Reduce power load
Reduce power load
Why?
Before you make bigger electrification plans, take a few simpler steps (unless you’ve taken them already). These all work together to make a difference in your energy use – and your energy bills.
Dress for the season
We've gotten spoiled with our cheap and easy heating and air conditioning, but at a huge cost to the environment and the hopes and dreams of future generations.
When it is cold, put on a sweater or get cozy with a blanket! When it is hot, put on a short sleaved shirt! Dressing for the weather is the simplest, fastest, and cheapest way to reduce your home energy footprint.
Have some fun and knit your own sweater or sew a quilt. Attend our 2nd Mondays Mending Circle to develop your knitting skills with a group. See the calendar for the next mending circle. Another option? Attend a class at our local yarn shop downtown, Fiber Circle Studio.
See the calendar for the next Monday Mending Circle.
Adjust thermostat & turn things off
Now that you have dressed appropriately, it will be easy to adjust your thermostat by a few degrees. Consider buying a programmable or smart thermostat to help you save energy and money. Smart thermostats allow you to control your thermostat remotely with your smartphone or computer. When connected to a service such as OhmConnect, they can also power off certain devices during times of peak energy use, saving you money and taking pressure off the grid. Sonoma Clean Power’s GridSavvy Rewards Alerts is another way to earn rewards when saving electricity during times of high demand.
Turning off lights is another no-brainer. A trick is to treat light switches like water faucets and don't leave them on when you leave the room.
Consumer Reports: Thermostats
OhmConnect: How OhmConnect Works
Sonoma Clean Power: GridSavvy Rewards Alerts
Search for phantom power
Phantom power, also called standby power, refers to the energy that's wasted around your home when devices are plugged in and using power, but you're not actively using them.
Make a game of finding phantom power loads! First, check out a DIY Toolkit from the library so you can use a Kill-a-Watt (and share with your team the other awesome resources found in the DIY Toolkit)
Use the Kill-a-Watt to see who can find the appliance that uses the most electricity while not in use.
See which of you and your friends can save the most money by cutting back on phantom power. You could pool the money you collectively save and throw a party to celebrate. Because you’re using the money you would have normally spent in electric bills, that’s essentially a free party. Can’t go wrong there!
Use clothesline for drying
There may be nothing quite like the fresh scent of clothes and bedding dried on a clothesline! But that’s just a fringe benefit. Skipping the dryer and using a clothesline saves energy, lowers your utility bills, and keeps the house cooler during hot months. It also minimizes wrinkles and wear and tear on clothes, and sunlight acts as a disinfectant. Try it out – although by necessity, your grandparents (or parents) were really on to something!
Save Energy NB: 7 Great Reasons to Use a Clothesline
Bob Villa: The Best Clotheslines of 2023
Install LED light bulbs
Light-emitting diode bulbs (LEDs) have surpassed other options as the most energy-efficient lighting technology. LEDs with the ENERGY STAR rating use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than the incandescent lighting of the past. They’re also cooler to handle, sturdier, and easier to install.
Not on the LED bandwagon yet? It’s okay. Make the switch from incandescents today. But if you have some compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in use, continue to use them until they stop working, and make sure you dispose of them properly since they contain toxic mercury.
Energy.gov: LED Lighting
Green America: CFL vs. LED Lights: Which is the Energy Efficient Light Bulb?
