Back to Basics: Winter Energy Guide

Now we have never been described as “simple and practical” people, after all, we did grow up in the sequin-and-rhinestone 80’s era. From Hummer cars to Viking Ranges, our generation has been spoon-fed a “big and bold” lifestyle. But, as we learned from Audrey and the little black dress, sometimes minimalist chic is way better than big perms and shoulder pads. Sometimes simple and practical isn’t boring—it’s just plain better.

Below are basic tips to maximize the energy of your home appliances this winter. They are neither groundbreaking nor sexy, but we thought a reminder was due…

Basic Home Energy Efficiency Tips

• Are you one of those people who turn up the heat in your house so that you can comfortably lounge around in your tank top? Well, start layering and stop turning up your heat! In the winter, turn your thermostat down to 68 degrees or below (or as cool as you can stand). Reduce the setting to 55 degrees before going to sleep or when leaving for the day. (For each 1 degree you turn down the thermostat in the winter, you'll save up to 5% on your heating costs.)
• Turn off non-essential lights and appliances. The electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars!
• Avoid running large appliances such as washers, dryers, and electric ovens during peak energy demand hours from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely. In 1 hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cooled air.
• Keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
  

Fireplace Energy Saving Tips

• If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
• Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a 48-inch window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.
  

Kitchen Energy Saving Tips

• Be sure to place the faucet lever on the kitchen sink in the cold position when using small amounts of water. Placing the lever in the hot position uses energy to heat the water even though it never reaches the faucet.
• Try using the microwave or toaster ovens for small meals rather than your large stove or oven. A toaster oven uses a third to half as much energy as a full-sized oven, and they both can save energy by significantly reducing cooking time.

Laundry Energy Saving Tips

• As the note read on the communal clothes dryer in Lydia's sorority house: "Future Mothers of America, you have to clean the lint filter in between each cycle of the dryer." If you do, it improves air circulation.
• Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible as it requires less energy.
• If you’re like Jess and you wait until every last item in your closet has been worn before doing laundry then this should be an easy one. Wash and dry full loads only. (But if you really need those jeans for tomorrow night, and have to wash a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.)
• Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it or use the cool-down cycle to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
• If you live in an apartment building with a communal washing machine area, why not print out these Laundry Room tips and hang them up in there for everyone to see?
  

Switch to Green Power

In Los Angeles County, the Department of Water and Power offers a “Green Power” option. Green Power is electricity produced in a more environmentally friendly way by using renewable energy sources like the sun, wind, and water. It’s just as powerful and reliable as your “normal” electricity, and it’s only $3.00 extra per month. All you have to do is call (1.800.dial.dwp) and request Green Power. You can also sign up for Green Power Online.

The best part about signing up for Green Power is that you actually help bring MORE renewable power to LA - electricity that is cleaner than fossil fuels and nuclear energy. SoCal Edison (if you have them) offers their version of Green Power to some customers so see if you can get it (1-800-655-4555). Their site also has a link to help their customers energy audit their home energy use. After you fill it out, they’ll give you suggestions of how to be more efficient. If you don’t live in LA call and see if your area offers green energy—if not, ask when it will be provided.

Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make you feel good. So tonight, go turn down the thermostat and cuddle up with a cozy blanket, a nice book, some warm cocoa and candles.

For more information, also check out: www.earth911.org

Finally, a New Year's Resolution You Can Keep

Looking for a meaningful New Year’s resolution that you can actually stick to and brag about at dinner parties? No, it’s not losing weight, cutting bangs or converting to Scientology. Those things are hard. This, dear friend, is a resolution that is easy to incorporate into your life and will work for you all year long (actually 7 years or more, but we’ll get to that…)

Switch all the light bulbs in your house to Compact Fluorescent Bulbs! It’s honestly sooooo easy and this one tiny life change will have HUGE effects and drastically help reduce your personal carbon emissions.

We know some of you may have heard about these “low energy” bulbs, but you never followed through. Maybe you didn’t realize what a difference they made, maybe you didn’t know where to start—-where do you get them, can they fit in your favorite lamp, are they expensive? Now you’ll have no excuse…

Quick Facts about compact fluorescent bulbs

• They use 1/3 the energy of average light bulbs! If you replaced just 3 of your bulbs for CFL’s, you’d save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. The more bulbs you replace, the more carbon emissions you reduce.

• They last about 10 times longer than an average bulb, approximately seven years. (An amazing thing if you’re like us and absolutely hate changing light bulbs all the time!)

• They produce 70% less heat than an average bulb, saving your need for air conditioning due to excess heat from you light bulbs.

• The come in all the same wattages as regular light bulbs and they fit in all your standard light sockets.

• The lights in our homes contribute 10%-20% of our overall energy costs. If you replace just 5 bulbs, you’ll save over $100 on electricity bills over the course of the year.

• You can find them in the grocery store, drug store and hardware store right next to the incandescent bulbs. EVEN BETTER, they sell them on Amazon, too. So you can click on the Amazon link on the sidebar RIGHT NOW and start your New Year’s Resolution today….

Choosing the Right Compact Florescent Light Bulbs
So, you need to teach yourself a new light bulb language with the Compact Florescent Bulbs (CFL’s). Since they use so much less energy to operate than incandescent bulbs, a 15 watts CFL puts out the same amount of light as a 6o watt traditional light bulb. Most boxes will say what the conversion is, but you can also look for the lumen rating (a lumen rating is the measure of light the bulb puts out,) on your old bulbs to find the compact fluorescent that gives the same amount of light.

Is this fluorescent light going to make me look fat?

No!! This is not the fluorescent light from your middle school bathroom or Nordstrom’s dressing rooms. These bulbs actually have a few different color temperatures for you to choose from. From “soft and cozy” to “daylight” you will find a bulb glow to fit your needs.

Size does Matter

There are tons of different kinds of Compact Florescent Bulbs in many shapes, sizes, wattages and colors to fit your every need, whether it’s a ceiling fan, your romantic dimmer lights, sconces or even outdoor flood lights. We found THE MOST HANDY GUIDE EVER to help you find the best energy efficient light bulbs for you and make sure you’re never caught in a patch of bad lighting again. (“I don't get it. Did my hair get flat? Did I stumble into some bad lighting? What's wrong with me?” Cher, Clueless)

Are they hard to find?

No. They are sold in all locations regular light bulbs are sold! Or order from Amazon.com if you’re the type that doesn’t like leaving the house. Also, price-wise they are pretty comparable to the incandescent bulbs…but if you do end up paying a few dollars more for them, you will more than make up for it in your electricity bills.

Your First Successful Resolution Ever.

If every U.S. household made a "5 light change", together we'd keep more than one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of our air--the equivalent to taking 8 million cars off the road for an entire year.

So, say it with us, “In 2007 I will replace all the light bulbs in my house with compact fluorescent bulbs.” Now get to it.