Top 10 Steps www.kilowattours.org
1 Take the Pledge! Sign the Kilowatt Ours Pledge and join the Kilowatt Ours Net-Zero Network.
2 Audit Your Home Complete a simple on-line, home-energy audit to find out how much energy and money you can save at home. Most homes can feasibly save 25% to 50% or more. Make a list of the steps you would like to take, and get started.
3 Be Conservative Turning off lights, computers and electronics when not in use can save 5% on your energy bill (or more, if you are really dedicated!).
Annual Savings: $65 720 pounds of coal
4 Change Your Lights Replace incandescent light bulbs with efficient, compact fluorescent bulbs. Start with your five most frequently used lights, or upgrade your entire home.
Annual Savings: $60 (for upgrading your five most frequently used lights) 662 pounds of coal
5 Adjust Your Thermostat Setting the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees in winter, and no lower than 78 degrees in summer will result in dramatic savings. Or install an Energy Star** programmable thermostat for greater comfort, while cutting your heating/cooling bills 15% to 20%.
Annual Savings: $78 864 pounds of coal
6 Weatherize and Seal The average home has about 5 square feet of air leaks from gaps around windows, doors, pipe and cable penetrations, plus significant leaks in air ducts. Use mastic to seal the ducts. Use caulk, spray foam and weather stripping on the rest.
Annual Savings: $175 1,872 pounds of coal
7 Upgrade to Energy Star For the biggest savings, replace your refrigerator, clothes washer or HVAC system with new Energy Star products. For example, a new Energy Star refrigerator is 60% more efficient than models more than 10 years old, and 40% more efficient than models before 2002.
Annual Savings: $31 by upgrading your refrigerator $54 by upgrading your clothes washer 942 pounds of coal saved by upgrading both
8 Improved insulation in your attic, exterior walls and floors will result in better comfort and big savings.
Annual Savings: $137 1,518 pounds of coal
9 Finance it (optional) Make your home makeover more affordable by financing a complete home energy renovation with an Energy-Efficient Mortgage (EEM). Your monthly savings will likely be greater than your extra payment.
10 Buy Green Power Use a portion of your savings to pay for green power, and you could reach net-zero at home with no extra cost compared to your current energy bills. How? Most local utilities offer green power pricing programs, which allow you to purchase wind or solar generated electricity every month at a nominal cost. For example: $4 per month will get 150 kilowatt hours of wind-generated electricity from the TVA Green Power Switch program. The Green Power Locator can help you find a green power program near you, or contact your electricity provider for details.
Your Total Annual Savings:
a. $600
b.6,578 pounds of coal that remain in the mountains of West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee
c. 61 pounds of asthma-causing sulfur and nitrogen oxides eliminated
d. 8,788 pounds of CO2 emissions avoided EVERY YEAR from your home alone
* Actual savings may vary by geographic region, current energy usage, size of building, the weather, and other factors. Potential savings are based on US EPA, US Department of Energy and Energy Information Administration data
** Energy Star is a federal program that rates the most efficient products on the market today
BONUS TIP! Install a solar hot water heater. They have come a long way since the 1970s. Newer models are reliable and efficient, and use the sun's energy to heat your water for free. Up front cost: $1,500 to $3,500.
Annual Savings: $224 3,200 pounds of coal
Or improve the efficiency of your existing water heater for a lot less! Turn the water temp down to 120 degrees, install an insulating tank jacket, and insulate the first three feet of the hot water pipes.
Annual Savings: $100 1,108 pounds of coal
Need Help? Download a DIY Guide For detailed instructions on how to make many of these home improvements, you may download a 95-page do-it-yourself guidebook available from the Southface Energy Institute: Get More Info on Alternative Power Find out everything you need to know about energy conservation, energy efficiency, Energy Star, and pollution free green power for your home at the Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Website: Where to Shop Visit the Buy Energy Efficient Products page on the Kilowatt Ours website for a list of companies. We are always adding new companies to this list and some of them even offer special discounts to our Network members!
You Can Help Us Spread the Message of Energy Conservation!
a. Make a donation to get a copy of Kilowatt Ours!
b. Organize a screening of Kilowatt Ours.
Trust for the Future, PO Box 60322, Nashville, Tennessee 37206, USA
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