IDEAS AND TIPS TO SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY!!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
by Traci Levine & Associates
- Each degree you turn down the heat saves approximately 3% of heating costs, while each degree you raise the temperature of your air conditioner saves approximately 3-4% of cooling costs. By changing the temperature by 2 degrees all year, you save approximately 2,000 pounds of CO2 a year.
- Switch to cold water washing and save approximately 80% on energy used for laundry and save an estimated $60 a year. Hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer and save approximately 700 pounds of CO2 a year.
- Switch to a laptop computer rather than a desktop computer and cut three quarters off your electrical use. Also, turn the laptop off at the end of the day.
- Plug anything that can be powered by a remote control or that has a power cube transformer (little black box) into a power strip, and turn it off, and /or unplug, when not in use (Power cubes are 60-80% inefficient.)
- Turn off lights when you are not using them to reduce your direct lighting energy use by 45%. Stop using heat producing halogen lamps (they can also be fire hazards). Install occupancy or motion sensors on outdoor lights.
- Switch to compact fluorescent lighting from regular incandescent bulbs and use approximately 60% less energy per bulb and save approximately 300 pounds of CO2.
- Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket and save approximately 1,000 pounds of CO2 a year. Insulate your hot water pipes.
- Use public transportation whenever possible, carpool, shop locally and ideally switch to a hybrid or energy efficient car ( you haven't already).
- Keep your tires inflated to improve gas mileage by approximately 3%. Every gallon you save also saves approximately 20 pounds of CO2 emissions.