Save Money by Saving Energy!

The average American household emits about 50 tons of CO2 per year. Multiplying that by 100 million households, consumers are responsible for more than 70% of the 7 billion tons of CO2 our nation emits each year.

Here are our Top Ten Easy and Effective Tips to reducing your carbon emissions:

  1. Replace inefficient incandescent bulbs, with more energy efficient LEDs or CFLs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last more than 10 times longer. Replacing one 60W incandescent with a CFL can save around 370 lbs of CO2. For every 75-watt incandescent light bulb which you replace with a 20-watt compact fluorescent, you'll get the same amount of light but save 1,300 lbs of CO2 and up to $55. Most CFLs cost under $5.1,2,3
    Note: CFLs do contain a very small amount of mercury, an average of 4 milligrams in each bulb. Though no mercury is released when the bulbs are intact or in use, they do need to be disposed of properly. For more information on how dispose of CFLs go to http://www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/wastetypes/universal/lamps/
  2. Draft-proof your home. Draft-proofing your home with draft guards and weather stripping around doors and windows is a cost-effective way to reduce your heating and cooling bills by up to 20%. Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 lbs of CO2 per year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 lbs per year. Draft guards or door sweeps cost around $10 and removable storm window kits and window insulators can cost under $10.4,5
  3. Wash laundry in cold water, since 85-90% of the energy used by the machine goes to heating the water. This can reduce your washer's energy use by 75% and saves almost 500 lbs of CO2 per year. Even switching from hot to warm for two loads per week can save nearly 500 lbs of CO2 per year if you have an electric water heater, or 150 lbs for a gas heater.6
  4. Air dry clothes. Dryers use 10-15% of domestic energy in the United States! You could save 700 lbs of CO2 when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.7,8,9
  5. Avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features on your dishwasher. Instead use your dishwasher's air-dry option which can save anywhere from 15-50% of the energy use.10
  6. Set the temperature on your refrigerator and freezer. A refrigerator and freezer can account for a large portion of the total electricity used in your home. Maintain the right temperature in yours to ensure efficiency; set the refrigerator between 38-42ºF and the freezer between 0-5ºF.11
  7. Change the power settings on your computer. To maximize power savings, the EPA recommends setting computers to enter system standby or hibernate after 30-60 minutes of inactivity. To save even more, set monitors to enter sleep mode after 5-20 minutes of inactivity. When computers are powered down, to under 15W, they use 70% less energy than when in "on" mode.12
  8. Unplug unused electrical devices. Since most devices draw an idle electrical current even when they are turned off, they must be unplugged to halt energy use. Plug multiple devices into a power strip to make this task a breeze. Costs range from $5-20.13
    Smartstrip is a special power strip for computers and their printers, speakers, and other external devices. When the computer is on, they receive energy, but when the computer is turned off, they are also turned off.14
  9. Clean filters monthly. Forced air furnaces' filters trap dirt and dust which makes them less efficient. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5% of the energy used and more than 175 lbs of CO2 per year.15
  10. Support EcoLogic's reforestation projects which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

 

Plus, here's more you can do to save energy - and money!

 

Lighting

According to the US Department of Energy, about 11% of household energy use is consumed by lighting.

Use timers for your lights while on vacation. Not only will it save energy when lights are on timers, but it can also help keep burglars away. Costs around $10-35 for a timer for any light fixtures that plugs into an outlet.

Install dimmers in areas where it makes sense, like in the dining room to reduce energy use. Individual lamp dimmers can cost around $10, while installing them throughout a home will be more expensive depending on the size and amount of lights.16

 

Appliances

Appliances account for about 17% of your household's energy consumption, with refrigerators and clothes washers and dryers at the top of the consumption list.

Clean the lint screen on the dryer every time you use the machine. A clogged lint screen can make your dryer use up to 30% more energy and it is also a fire hazard.17

 

Clean the condenser coils on your refrigerator to ensure greater efficiency, since dust and pet hair can build up and cause the refrigerator motor to work harder. The coils are located on the bottom or the back side of most models and you can buy a special coil brush for under $10.18

 

HVAC

As much as half of all household energy is used for heating and cooling.19

Adjust your thermostats. By moving your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer you could save about 2,000 lbs of CO2 per year.20

If you increase your air conditioning thermostat by only 3°F you can save an average of 470 lbs of CO2 per year. 3% of energy consumed can be saved for each degree the thermostat is set above 72ºF.21

Maintain unobstructed airflow around vents and filters. Also to prevent drafts from vents, magnetic covers can be placed over them and cost under $10.22

Insulate hot and cold water pipes. If pipes are exposed beneath your home, insulate them with inexpensive pipe-insulating foam, or tape a standard insulation blanket around them. Keeping cold pipes from freezing and hot pipes hot, reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2-4ºF.23

Use a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat can help heat your home more efficiently, by allowing you to set the heating and cooling system to take a break while you're asleep or out, then come on at preset times to keep you comfortable when you wake up or come home. In an average house this can reduce CO2 emissions by 1,000 lbs per year and lead to considerable savings on your energy bill, about $180 every year.24

Lower your water heater temp to 120ºF. Many manufacturers set it at 140ºF, but 120ºF is all that is required for most households. For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3-5% in energy costs and 550 lbs of CO2 per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 120ºF.25,26

 

Transportation

Carpool to work at least two days a week. This can reduce your annual CO2 emissions by up to 1,590 pounds.27

Take advantage of public transportation at least once a week. Public transportation reduces the nation's carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons a year and saves $1.4 billion worth of gasoline each year.

Do not speed excessively when driving. Driving 65 instead of 70 mph decreases fuel consumption by 8.2 percent, equating to 9 cents every 10 miles (when gasoline is priced at $3 per gallon). Each gallon of gasoline burned in a car or truck emits around 20 pounds of carbon.


Outdoors

Use solar powered outdoor lighting. These lights are powered by DC electricity generated from sunshine so they do not have any electricity costs or account for any CO2 emissions. With fully charged batteries and 8 hours of sunlight, solar powered lights will provide many hours or nighttime illumination, though the brightness of the lights slowly diminishes over the time they are on. These lights range in prices, generally the higher the price, the higher quality of the product. Solar powered motion lights are a great idea and can cost around $50-100.28,29,30

Compost. Yard trimmings and food residuals combined comprise 24% of the U.S. municipal solid waste stream that ends up in landfills when it could become useful and environmentally beneficial compost instead, reducing the need for fossil fuel- intensive fertilizers. Large bins used for yard clippings and kitchen waste can cost from $100-250 or you can learn how to make your own at http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=445.31,32,33

 

If you want to do more...

Replace old or worn out appliances with energy-efficient models that have earned the Energy Star label. Front loading washing machines will usually cut hot water use by 60-70% compared to typical machines. A new Energy Star refrigerator uses 40% less energy than a conventional model.

Have a home energy audit done to help determine areas where you can save. You can even ask your utility company to do a free home energy audit. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 lbs of CO2 per year.

Purchase renewable energy. In most states individuals can purchase renewable energy from their electricity provider to offset their energy usage with renewables. The types of energy offered usually depends on the area, but you can ask your utilities company what they offer or check out the U.S. Dept. of Energy's list of green power providers by state at http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/markets/pricing.shtml?page=1

 

Other Resources

http://www.epa.gov/energy/
http://www.eere.energy.gov/
http://www.energystar.gov/

Tax breaks for energy efficiency

Check into state and federal tax incentives for energy efficiency products and projects.

For a full list of federal tax credits for energy efficiency see: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits

For a database of state tax incentives for renewables and efficiency see: http://www.dsireusa.org/

Some examples of tax breaks:

  • 30% (up to $1500) for certain windows, doors, roofing, and insulation
  • 30% of the cost of solar water heaters, PV systems, and small wind energy systems
  • 30% up to $1500 for tankless water heaters
  • Hybrids purchased or placed into service after December 31, 2005 may be eligible for a federal income tax credit of up to $3,400. Credit amounts begin to phase out for a given manufacturer once it has sold over 60,000 eligible vehicles. See http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_hybrid.shtml for more information.

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Footnotes:
1 http://www.cwac.net/energy/energy_saving_tips.html
2 http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=602&calcID=31835
3 http://www.ledbulb.com/LED-PAR-Bulbs-s/3.htm
4 http://www.cutco2.org/what-can-i-do.php
5 http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/n/energy_tips/Save_Energy/appliances.cfm
6 http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/energy-tip-17-w
7 http://www.laundrylist.org/
8 http://www.cutco2.org/what-can-i-do.php
9 http://www.cwac.net/energy/energy_saving_tips.html
10 http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/home/appliances/dishwashers.html
11 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=refrig.pr_refrigerators
12 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_management
13 http://saveenergy.about.com/od/productreviews/qt/powerstrip.htm
14 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/04/16/8-ways-to-easily-reduce-the-energy-consumption-of-your-computer-and-save-big-money/
15 http://www.powerscorecard.org/reduce_energy.cfm
16 http://www.carolinacountry.com/StoryPages/howtos/Dimmer/dimmer.html
17 http://www.powerhousetv.com/SavingEnergy/101/index.htm
18 http://eartheasy.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=971130
19 http://www.energystar.gov/ia/products/heat_cool/GUIDE_2COLOR.pdf
20 http://www.cutco2.org/what-can-i-do.php
21 http://www.cwac.net/energy/energy_saving_tips.html
22 http://amconservationgroup.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=210
23 http://amconservationgroup.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=15
24 http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/thermostats.html
25 http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=13090
26 http://www.cutco2.org/what-can-i-do.php
27 http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/whats-your-carb.html
28 http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2007-09-01/How-to-Choose-Outdoor-Solar-Powered-Lights.aspx
29 http://store.altenergystore.com/Lighting-Fans/Outdoor-Lighting/c613/
30 http://www.homesecuritystore.com/ezStore123/DTProductList.asp?p=2_1_1_1_0_0_246
31 http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/composting/index.htm
32 http://eartheasy.com
33 http://store.altenergystore.com/Composting/c496/

 

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Information researched, compiled and written by Jennifer Gillies, Rebecca Slocum, and Eric Jacobson.