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Save Energy, Save Money
The United States represents 5 percent of the world's population but uses 25 percent of its energy resources. We are the leading producer of greenhouse gases, and our high energy usage makes us dependent on non-renewable fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil, which is heavily imported from foreign countries.
The vast majority of climate scientists believe these gases are contributing to current global warming trends. Reducing our energy consumption and investing in renewable energy technologies will help us achieve energy independence, prolong the availability of finite domestic energy resources, and reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical U.S. family spends more than $1,600 a year on home utility bills. The electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars.
If you are a homeowner, you can make a variety of energy efficiency improvements that will significantly reduce your family's personal energy consumption. Performing a home energy audit is a great way to pinpoint areas where your home is losing energy, and you can find opportunities to adopt more effective measures that will cut your energy costs.
Source: Xcel Energy.
Chart title: Typical Denver Household Energy Use.
Chart data: Heating and Cooling: 45%; Other 15%; Water Heater: 11%; Washer and Dryer: 10%; Lighting: 7%; Refrigerator: 6%;
Electronics: 4%; Dishwasher: 2%.
Easy Action Tips
Weatherproof Your Home
Heating and cooling account for almost half of the typical home's energy usage. You can save as much as 10 percent on your energy bill by reducing the air leaks in your home. Find them: they're typically around doors, windows, electrical outlets, light switches, ceiling fixtures, pipes, ducts, vents and fireplaces.
On a windy day, walk around these areas using a candle or incense to see if the smoke flickers. If it does, you have an area that is hindering the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling system. Caulk and weather-strip these areas, and install rubber gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on exterior walls.
While you're surveying for air leaks, check the insulation in your walls, ceilings, floors, basement, crawl spaces and heating ducts. Compare your insulation to the recommended levels for Colorado's climate, and add or upgrade insulation as needed.
Use Compact Florescent Light Bulbs
Whether you call them swirls, spirals, twists or CFLs, compact fluorescent light bulbs are serious energy savers. In fact, they could revolutionize America's dependence on foreign oil. CFLs emit as much light as conventional incandescent bulbs, but they use up to 75 percent less energy. They fit in standard sockets, cost less than $3 a bulb, and can last up to 5-10 years depending on usage.
If every household in the U.S. replaced one light bulb with one compact fluorescent bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.
To get the most energy savings, replace bulbs where lights are on the most, such as your family and living room, kitchen, dining room, and porch. Start with just one CFL bulb. Decide whether you want warm (not as glaring) or cool white. When choosing wattage, remember that CFLs use about the quarter of the wattage to produce the same light. So, to replace a 100-watt bulb, buy a 26-watt CFL. You'll save about $110 dollars and 1,400 lbs. of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the bulb. As your other incandescent bulbs fail, replace them with CFLs.
When they do finally wear out, remember to recycle them through Denver's free household hazardous waste collection program, because they contain trace amounts of mercury. Eligible residents can call 1-800-HHW-PKUP (1-800-449-7587) to make a collection appointment. Residents are permitted one collection per year, not to exceed 125 pounds and you must have a minimum of three different materials before calling for a pickup.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you're away or sleeping. When used properly, you can save between 5-15 percent on your energy bill if you heat and cool rooms only when necessary.
Buy Energy Star Appliances
Appliances account for about 20 percent of your household's energy consumption, with refrigerators, clothes washers and dryers at the top of the list. Look for ENERGY STAR® choices when you upgrade your appliances. A new refrigerator that has earned the ENERGY STAR uses at least 15 percent less energy than required by current federal standards, and 40 percent less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001. ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers use 25 percent less, and clothes washers use 50 percent less energy. Visit www.energystar.gov for a product guide and helpful appliance purchasing tips.
Buy Green Energy
Did you know that Colorado gets most of its power from coal? The fuel mix for Denver metro Xcel Energy customers is 62 percent coal, 30.4 percent natural gas, 4.9 percent undisclosed imported sources, 1.9 percent wind, and 0.8 percent hydroelectric. Sign up for Xcel's Windsource program and learn about renewable energy options for home energy production.
