Save Energy and Lower Utility costs at home and in the Workplace
"Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land” -Aldo Leopold
Below is a chart showing the breakdown of residential electricity consumption from the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.
* excluding Digital TVsTIAX LLC for the Consumer Electronics Association 2007 Lighting makes up a large percentage of energy consumption in the chart above. Reviewing lighting needs and making adjustments is a good place to start to reduce your personal impact on resources. The old standby of flipping the switch when you leave a room is still a quick and easy way to keep consumption and costs low.
Many outdoor lights are not designed efficiently and illuminate more area than necessary. This wastes energy and causes light pollution. To learn more about ways to mitigate this effect in your home, go to darksky.org.
Collectively, appliances also consume a large percentage of energy. Many Energy Star appliances are available when your current model is ready for replacement. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. For more information on the Energy Star Program, go to www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.ab_index. You may still be eligible to receive a rebate on your Energy Star purchases in 2012. For more information, go to ncappliancerebate.com.
Don’t forget about your electronic devices. Unplug chargers when you’re not using them. Use power strips to turn multiple devices off at once. Practice using the sleep mode or hibernate option for your computer when stepping away from your desk for a meeting.