Your Guide to Home Energy Conservation

Rising energy prices is a frightening prospect for hard working families across the United States, and trying to strike a balance between energy efficiency, protecting the environment and managing the costs of energy in your home is a daunting task. In fact, it's quite common to feel overwhelmed by a wall of information surrounding energy costs and the fight against global climate change.

In the spirit of affordable earth-friendly (and wallet-friendly) practices, we've compiled a list of energy conservation resources and tips to help ease the stress and worry as the hotter summer months approach. Conserving energy and saving money can go hand-in-hand with the idea that families can participate in an eco-friendly America, and reduce wear and tear on your finances along the way.

Simple Conservation Tips at Home

Conserving at home is far simpler than you probably imagined. Your cleaning, eating and energy habits, really just everything you encounter and do on a "typical" day, all contribute to increasing both your impact on the ecosystem, but also the costs of operating a comfortable home.

With tips to cleaning with baking soda and water to changing out your traditional light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), there is a plethora of great ways to be energy conscious in your daily habits. Here are just a few:

• CFLs alone can use up to 75 percent less energy than traditional light bulbs - meaning simply by switching all your light bulbs in your house, you can save time and money.
• Look into purchasing a programmable thermostat. According to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Web site, installing and using these types of thermostats in your home can help you save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills.
• Examine your water heater's settings. Many water heaters' factory settings are higher than they need to be. Setting your water heater to 120°F will not only be hot enough to provide comfortable water, but also save you money in the long run. You can visit the EERE Web site for other water heater tips.
  
• Be energy conscious in your everyday life! Just remembering to shut off lights as you leave is one little thing you can do every day to conserve.

Here are some additional tips on going green at home from our green blog at EnviroMojo.com

Energy Efficient Appliances at Home

ENERGY STAR^® is a fantastic venture between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the DOE to help families save literally billions of dollars in annual energy costs. Look for the ENERGY STAR^® logo on your home appliances, with all approved appliances following strict energy efficiency standards set by the DOE and EPA. In 2007 alone, people across the country helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions equal to 27 million cars and save $16 billion with ENERGY STAR^® products.

For more information on energy efficient products, home improvement and more:

• ENERGY STAR^® Web site
• Green Guide to energy efficient appliances from GreenEnergyChoice.com.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Many of the concerns over rising oil prices only increases the importance of renewable energy options to meet the growing demand for energy. The DOE has unveiled an ambitious goal to increase wind energy capacity to 20 percent by 2030, a phenomenal feet considering wind power accounts for 1 percent of our total energy capacity. The cost of renewable energy tends to be confusing information for families shopping for better electricity prices. In many states the costs of renewable energy are actually quite comparable to what you traditionally pay for non-renewable electricity.

For those of us in areas that do not have renewable energy options, Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) give you the ability to use your purchasing power to reduce the impact of daily energy consumption. Carbon dioxide accounts for 3/4 of global greenhouse gas emissions. A single REC represents one megawatt hour (MWh), or 1,000 kilowatt hours (kWh), of renewable electricity generated and delivered somewhere on the power grid. So your purchasing power not only replaces power generated from fossil fuels with 100 percent pollution-free renewable energy, but allows you to play a part in encouraging the development of renewable energy resources. Sites like GreenEnergyChoice.com allow you to calculate how many RECs you would need to effectively counteract your household energy usage.

The Value of a Home Energy Audit

The savings a professional energy audit can provide are substantial. With the summer months and higher energy costs steadily approaching, an energy audit can greatly improve your home's energy efficiency, helping to pinpoint air and water leaks, insulation quality and ensure your cooling and heating systems are working efficiently and properly. A professional auditor will inspect the structure and foundation, roof, HVAC and mechanicals, plumbing, and interior and exteriors, providing detailed information on areas that are lacking in proper insulation and efficiency standards.

If you decide a professional energy audit is not for you, there are still some simple ways to perform an audit yourself and help reduce your energy waste.

For more information on energy audits:

• Home Audit Can Save You Money from ElectricityTexas.com
• Home Energy Audits from ENERGY STAR^®

Additional Home Energy Conservation Resources from WhiteFence:

• EnergyBabble - News, tips and resources on electricity, natural gas, green energy, conservation and more.
• EnviroMojo - Expressing our love for Mother Earth with green news, tips and resources for the environmentalist in us all.
• GreenEnergyChoice Green Guide - Renewable energy information and resources, as well as the ability to purchase green energy and RECs.
• What is Green Energy Lens at Squidoo - Our dedicated study to the green energy phenomenon.
• WhiteFence Green - Our combined efforts as a company to offset the carbon impact of our daily business practices, and offer you additional ways to go green and save money.

Outside Resources

• 20 Percent Wind Energy by 2030
• Energy Conservation Wiki
• U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• Texas State Energy Conservation Office
• Home Energy Conservation Tips - 10 Bright Ideas to Make Your Home Energy Efficient
• U.S. DOE - Your Home
• Do Something - Using the Power of the Internet to Help Young People Change the World
• Federal Energy Policy Act of 2005
• Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Comments

[thedude]

Man that's a load of good information. The 20 percent wind energy by 2030 kind of shocked me a little, but it's ambitious and I like that.