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Energy matters | Eco-audit II | Fuel for thought | Tips for saving energy — and money! | CG Archives | A bright idea for recycling

Tips for saving energy — and money!

There are many simple ways that we can change our habits to consumer less energy and have "greener" lifestyles. Here are a few things that you can do with lighting, appliances and in the kitchen to reduce your electricity bill and your environmental impact.

Bright ideas
Replace your most frequently used incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights
Did you know compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use 75 percent less electricity than standard light bulbs? Also, even though the CFLs may cost slightly more than incandescents, you make your money back because the CFLs last up to 10 times longer. Replace all light fixtures and bulbs that operate four or more hours a day with ones that use fluorescent bulbs to save money and energy.

Install motion-detector fixtures for outdoor lighting
Leaving outdoor lights on all night adds on to your electricity bill unnecessarily. A motion detector bulb or fixture is much more efficient.

Replace wasteful and dangerous halogen torchières
Halogen lights have been hailed as energy savers, since they are more efficient than standard incandescent bulbs, but they are not nearly as efficient as CFLs. Halogen light is great when precise light focusing is required, but halogen torchière lamps, which disperse light upwards to the ceiling, are quite wasteful. Even though a smooth white ceiling can reflect some light, halogen torchières waste much of the light quality and tight focusing benefits of halogen lamps. Halogen lamps are particularly poor choices in rooms with non-white or textured ceilings. In addition, these light fixtures pose a fire hazard due to the extremely hot temperatures that their high-wattage bulbs produce. Fortunately, several companies have begun making energy-efficient torchières with CFLs which use only a fraction of the electricity and are safer than halogen torchières.

Applying efficiency
Screensavers do not save energy
Screensavers may prevent images from being burned into your monitor’s screen when your computer is idle, but they also waste power. Instead of using a screensaver, program your computer to go into "sleep" mode when not in use. Better yet, simply turn off your computer if it is going to be idle for a long time.

Unplug idle appliances
Many appliances, such as TVs, microwaves, cordless phones, VCRs, DVD and CD players, consume energy even when they are switched off. This energy keeps display clocks lit and memory chips and remote controls working. It is estimated that in the United States, these energy leaks account for five percent of total household energy consumption and cost more than $3 billion annually. Emissions from power plants supplying this electricity are approximately equal to the pollution caused by two million automobiles.

Replace old appliances with more efficient models
Buying a new appliance when an older item, be it a washing machine, refrigerator or furnace, is on its last legs is always expensive. But one thing to consider is that for a bit more money, you can purchase an energy efficient model that in the long run will pay for itself with the money you save on electricity while also saving the environment. One such appliance is the horizontal-axis washing machine, which also consumes less water.

Use only one refrigerator
The refrigerator is the highest energy user of all household appliances. Don’t keep a second fridge in the house, especially if it is an old one.

Clean up on your heating bills
A clean furnace that is regularly filtered and properly tuned can use 10% to15 % less energy.

Now we’re cooking
Use cookware wisely
When boiling a pot of water, putting a lid on it reduces cooking time and energy use. Also, match the pot size to burner size to avoid energy waste.

Small ovens for small meals
When cooking small portions, use a microwave or toaster oven to save energy.

Check out these websites for more information and ideas
ecoAction
Sierra Club
Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings
The Alliance to Save Energy

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