We use far more energy than necessary, given (1) the urgent need to mitigate global warming, (2) the current state of technology, and (3) the paradox that reducing our energy use can also help our pocketbooks.
The Department of Energy reports that the average American household spends approximately $1,900 per year on home utility bills. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/pdfs/energy_savers.pdf, p.1. This total cost is comprised of the following categories of expenses, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
41% Space heating ($779)
26% Lighting and appliances ($494)
20% Water heating ($380)
8% Air conditioning ($152)
5% Refrigeration ($95)
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=us_energy_homes.
What if you could take each of those dollar amounts and significantly reduce them? In the process, you can even claim that you are “greening” your home. There are a few websites with concrete ideas on how you can get started. (Please think twice before printing this information.)
The US Department of Energy’s “Energy Saver’s Booklet: Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home” guides readers on how to create a whole house energy efficiency plan. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/pdfs/energy_savers.pdf. Follow the “Long-Term Savings Tips” to reduce your energy usage (and associated costs) by as much as 25%. My favorite sections in this booklet are the “Home Office” and “Driving and Car Maintenance” sections, giving you ideas on how to save big on less frequently targeted energy guzzlers.
If you plan to remodel a room or buy new furniture, you might also look into the Green Home Guide. http://greenhomeguide.com/. Check out the “Ask a Pro” section of the website that gives specialized tips on specific topics.
You might want to focus on energy savings at work. A good resource for that is Pacific Power’s Business Solutions Toolkit. To use the toolkit, register online at http://members.questline.com/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault.aspx%3faccountID%3d438&accountID=438. Once you’ve registered, the toolkit gives you baseline energy data, carbon calculators, and common ways to save energy in your particular industry (including everything from apparel retailers to schools to warehouses). Pacific Power also has an “Ask an Expert” function for more specific information.
In the next few entries of Sustainable C, we’ll take a closer look at each of the major categories of energy use and see how we can “green” them at home while also saving a buck or two. As always, your suggestions, ideas, criticisms and personal anecdotes are welcome.
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This was a great post C. How about we take our current utility costs and track them over the next few months as we "green" our energy use to quantify the impact it can have financially?
ReplyDeleteYes! My housemates do something similar. By tracking their energy use, they have discovered some great ways to cut their energy use and costs.
ReplyDeleteFor example, they realized that by setting their dishwasher to wash after 10 pm (i.e. when most people aren't using much energy), they got a cheaper rate on their utility bill *and* helped even out the energy usage in their area. Evening out energy usage in their area effectively mitigates greenhouse gas emissions. Here's why. When utility consumers avoid using energy during energy "rush hours," utilities do not need to build as many power plants to keep up with the energy rush hour peak. At the end of the equation, fewer power plants emit fewer greenhouse gases, and that translates to bluer skies for the rest of us.