Saving Energy

All of us use energy every day-for transportation, cooking, heating and cooling rooms, manufacturing, lighting, and entertainment. The choices we make about how we use energy-turning machines off when we're not using them or choosing to buy energy efficient appliances-impact our environment and our lives.

There are many things we can do to use less energy and use it more wisely. Two main ways to save energy are energy conservation and energy efficiency. Many people think these terms mean the same thing, but they are different.

Energy conservation is any behavior that results in the use of less energy. Turning the lights off when you leave the room and recycling aluminum cans are both ways of conserving energy.

Energy efficiency is the use of technology that requires less energy to perform the same function. A compact fluorescent light bulb that uses less energy than an incandescent bulb to produce the same amount of light is an example of energy efficiency. The decision to replace an incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent is an example of energy conservation.

• Fight the Light - Don't leave lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than five minutes, turn off the light.
• Don't Leave Appliances Turned On - Turn off the TV when no one is watching it. The same goes for computers, radios and stereos - if no one is using it, turn it off.
• It's a Matter of Degrees - In warm weather, the thermostat at home should be set at 78 degrees. (Don't do this, of course, if it will cause health problems for anyone in your family.) When no one is home, set the thermostat at 85 degrees. That way, you'll reduce the need for air conditioning and you will save energy. If you have ceiling fans or other fans, turn them on. The blowing air can make you feel 5 degrees cooler, without running the family's air conditioner. Fans use a lot less electricity than air conditioners! Set your thermostat a few degrees lower. For each one-degree change, your family can save up to 5 percent on your home's heating and cooling costs!
• Don't Heat - or Cool - the Great Outdoors - Americans use twice as much energy necessary to heat their homes. That accounts for a lot of wasted energy. If you have a fireplace, close the damper when you don't have a fire burning. An open fireplace damper can let 8 percent of heat from your furnace escape through the chimney! In the summer, an open fireplace damper can let cool air escape. It's like having a window open!
• In the Bedroom - Don't leave on your computer, TVs, radios or games that use electricity when you're not using them.