Cooling Your Space
Change the AC Filter - Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. This will reduce your carbon dioxide output by up to 350 lbs. and your energy bill by up to $150 per year. Get Over Your AC - Keeping your room or office cool isn't all about the AC. Covering up your windows with a curtain can cut down on 40% of the heat your space absorbs from the sun. Use a fan instead of AC; fans use one tenth the energy of air conditioners. Heating Water Take Shorter Showers - Showers account for 65% of all water heating costs. Taking a shorter shower will reduce your carbon dioxide output by up to 350 lbs. and your energy bill by up to $99 per year. Buy a shower timer. Shower Life Story Check Your Water Heater - Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120 degrees F. This will reduce your carbon dioxide output by up to 550 lbs. and your energy bill by up to $30 per year. Insulate Your Water Heater - Keeping your water heater insulated will reduce your annual carbon dioxide output by up to 1,000 lbs. and your energy bill by $40. Switch to a Tankless Water Heater - Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank full of hot water day and night. Reduce your carbon dioxide by 300 lbs. and your energy bill by $390 per year. Put a Lid on It - Using cooking pots with lids reduces time and energy used by 20%. Let the Sun Heat Your Water - Solar water-heating systems can be used in any climate to heat your water supply. Since they use no fossil fuel energy, they save a lot of CO2 emissions. A typical household can meet 50 to 80% of its hot water needs using solar heat. Though they cost slightly more to install than a traditional system, your fuel source - the sun is free. (Learn the basics on solar water-heating systems here. For more details, click here.) Seal Your Home's Shell Insulate Your Home - Insulate your walls and ceilings and reduce home energy consumption by as much as 25%, carbon dioxide output by 2,000 lbs. and energy bill by $245 per year. Weatherize Your Home - Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Reduce carbon dioxide output by 1,700 lbs. and your energy bill by $274 per year. Switch to Double Pane Windows - Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Reduce your carbon dioxide by 10,000 lbs. and your energy bill by $436 annually. Other Actions Take the Stairs not the Elevator - An elevator uses energy and that energy releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Instead, create your own energy and non-polluting carbon dioxide from breathing. Walking up and downstairs is a free workout, increases leg power and reduces the risk of injury. Exercise relieves stress and increases bone density, which reduces osteoporosis. Studies show participants who climbed more than 55 flights per week significantly lowered their risk of mortality. Open the Fridge Less - Think of everything you want before you open the fridge door. Cold air and money are wasted every time you open the fridge. Clean Your Fridge's Coils - Clean the coils at the back twice a year with a vacuum and rag. This will reduce the work done by the compressor, making your fridge run more efficiently and resulting in less electricity used. New Renewable Energy
Buy Green Power - Buy green power for a portion of your electricity through City Light's Green Up program
Support Renewable Energy Projects - Pay a little more on your bill to support renewable energy demonstrations, including local solar electricity projects, through City Light's Green Power program |