idle your car on winter days; drive it to warm it up.
- Avoid high speeds. Above 60 mph, gas mileage drops rapidly. Visit www.fueleconomy.gov to see how driving speed affects gas prices.
- Use cruise control on the highway to maintain a constant speech and, in most cases, save gas.
- Use the grade of motor oil recommended by your car's manufacturer.
- Replace clogged air filters to improve gas mileage and protect your engine.
- Combine errands into one trip. Several short trips can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
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