Five simple steps to save

Saving energy saves money. And with Americans using a million dollars worth of energy every minute of every day of the year,¹ there are a lot ways to save money through simple, smart and more efficient choices.

These decisions can also help cut down on the 40,000 pounds of CO2 that is emitted to create all this energy.

By following just a few of these tips, you can make a significant dent in your energy bill and help cut thousands of pounds of CO2 emissions.

1. Better refrigeration

Refrigerators are the largest users of electricity among household appliances, so consider the following when using or purchasing your fridge.

• Avoid setting refrigerator temperatures colder than necessary. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that refrigerators be set at 37 degrees F and freezers at 3 degrees F.
• Make sure the energy saver switch is turned on and check gaskets around the doors to make sure they are clean.
• Test tightness of the door seal on refrigerators and freezers. If the seal doesn’t hold a dollar bill tightly when the door is closed, it’s time to adjust or replace the gasket.
• Water dispensers and icemakers help to maintain a more constant temperature; however they can increase energy use by up to 20 percent.

2. Smarter cooking

There are a lot of ways to cook the same dish, so before you buy new appliances, use what you have more effectively.  Think about the following when you’re in the kitchen,

• Use the oven when you can instead of the cook top. Surface units heat continuously, but as a rule insulated ovens heat about one-third of the time it is in use.
• Avoid opening the oven door to peek; oven temperatures can drop as much as 50 degrees every time the oven door is opened.
• Only use the self-cleaning oven cycle for big cleaning jobs and it is a good idea to start the cycle while the oven is still hot from baking.
• Use small appliances, such as toaster ovens, microwaves, electric frying pans and crock-pots in place of the oven to save time and energy.

3. Friendlier appliances

When you’re in the market for new appliances, the first best step is to look for the Energy Star Label.² An Energy Star refrigerator, clothes dryer, dishwasher or water heater will save thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the product while conserving resources.

Other new appliance considerations,

• Appliances account for about 20 percent of household energy use. Determine your household needs before purchasing a refrigerator or freezer. One that is too large wastes energy.
• Top and bottom freezer units are more energy efficient than side-by-side models. Bottom freezer models use about 16 percent less energy and top freezer models use about 13 percent less energy.

4. Lighter lighting

We’re all sick of hearing the same tip – “Avoid standard incandescent bulbs”.  We keep hearing about it for good reason. If every U.S. household replaced one standard light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, we could save the same amount of energy as a large nuclear power plant produces in one year.³

Other lighting considerations,

• Use one high-watt bulb instead of several low-watt bulbs and use dimmer controls, high-low switches or three-way bulbs to adjust the level of light.
• For maximum use of natural daylight consider skylights and solar tubes when remodeling or designing new construction.

5. Get the most from your heating and cooling

Regardless if you are hesitant to lower the temperature in your house this winter, you should be getting the most of the heat you are pumping into it.  The first best and easiest step is to make sure that your air vents, radiators and baseboard registers are unobstructed by furniture, carpeting or window treatments. If air vents are adjustable, set them in the open position in the winter and closed in the summer.

Other heating/cooling considerations,

• Schedule annual tune-ups for the furnace or heat pump. Maintenance checks can help keep the apparatus running smoothly and efficiently.
• Shade room air conditioners from the sun to reduce workload and either clean or change the filters regularly.

Marie Oser is a best-selling author, writer/producer and host of VegTV. Follow Marie on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vegtv

Sources:

1. http://powerscorecard.org/scorecard.cfm Pace University, White Plains, NY
2. Special offers and rebates for Energy Star consumers.
3. http://powerscorecard.org/scorecard.cfm Pace University, White Plains, NY

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• Choose Energy Star appliances for your home