If only all our New Year’s Resolution were this easy. Luckily, saving energy is easier than losing weight after gorging over the holidays. And the best part is that you’ll see results fast!
Energy and fuel costs are lower than they have been in years: gasoline is about $2/gallon, natural gas hasn’t been this inexpensive since 1999, and electricity costs are in the range of $0.10/kwh when generated by solar or wind. But even though these energy prices are relatively low, we live a much more energy-intensive lifestyle — so unfortunately, we all consume more energy per person than any previous generation. To get your New Year started right, here are ten tips for saving energy in your home in 2016.
1. If it’s raining, turn off your outdoor watering system.
2. Drive a stake through the heart of your vampire electric loads by unplugging unnecessary devices.
3. Replace all of your incandescent bulbs with LEDs, including your outdoor lights and holiday lights.
4. Make sure you have a seven day or smart thermostat, and check to see that it’s working properly.
5. Install or fix the weather stripping around your doors and windows.
6. Install rooftop solar on your home; and if you’ve already installed home solar, wash your panels if they are very dirty.
7. Clean your heating and cooling filters and check your air ducts for leaks.
8. Buy an electric vehicle.
9. Install a variable speed pool pump and cut back on the hours of operation.
10. Change your electric rate to a Time of Use or the Electric Vehicle rate.
It’s surprisingly easy to reduce your energy expenses in 2016, while at the same time improving our environment. For more details on energy saving tips, Listen Up to this week’s Energy Show on Renewable Energy World.