How to Save Energy (And Money) In Your Daily Life
Energy consumption from American homes account for nearly 40 percent of U.S. emissions (which, in 2005, translated to 626 million tons of carbon).
Below is a list of easy (and some creative) ways to reduce your energy consumption, which is inextricably linked to saving money.
Note: this post is a work-in-progress. It was last updated on November 27th, 2009. Readers are encouraged to send suggestions for this list. Please contact us.
- Turn down the thermostat on your home’s water heater.
Many water heaters typically have their thermostats set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is far too hot for taking a shower (the average individual prefers between 100 to 105 degrees) and higher water temperatures can cause premature corrosion on fittings in the water heater, shortening its lifespan. By lowering the temperature to 120 degrees, you can extend the life of the water heater and make it more efficient by reducing the energy it takes to keep the water at that temperature.
- Use hot water in your washing machine only when necessary.
85 percent of the energy used in washing is consumed by heating the water. Most households can reduce their energy bills and water bills by half just by changing the way they do laundry. (Source: "Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies" By Rik DeGunther)
- Turn off your computer(s) overnight.
U.S. workers waste $2.8 billion annually in energy costs by failing to shut off their PCs at the end of the work day. In 2009, PCs are projected to have emitted a total of 20 million tons of carbon during off-hours alone, which has the same annual impact of approximately 2 million cars. Since nearly half of all U.S. workers leave their computers running overnight, these figures can be easily reduced. (Source: PC Energy Report 2009)
- Plug devices such as TVs and toasters into a power strip that can be easily turned off.
These devices consume "standby" electricity – i.e. they consume electricity when they remain plugged into an outlet in the wall, even if they are powered off. This accounts for over 10 million tons of carbon nationwide each year, which has the same annual impact of approximately 2 million cars.
- Install energy efficient and renewable energy sources.
If you upgrade to energy efficient insulation, windows, doors, heating, air conditioning or water heaters between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010, you are eligible for a tax credits of up to 30 percent of product costs. The credit is capped at $1,500 combined; meaning it applies to $5,000 in total costs.
To learn more about installing solar panels, see blog, "Solar at Home: the Trials, Tribulations and Reward of Going Solar" and Mid-Atlantic Region Consumer’s Guide to Buying a Solar Electric System.
Transport
- Drive slower.
Driving 55 miles per hour on the highway reduces your fuel consumption by 21 percent. For every five miles per hour you drive over 60 mph, you end up reducing your fuel economy by roughly 8 percent. (Source: FuelEconomy.gov)
If saving 20% on gas is not enough motivation, think of it in terms of helping to reduce the United States’ carbon footprint by over 1%: if 25 percent of drivers went back to driving 55 miles per hour on the highway, nearly 8 million tons of carbon could be avoided each year. (Source:Scientific American magazine)
- Use a bicycle, not a car (if possible).
American women, you are outnumbered on the bike path by your male counterparts 2:1. Needless to say, bikes are cheaper, require no fossil fuels to operate and are a great source of exercise. Don’t forget to wear a helmet!
Culture
- Peabody Essex Museum’s "Trash Menagerie" exhibition.
The Peabody Essex Museum‘s "Trash Menagerie" presents over 30 improbable works of art created from things most of us simply throw away. This playful and poignant exhibition challenges visitors to think differently about the creative potential lurking in everyday objects. From an iridescent trout made from beach refuse to a flock of cheery birds made from tin cans, Trash Menagerie explores animals imaginatively made from recycled rubbish. On view in the Peabody Essex Museum’s interactive Art & Nature Center June 20, 2009, through June 2010.
Fashion
- Wear a t-shirt that lets everyone know you’re fighting the good fight.
The best, and funniest, t-shirt brand in the world recently launched its "Go Green or Go Home" line. You can find them in stores like Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, and Fred Segal (to name a few) or online at CrookeyMonkey.com.
Religion
- Encourage your place of worship to adopt sustainable practices.
Sheikh Ali Gomaa recently announced that Medina, the second holiest city in Islam, will "go green" by improving public transport, providing clean water from taps so pilgrims do not continue to use plastic bottles and printing leaflets and the Koran on recyled paper.
Similarly, the Archbishop of Canterbury said that such sustainable practices are "good for the soul." In order to practice what the Archbishop preaches (pun intended), the Church of England will install wind turbines on vicarages and now encourages congregations to recycle.
Click of a Button
- Compete in the "America’s Greenest Campus" Contest.
ClimateCulture.com encourages your college/university to demonstrate how its students, faculty and staff make smart decisions regarding energy use in their daily lives.
- Social networking alternative to Facebook or MySpace.
Parents can encourage their kids to get their social networking "fill" by blogging on TeensForPlanetEarth.org instead of Facebook or MySpace.
- "Keep up with the Joneses" through posting your energy savings on Twitter.
Build a wireless home-power monitoring system and then update your followers on Twitter. See "Tweet-a-Watt"