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In
the midst of the ongoing energy crisis that the Pacific Northwest has
been experiencing, it's important for everyone to do their part to make
a difference. Companies and businesses should implement energy saving
standards in the workplace and everyone should take measures to reduce
their energy consumption in their homes. However, many homeowners are
not entirely clear when, where or how they can truly conserve their
energy use. Well,
it's really very simple-there is an over-abundance of information
available for both home owners and businesses to access if they want to
learn how to be more energy efficient (go to your utility company's Web
site). Furthermore, many of the utility companies in the Pacific
Northwest are partnering in promotional programs to promote energy
efficient information to almost anyone who receives a power bill. What
it comes down to is each of us making an effort because the alternative
is bleak. In
January, the Governors of Washington and Oregon came together to request
that businesses and homeowners alike, reduce their energy use by 10%.
Utility companies throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho all
report reductions in energy consumption compared to this time last year,
and in particular since January when the request was made. However,
we've continued to experience a warmer, dryer-than-average winter in the
Pacific Northwest, further complicating the energy situation because of
our reliance on hydropower. As
I see it, the goal of saving 10% is a step in the right direction, but
more proactive measures need to be taken to have long term impact. The
president of the Urban Land Institute announced earlier this month that
the population of the U.S. is projected to increase by more than 63
million people by the year 2025. In light of this and other factors,
such as the impact of technology on energy consumption, it's clear that
our area's demand on energy resources is only going to increase.
Therefore, it's apparent that we need to start making long-term
behavioral changes. The energy crisis represents a new paradigm for all
of us-short term solutions for our current situation are very important,
but ideally this crisis will help to change the way that people think
about energy consumption in years to come. People react best to information that they can understand easily-information that's practical and realistic. Did you know that the average American spends between $1020-$3125 a year on their power bill? Even for those who answered yes, on average, most people don't know how much their appliances cost to run each month or how little they actually have to do to reduce their energy consumption, and thus, their power bill.
According
to the chart, your refrigerator and freezer combined cost about $104 a
year to run. To reduce this expense, several utility Web sites suggest
setting your refrigerator between 36-38 degrees and your freezer between
0-5 degrees (these numbers represent a 10 degree decrease below standard
levels). Doing so will save you about 25%, or $2.18, which adds up to
more than $25 a year.
*averages
based on 16 loads of laundry a month using hot/warm water A
typical washing machine costs about .52 cents a load using hot
water/warm rinse; .15 cents a load using warm water/cold rinse; .03
cents a load using all cold water. Based on this information and the
chart above, if you switched to using all cold water, you could save $94
a year. Combined, your washer and dryer have the potential to cost you
nearly $150 a year. To reduce dryer costs, use the automatic moisture
sensor. This function automatically shuts the dryer off when the clothes
are dry and is available on most current models. One
of the easiest, most efficient ways you can conserve energy and lower
your power bill is to replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with
compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). The initial cost of a CFL is
higher than an incandescent bulb, but it uses 75% less energy, lasts
about ten-times longer and costs much less to operate. Based on an
average household use of 5,000 hours a year, a CFL has the potential to
save $14 a year for EACH incandescent light bulb that is replaced with a
CF, therefore you'll recoup the initial cost. Consider that if you only
replaced four lamps in your home, that's a savings of $56 a year. If
the average homeowner practiced those measures outlined above, not only
would they save well-over the Governor's request for 10% conservation,
but they would also have the potential to save hundreds of dollars on
utility bills a year. It's also important to explain that conservation
leads to less demand on our energy resources that, according to utility
companies, would help to steady rapidly rising energy prices. We've all
been impacted by this energy crisis, we all should do our part to
conserve-anything less costs everyone in the long run. |
