Most nights we only have one light on after dinner for the evening. I have been able to save on my electric bill and it works. I unplug everything I am not using until I need it, i.e., the toaster, the radio, the microwave, the coffee pot, etc.
I wash full loads of laundry and full dishwasher only and that really helps. It amazes me how little things really make a difference.
Our town has a challenge for anyone who would like take he 10% Energy Challenge and many in my office have taken the challenge. The website for Needham residents is www.greenneedham.org It only takes about 10 minutes to take the challeng.
I think the hardest one for me is lowering the thermostats. I seem to react to the really cold and really hot days. I do my best to keep the thermostat lower and not use a/c in the heat but that is a work in progress.
Recently one of the agents in my office had her energy audit and was really pleased with all they did for her and NStar picked up the cost.
Below are some tips I found on the NStar website:
Energy Saving Facts
There are many things you can do around the house to help save money and energy all year long.
- Remember three important words: turn it off. Don't leave the video game on pause, or the computer in sleep mode. Those electronics are still using energy, even when you aren't using them.
- If you aren't in the room, turn off the lights. Always remember to flick that switch, or unplug that light when you leave the room.
- You can make it easy to turn off all those home electronics like TV's, DVD players, computers and more. Simply plug them into power strips, and then turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
- Modern washing machines use less water to get clothes just as clean. They also spin faster, squeezing more water out and reducing drying time.
- Use ENERGY STAR-labeled lighting for outdoor fixtures and other lights left on for more than four hours
- ENERGY STAR qualified appliances use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models.
- Weather-stripping drafty doors and windows can reduce your heating bill by 10 percent.
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you $40 to $50 over their lifetime.
- Replacing 25 percent of the lights in your high-traffic areas with compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you about 50 percent on your lighting expenses.
- Those high-definition televisions are great, but keep in mind they use six times as much energy as a regular television.
- Well thought out plantings can cut your summer cooling and winter heating costs dramatically.
- Turning off a second refrigerator can save you up to $15 a month.
- Speaking of refrigerators, do you know what you want to grab out of there before you open that door. Standing in front of an open fridge uses up more energy than you think.
- An easy way to manage energy costs and save money year round is to turn your water heater down to 120 degrees.
- Reduce your electric bill $75 a year just by switching to an ENERGY STAR washing machine.
- If you replace five frequently used lights in your home with energy efficient bulbs you can save up to $60 a year.
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