I have been trying to be more energy conscious because I don’t have a lot of money to spend on electricity. I keep my thermostat set at 60 when I’m not home and turn it up to 65-67 degrees when I’m there. I have been very careful about not turning on more lights than I need and turning them off when I leave the room. However, my bill has gone up steadily over the last three months. I cannot afford for it to increase any more if it gets any colder. Is there any advice on how I can reduce my energy costs? Any information would be very much appreciated.
Solar energy is likely the largest, single answer to this nation’s dependence on fossil fuels. With enough solar energy, U.S. citizens can ignore the threat of Peak Oil, the more visible threat of oil embargoes from Mideast countries, the rising cost of fossil fuels and the air pollution that is making large cities virtually uninhabitable.
Getting to that goal isn’t easy. There are a lot of solar incentives out there, from utility companies sponsoring solar installation to local, state and federal governments offering funding or tax rebates to homeowners installing a photovoltaic (PV) system. Unfortunately, these incentives are all over the board, vary from state to state and even region to region depending on the utility, are rarely publicly advertised to make homeowners aware of their existence, and change from one year to the next depending on the whims of Congress.
Most homeowners, when presented with the 10,000 hoops required to get some kind of incentive package, shrug their shoulders and walk away. Life is complicated enough. If president-elect Barack Obama truly wants to meet his eco-friendly energy goals – five million “green collar” jobs, negative oil imports in by 2018, and 10 percent of energy coming from renewable sources like solar – he will first need to translate this mishmash of incentives into a cohesive, comprehensive and comprehensible national policy.
What if, for example, instead of searching DSIRE’s (Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy) map for your state, then searching the more than 100 entries for a program that matches your qualifications and expectations, you could simply rely on the fact that state, regional and utility incentives all offered a specific program?
Better yet, what if an agency of the federal government, like the U.S. Department of Energy, took over all incentives and offered a flat rebate not subject to change every time Congress was in session? Can you imagine the numbers of individuals who – currently stymied by a maze of regulations and stipulations – would flock to install solar energy panels? I can, and it would give the solar energy industry a boost not seen since Henry Ford first introduced an affordable automobile.
You can make this happen by writing your representative and demanding a uniform, timeless, renewable energy incentive program. Better yet, join a social networking site and start your own petition, or contact renewable energy advocate sites (the American Solar Energy Society is a good start) and ask them to start a petition asking Obama and his transition team to develop such a program.
The future of solar energy is you, and tomorrow is already here.
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Your household appliances are responsible for a large percentage of the energy consumed in your home. As a matter of fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approximates that kitchen appliances account for almost half of the $2,000 that most average families spend on utilities each year. In addition, appliances that are over 10 years old use more energy than their newer counterparts.
The Energy Star classification system was created by the EPA and the US Dept of Energy (DOE). This system identifies home appliances that decrease energy consumption, lower your utility bills and improve the air quality in your home. Energy Star appliances are usually more expensive than traditional models but the savings in daily energy usage will help them pay for themselves in the long term. Some Energy Star appliances can even save you up to half of the energy you use each day.
Understanding Your EnergyGuide Label:
All Energy Star appliances are required to have an EnergyGuide label. This label displays the model number, features, size and capacity of the appliance. In addition, the label estimates the average energy usage and operation costs of the model per year.
Each label also displays a range of energy used per year by similar models so that you can comparison shop and determine if this particular model meets your needs.
Standard Features of Energy Star Appliances:
Refrigerators:
· Use up to 40% less electricity.
· Savings of up to $150 each year.
Dishwasher:
· Use 50% less water.
· Use over 40% less energy.
· Save $90 over the lifetime of your dishwasher.
Clothes Washer:
· Use 50% less water.
· Reduce drying time by extracting more water in the spin cycle.
· Less wear and tear on your clothing.
· Use up to 40% less electricity.
· Savings of up to $110 each year.
Dehumidifier:
· Use between 10 – 20% less electricity.
· Savings of approximately $30 each year.
Household Air Conditioner:
· Use 10% less energy.
· Save approximately $250 over the lifetime of your air conditioner.
Investing in Energy Star appliances will help you save on monthly utility costs and reduce emissions in your home and the environment. It’s an easy way to save yourself some money plus do your part for the environment.
