New Year’s resolutions can evoke strong feelings. Some people swear by them as a means to bettering one’s life and achieving new goals, while others have sworn off them entirely, arguing they so rarely work out that to make them is to guarantee disappointment down the road.
But there’s one resolution that everyone can easily achieve and promises to reward everyone who follows it, no matter how great or modest their efforts — the resolution to reduce home energy consumption.
Whether you own a house, rent an apartment, or run a business, there many ways to conserve electricity and reduce energy expenses without sacrificing personal comfort, convenience or safety.
“There are many low-cost and no-cost ways to reduce energy consumption in our lives,” said Trevor Frick, the Clark Public Utilities Energy Councilor of the Day. “Whether it’s making behavioral changes, a little handiwork around the house or a combination of the two, a little effort will add up to some satisfying results.”
Just as the easiest way to eat an elephant is taking one bite at a time, the easiest way to change personal habits and reduce consumption is make one small change at a time.
For a head start, contact Frick, the Energy Councilor of the Day, for some personalized tips. He possesses a wealth of energy-saving knowledge.
From there, think about your habits. Do you leave the water running when you brush your teeth? Do you leave the lights on after you leave a room? Do you tend to leave your computer running all day? There are countless things we all do that consume more electricity than we actually need. Once you’ve got a sense for your habits, figure out which ones you can improve. You’ll be glad you did.
Upgrade all your lightbulbs to LEDs now or when your current bulb burns out. Most use a fraction of the electricity of traditional incandescent bulbs and about half that of compact florescent bulbs. Plus, they last for up to a decade or more. Once you’ve made the switch, remember to flip the switch and turn out the lights whenever you leave a room.
Our lives are filled with electronics that run constantly — even when we think they’re shut off. Alone they don’t use much power, but together their consumption really adds up. Rein in your electronics, especially those around the entertainment center or office, by connecting them to controlled or advanced power strips and shutting those off when not in use. You can even automate the task by investing in smart plugs and programming them to shut off at a specific time of day, like right before bedtime.
Resolve to reduce your heating expenses this winter by using sweaters or blankets to stay warm and turning down the thermostat to 70 degrees or less during the day and 65 degrees at night.
Caulk and outlet insulation are cheap, widely available and highly effective. Light switches, outlets and fixtures are often sources of tiny air leaks. Individually they’re too small to notice, but together they’re responsible for a surprising amount of heat loss. Use the caulk to seal around exterior windows or gaps behind light fixtures in and outside the home. Insulator kits fit all varieties of switches and outlets and install in minutes.
If your exterior doors leak cold air, install new weather stripping around the frame. If that’s not an option, place a rolled-up towel at the threshold.
If you want to take things to the next level, and you’re ready to invest in your property, Clark Public Utilities is offering significantly higher incentives for window replacements and heat pump systems in electrically heated homes, for a limited time only. The utility is also offering great incentives for insulation improvements for residential customers. Certain restrictions apply. There are many great solutions for business customers as well. For more information, contact the Energy Counselor of the Day by phone at 360-992-3355 or email at ecod@clarkpud.com.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98688.
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