Go Green

Energize Your Effort to Go Green

Making even small energy cut-backs can add up in a big way

If you really want to go green, cutting your energy use will give you the biggest return on investment. Electrical consumption is the nation's leading polluter. Approximately 85 percent of our electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels. Overall, our energy production and use account for about 80 percent of air pollution; more than 83 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and more environmental damage than any other human activity, according to the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE).

Jump on the band wagon and take a do-it-yourself home energy audit using interactive tools and checklists offered by some environmental groups or government agencies. Or have an energy consultant assess your energy consumption. The audit results will help you focus on the appliance and electronics upgrades and other energy-saving techniques that will provide the best pay-off for your household and the environment.

If you're like most Americans, home heating and home appliance usage are your largest energy expenditures, each accounting for about 34 percent of your overall energy costs. Water heating is the third largest expenditure, accounting for about 13 percent of energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Cut heating costs by using a programmable thermostat and set it to match your heating and cooling needs. Recommended settings are 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. Consider investing in double- or triple-pane windows and beefing up your insulation with eco-friendly products. Gas-filled double-pane windows can lower annual heating and cooling bills by as much as 30 percent and a properly insulated home can reduce heating and cooling costs up to 20 percent. 

Replace old appliances with models approved by Energy Star*. These newer appliances can cut annual energy bills by at least 30 percent when compared to traditional appliances. For example, an energy-efficient, front-loading washer uses up to 50 percent less power and about 30 percent less water than a standard washing machine.

Other energy-saving solutions include changing the way you light up the house. A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) uses two-thirds less energy and lasts up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. If every household in the U.S. replaced just one traditional light with an Energy Star-rated bulb, we would save enough energy to light 7 million homes, according to ASE.

Unplug all appliances and electronics that aren't currently in use. Many idle appliances and electronics draw small amounts of power, sometimes called "energy leaks," which keep digital clocks running, remote controls working and that sort of thing. By some estimates, these leaks account for 5 percent of the nation's electricity usage. Use surge protectors for groups of electronics, like your home office equipment and home entertainment components. After powering down all of the items, switch off the surge protectors.

Go all the way and install a solar electric or photovoltaic (PV) system and generate your own green energy supply. With these systems, you can remain on the grid. If your solar system doesn't generate enough power, the system automatically taps the local power supply. If you generate excess power, you're local power supplier buys the electricity from you and instead of receiving a bill at the end of the month, you could receive a check!

Making even small energy cut-backs can add up in a big way, especially since you're not acting alone. Americans everywhere are taking steps to clean up the environment by cleaning up the way they live. 

* Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.