Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) celebrates its 25th birthday in 2010 with 25 ways to save energy, money, and the environment! CCE has compiled a list of helpful ways to reduce energy consumption, save on costly monthly energy bills, and prevent pollution. In fact, many of these ideas are free to implement and can save significant dollars on home energy bills. Now is the time to become energy efficient! We encourage you to do your part and conserve all year round!
1. Tips for making your tank of gas last longer:
Avoid aggressive driving – excessive acceleration and braking burn more gas.
Cost: FREE
Observe speed limit – By observing posted speed limits you car runs at the most optimal and efficient level. As a rule of thumb, you can consider that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is the equivalent of paying an additional $0.21 per gallon for gas.
Cost: FREELighten the load - remove excessive weight from your car, for instance, roof racks not in use. Lowering the overall weight in the car increases gas mileage.
Cost: FREE
Maintain air filters - Replace dirt and old air filters. Clean air filters improve mileage by as much as 10%.
Cost: $15.00 - $100.00 depending on your vehicle
Maintain air in tires – Maintain the proper air pressure in your tires. Remember, in the winter cold air is denser, so your car will need more air in each tire. By maintaining proper air pressure you can expect a 3% improvement in mpg.
Cost: Air $.50. Air pressure gauge: $10.00 - $25.00
Use the correct motor oil - Be sure to use the recommended grade of motor oil
for your vehicle. Using the wrong grade reduces gas mileage by 1%.
Cost: $3.00/qt
2. Turn down the thermostat in your home or business to 68 degrees.
For every degree you lower your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range, you'll save up to 5% on heating costs. Wear warm clothing like a sweater and set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower during the day and evening, health permitting. Setting the thermostat back to 55 degrees or off at night or when leaving home for an extended time can save 5-20% of your heating costs (heat pumps should only be set back two degrees to prevent unneeded use of backup strip heating).
Cost: FREE
3. Purchase a programmable thermostat.
Setting your thermostat a few degrees below normal can be a big energy saver. A programmable thermostat will reduce your heating bills by adjusting the temperature according to your schedule. This small investment will quickly pay for itself by only heating your home when people are there. Programmable thermostats can be set to automatically adjust to 68 degrees when your family is getting ready for the day, reduce the heat to 55 degrees after everybody leaves for work and school, and turn the heat back to 68 degrees when everybody returns home. Programmable thermostats can also support different settings on the weekends.
Cost: Programmable thermostat: $30-$50.00
4. Weatherize your windows, doors, and other cracks.
Be sure to caulk all windows and use weather-stripping on all doors. Caulk prevents leaks around windows and doors. Look for places where you have pipes, vents, or electrical conduits that go through the wall, ceiling, or floor. Check the bathroom, underneath the kitchen sink, pipes inside a closet, etc. If you find a gap at the point where the pipe or vents goes through the wall, seal it up. Caulk works best on small gaps. Your local hardware store should have products to close the larger gaps. This will prevent cold air from leaking in or warm air from rushing out of your home.
Cost: Caulking: $5.00 and up, Weather-stripping: $10.00 and up
5. Maintain your furnace and heating equipment.
Make sure your equipment is properly maintained and cleaned, and furnace filters are replaced regularly. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. Now is the time for a furnace "tune-up." Keeping your furnace clean, lubricated, and properly adjusted will reduce energy use, saving up to 5% of heating costs.
Cost: Furnace Check-up: $75.00 – $90.00
6. Check your home’s insulation.
Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior, and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels recommended for your area. Insulation is measured in R-values. The higher the R-value, the better your walls and roof will resist the transfer of heat. If your ceiling is not insulated or scantily insulated, consider increasing your insulation up to R-38 to reduce heating costs by 5-25%. The most cost-effective way to insulate your home is to add insulation in the attic.
Cost: Approx. $99.00 for 200 sq/ft.
7. Repair any leaks immediately and use low flow showerheads.
Repair leaky faucets immediately and be sure to use low-flow showerheads. A family of four, each showering for five minutes a day, uses 700 gallons of water a week; you can cut that amount in half by using low-flow aerating showerheads.
Cost: Low-flow showerheads: $25.00 and up
8. Maintain your water heater for cleanliness and efficiency.
Insulate your hot-water storage tank and pipes. This is especially valuable for older water heaters with little internal insulation. Be sure to leave the air intake vent uncovered when insulating a gas water heater. This will result in savings of up to 10% on water heating costs. Also, drain a quart of water from your water tank every three months to remove sediment buildup that impedes heat transfer and lowers the effciency of your heater (follow the manufacturer's instructions).
Cost: Water Heater Insulation Kit: $20.00 and up
9. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees.
Water heaters sometimes come from the factory with higher temperature settings than are necessary. Set your water heater to the "normal" setting or 120º, unless the owner's manual for your dishwasher requires a higher setting. Savings are 7-11% of water heating costs. Insulate the first five feet of pipe coming out of the top of your water heater or the whole length until the pipe goes into the wall if it is less than five feet. Pipe insulation is available from your hardware store.
Cost: FREE
10. Use efficiency when washing laundry.
About 80%-85% of the energy used for washing clothes is used to heat the water. You can reduce this cost by using less water by washing full loads and using cooler water and cold-water detergents. Using cold water reduces your washer's energy use by 75%. Also, switching the temperature setting from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half.
Cost: FREE
11. Use efficiency when drying laundry.
You can reduce drying costs as well: clean the lint filter after every load to improve air circulation, and don't over-dry clothes. Use the cool-down cycle to allow clothes to finish drying with residual heat and the moisture-sensing automatic drying setting on your dryer if you have one. Also, periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it's not blocked.
Cost: FREE
12. Increase your lighting efficiency.
This is one of the fastest ways to decrease your electricity bills. Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, and consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on. Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. Finally, use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs); they are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 6 to 10 times longer. CFLs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but they pay for themselves through energy savings.
Cost: Light Timers: $20.00, Compact Fluorescent Lamps: $2.50 and up
13. Maximize your window treatments.
In cold climates, close your curtains and shades at night, and open them during the day. Open drapes allow the sun heat your home for free (get them closed again at sundown so they help insulate). Installing storm windows can also reduce your heat loss by up to 50%. If your home is average, you lose one-fourth of the energy you use to heat and cool it right out the windows.
Cost: Storm windows, varies by project
14. Rearrange your rooms.
Move your furniture around so you are sitting near interior walls - exterior walls and older windows are likely to be drafty - don't sit in the draft.
Cost: FREE
15. Keep fireplaces shut.
Traditional fireplaces are energy losers. It's best not to use them because they pull heated air out of the house and up the chimney. When not in use, make absolutely sure the damper is closed. Before closing the damper, make sure that you don't have any smoldering embers. If you decide not to use a fireplace, then block off the chimney with a piece of rigid insulation from the hardware store that fits snugly into the space (dampers don't shut fully without some leaking).
Cost: FREE
16. Eliminate wasted energy.
Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms. Unplug that spare refrigerator in the garage if you don't truly need it - this seemingly convenient way to keep extra drinks cold adds 10-25 percent to your electric bill. Turn off kitchen and bath-ventilating fans after they've done their job - these fans can blow out a house-full of heated air if inadvertently left on. Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning to prevent up to 8 percent of your furnace-heated air from going up the chimney.
Cost: FREE
17. Shorten showers.
Simply reducing that lingering time by a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of hot water per month for a family of four. Showers account for 2/3 of your water heating costs. Cutting your showers in half will reduce your water heating costs by 33 percent.
Cost: FREE
18. Use appliances efficiently:
Dish/Clothes Washers - Do only full loads when using your dishwasher and clothes washer.
Cost: FREE
Computers - Most computers come with the power management features turned off. On computers using Windows, open your power management software and set it so your computer goes to sleep if you're away from your machine for 5 to 15 minutes. Those who use Macintosh computers - look for the setting in your Control Panel called "Energy Saver", and set it accordingly. When you're done using your computer, turn it off. Do not leave it in sleep mode overnight, as it is still drawing a small amount of power. Also, consider a flat panel monitor as they use 1/3 the power of a normal monitor.
Cost: FREEEnergy Star® Appliances- When purchasing new appliances look for the Energy Star® logo. They meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and US Department of Energy.They are a great way to achieve maximum energy efficiency. For example, if your refrigerator is more than 10 years old, a new Energy Star® refrigerator could reduce CO2 emissions by more than 500 pounds per year.
Cost: Varies by appliance
19. Stop "leaking energy" in electronics.
Many new TVs, VCRs, chargers, computer peripherals and other electronics use electricity even when they are switched "off." Although these "standby losses" are only a few watts each, they add up to over 50 watts in a typical home that are continuously consumed. If possible, unplug electronic devices and chargers that have a block-shaped transformer when not in use. For computer scanners, printers and other devices that are plugged into a power strip, simply switch off the power strip. To minimize these losses of electricity, purchase ENERGY STAR® products.
Cost: Power strip: $10.00 and up
20. Seal your ducts.
Leaking ductwork can account for more than 25% of heating costs in an average home. Consider hiring a contractor to test the tightness of your ducts and repair leaks and restrictions in your duct. Many utilities have programs to assist you. Household duct tape will NOT seal your vents.
Cost: Varies by project, save money by doing it yourself
21. Reduce Solid Waste
The average US household produces about 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. About a third of it is packaging used only to get the item in your home. Producing this waste requires energy for extraction of the raw materials, manufacturing them into various goods, and transportation throughout the whole process. Every pound of solid waste that goes to the landfill generates 1.5 pounds of greenhouse gases.
Recycle- get sorting guidelines from your local recycling center or trash collection services. Set up bags, boxes, or bins according to these guidelines and create your own home recycling center.
Reduce packaging- bring your own cloth bags when shopping, buy in bulk, purchase items with the least packaging, and buy reusable items. Some stores take money off your grocery bill if you use your own bags.
Reduce junk mail- write to:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735Request that they remove your name from all 3rd class mailing lists. You can make your request via the Internet for a $5.00 fee at www.DirectMail.com/Junk_Mail.
Also, contact those companies still sending you junk mail and request to be removed from their lists. You can use their self-addressed return envelope, fax or call the 800 numbers for customer service.
Cost: FREE to set up recycling in your home. Save money by purchasing in bulk and using your own bags. $5.00 to reduce junk mail.
22. Plastic Window Insulation:
Inexpensive and easy to install shrink film can keep your heat from flying out the window this winter. Window insulation kits are typically in stock at home supply and hardware stores, and, for less than ten dollars, you can usually get a kit that will insulate 5 standard size windows or at least one extra large window. See the Suite101 article Plastic Window Insulation for specific instructions on how to install this money saver.
Cost: $10-$30 per insulation kit
23. Landscaping
Plant trees to shade your home, reducing your cooling costs in the summer months. Typically, newly planted trees will begin shading windows in their first year and will reach your roof in years 5-10. Planting shrubs, bushes, and vines next to your house creates dead air spaces that insulate your home in both winter and summer. Plant so there will be at least 1 foot (30 centimeters) of space between full-grown plants and your home's wall. During winter, dense, low-lying trees and shrubbery on the north and northeast sides of your home can help protect your home against wind chill.
Cost: Varies by project, save money by doing it yourself
24. In the Kitchen:
Cook outdoors in the summer to avoid heating up your kitchen. You can eat more cold foods, too. Cook with smaller, more efficient appliances instead of your oven. A toaster oven, crock-pot, or electric grill can help increase efficiency and reduce heat in the summer. Use a pressure cooker; they cook much faster than stovetop methods.
Cost: Varies by appliance
25. Educate your friends and family.
The number one thing we can all do to battle rising energy costs is inform our relatives and coworkers how they can also conserve energy. By educating more and more people on how to reduce energy consumption we can reduce the unparralled demand for electricity, thereby stablizing prices and protecting our environment. Pass this list along to your community so we can all enjoy energy savings.
Cost: FREE
For information on New York State programs that provide
financial and technical assistance to residences, apartment
owners, and businesses to install energy efficient appliances
and lighting, visit:
The New York State Energy Research and
Development Authority (NYSERDA):
www.getenergysmart.org
Updated by dglance 4/1/10