GRID Alternatives North Valley and the Butte Environmental Council are teaming up for a year-long campaign to educate residents on essential energy efficiency information. This partnership will allow us to educate and update the Northstate with important information on how to save on their energy bill and reduce their carbon footprint. We will feature new tips every month, so stay tuned to learn new ways to save money and reduce energy use.
Our homes are one of the biggest energy wasters. The 115 million residences in America today collectively use an estimated 22.5% of the country’s energy. Unfortunately, a lot of energy is wasted through leaky windows or ducts, old appliances, or inefficient heating and cooling systems. When we waste energy in our homes, we are throwing away money that could be used for other things. The typical U.S. family spends at least $2,200 a year on home utility bills. You can lower this amount by up to 25% by following the tips below!
TIPS TO SAVE ENERGY TODAY
Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy
- Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently.
- Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
- Turn things off when you are not in the room such as lights, TVs, entertainment systems, and your computer and monitor.
- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use -- TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power.
- Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F.
- Take short showers instead of baths and use low-flow showerheads for additional energy savings.
- Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
- Air dry clothes.
- Check to see that windows and doors are closed when heating or cooling your home.
- Drive sensibly; aggressive driving such as speeding, and rapid acceleration and braking, wastes fuel.
- Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on light bulbs, home appliances, electronics, and other products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.