{"id":5039,"date":"2015-08-22T17:33:21","date_gmt":"2015-08-22T21:33:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/?page_id=5039"},"modified":"2021-01-26T19:07:56","modified_gmt":"2021-01-27T00:07:56","slug":"how-to-cut-your-electrical-use-energy-conservation-and-efficiency","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/obsolete-pages\/energy-conservation-and-efficiency\/how-to-cut-your-electrical-use-energy-conservation-and-efficiency\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Cut Your Electrical Use &#8211; Energy Conservation and Efficiency"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><b>Energy Conservation and Efficiency<\/b><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"color: #000000; text-align: center; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2; background: #fbf0a3;\">The Best Watt is a Watt Not Used!<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5079\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5079\" style=\"width: 267px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/clean-air_org-pic.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5079 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/clean-air_org-pic.png\" alt=\"source: Clean air.org\" width=\"267\" height=\"189\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5079\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Cleanair.org<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\">\u00a0<strong>Take advantage of a Mass Save no-cost home energy assessment.<\/strong> Call<strong> <span class=\"baec5a81-e4d6-4674-97f3-e9220f0136c1\" style=\"white-space: nowrap;\">781-305-3319<a style=\"margin: 0px; border: currentColor; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 16px; height: 16px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; float: none; display: inline; white-space: nowrap; position: static !important;\" title=\"Call: 781-305-3319\" href=\"#\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" style=\"margin: 0px; border: currentColor; left: 0px; top: 0px; width: 16px; height: 16px; right: 0px; bottom: 0px; overflow: hidden; vertical-align: middle; float: none; display: inline; white-space: nowrap; position: static !important;\" title=\"Call: 781-305-3319\" src=\"data:image\/png;base64,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\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" \/><\/a><\/span> <\/strong>or go online to schedule an appointment for your no-cost, detailed home energy assessment with Green Needham&#8217;s\u00a0MassSave Home Performance Contractor partner, <a href=\"https:\/\/homeworksenergy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HomeWorks Energy<\/a>. The energy advisor will provide information on weatherization, equipment replacement, insulation, and tell you about generous rebates, plus install low energy light bulbs if you wish. Watch Green Needham&#8217;s Jim Glickman discuss the benefits of getting a no-cost home Assessments on<strong> The Needham Channel<\/strong>. Click in the box to the below to watch now.\u00a0 Or visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/home-energy-assessments\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Green Needham&#8217;s Home Energy Assessment page <\/a>for more information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9c4ba28Z-cM\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"paragraph paragraph--type--text paragraph--view-mode--default\">\n<div class=\"text-formatted field field--name-field-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Join the Green Energy Consumers Alliance (formerly Mass Energy) <a href=\"http:\/\/greenenergyconsumers.org\/shavethepeak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">&#8220;Shave the Peak&#8221;<\/a> initiative.\u00a0<\/strong> From their website:\u00a0 &#8220;Shave the Peak&#8221; empowers those who believe that the transition to a safe climate begins with more people united for a low-carbon future. Each member of this growing community is committed to reducing electricity usage at home on days when skyrocketing overall demand is met by the dirtiest and most expensive fossil fuels, or \u201cpeak days.\u201d Their actions advocate forward-thinking policies that can transform our electric grid.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"http:\/\/greenenergyconsumers.org\/shavethepeak\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sign up<\/a> to receive conservation alerts on peak days, learn more about the electric grid, and support advocacy efforts to clean up the New England power system.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><strong>Dispose of a little-used second refrigerator or freezer<\/strong>. According to Mass Save, &#8220;your old fridge or freezer could be costing you $150 a year in energy cost.&#8221; Mass Save often offers programs to pick up and recycle a working <strong>second<\/strong> refrigerator and pay you $50! (If a second fridge is a must, consider downsizing to a small Energy Star compact fridge.)<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><strong>Buy Energy Star certified appliances and electronics<\/strong> to make sure you are getting the most efficient products. Check the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.masssave.com\/en\/shop\/appliances\/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhZGMiNvE2gIVEK_ICh2TKgqCEAAYASAAEgKtOPD_BwE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mass Save website<\/a> for <strong>rebates<\/strong> and information on many products, including kitchen appliances, dehumidifiers, washers and dryers and more. To get a rebate of up to $200\u00a0 on the replacement of an old, inefficient refrigerator with an\u00a0 EnergyStay model, a special home visit is required. Call <strong><span class=\"baec5a81-e4d6-4674-97f3-e9220f0136c1\">781-305-3319<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>or visit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeworksenergy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HomeWorks Energy<\/a>, Green Needham&#8217;s MassSave partner to schedule a no-cost home energy assessment.<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\">Mass Save suggests turning off an air conditioner when you&#8217;re not at home and suggests a temperature of 78\u00baF. See all their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.masssave.com\/en\/learn\/residential\/energy-saving-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">heating and cooling tip<\/a>s.<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><strong>Replace your most-used incandescent light bulbs with LEDs or compact fluorescents,<\/strong> which use up to 75% less energy. CFL or LED? Although the initial cost is somewhat more, LED&#8217;s last much longer than CFL&#8217;s, are even more energy efficient; they light up immediately and have no mercury that requires special handling when disposed of. Their cost has come down significantly in the last few years. See a detailed comparison <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thesimpledollar.com\/the-light-bulb-showdown-leds-vs-cfls-vs-incandescent-bulbs-whats-the-best-deal-now-and-in-the-future\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">here<\/a>. (When you do have to dispose of compact fluorescents, remember to take them to the Universal Waste Shed at the Needham Transfer Station since they contain a small amount of mercury.)<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/brave-new-climate.com-icon.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-5078 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/brave-new-climate.com-icon.jpg\" alt=\"brave new climate.com icon\" width=\"200\" height=\"196\" \/><\/a><strong>Turn off lights and electronics<\/strong> when no one is in the room, plug electronics into power strips with a switch that can be turned off when devices are not in use. Electronics such as TV\u2019s, stereos, computers, printers, and DVD players use power even when off. Turning off the power strip switch cuts off this wasted power.<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><strong>Video game consoles<\/strong> such as XBox <a href=\"https:\/\/www.anandtech.com\/show\/11992\/the-xbox-one-x-review\/6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">use a lot of energy when in standby mode<\/a>. &#8220;The best thing to do is simply turn off your video game console whenever possible at the power strip. Another good option is to use the power management features already built into your device. These features are often disabled initially, so you have to activate them yourself, but they can save tons of energy without negatively affecting your gaming experience.\u00a0 Video game consoles also use much more power when used for nongaming purposes\u2014like watching movies\u2014than a stand-alone device such as a DVD player. So if you\u2019re craving a movie, make sure to use a separate DVD player rather than your game console.&#8221; City of Palo Alto Energy Tips October, 2013.<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><strong>Don\u2019t leave computers on.\u00a0<\/strong> The <a href=\"http:\/\/energy.gov\/energysaver\/articles\/energy-efficient-computer-use\" target=\"blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Dept. of Energy <\/a>recommends setting up the standby (sleep) power-down feature on your computer. They recommend turning off the monitor if you won\u2019t use it for at least 20 minutes, and turning the computer off if you won\u2019t use it for at least 2 hours. The DOE points out that it is a myth that you shouldn\u2019t turn off computers. Also, screen savers are not energy savers, and the power-down feature may not work if you have a screen saver activated. Keep in mind that ENERGY STAR-labeled computers are more and more efficient. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energystar.gov\/products\/certified-products\/detail\/computers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dept. of Energy\u00a0<\/a>estimates that if all US computers were Energy Star rated, there would be a savings of &#8220;more than $600 million in electricity costs and prevent 8 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions every year.&#8221;<\/li>\n<li class=\"spacedlist\"><strong>Choose Energy Efficient Technologies for heating and cooling.\u00a0<\/strong> Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/projects\/living-green\/greening-your-electricity\/eligible-heatsmart-technologies\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Green Needham&#8217;s page<\/a> on heating and cooling systems when you are looking to upgrade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>Want to get more involved promoting energy conservation and efficiency in Needham?\u00a0 Then consider joining <a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/projects\/home-energy-savings-hes-team\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Green Needham&#8217;s\u00a0Home Energy Savings Team<\/a> &#8211;\u00a0any\u00a0and all help is appreciated!\u00a0 If you want more information, contact <a href=\"mailto:jamesglickman1@gmail.com\"><span style=\"color: #22b24c;\">Jim Glickman<\/span><\/a> or <a href=\"mailto:MCBL1@RCN.COM\"><span style=\"color: #22b24c;\">Maureen Commane<\/span><\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6538\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6538\" style=\"width: 200px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HWE-HES-Changing-a-lightbulb.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6538\" src=\"http:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HWE-HES-Changing-a-lightbulb-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"HWE installing an LED lightbulb during a no-cost audit\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HWE-HES-Changing-a-lightbulb-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HWE-HES-Changing-a-lightbulb-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HWE-HES-Changing-a-lightbulb-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/HWE-HES-Changing-a-lightbulb.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6538\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">HWE installing an LED lightbulb during a no-cost audit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Energy conservation and efficiency &#8211; the best watt is a watt not used!  Explore ways that you can conserve energy and improve your home&#8217;s energy efficiency &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":0,"parent":10881,"menu_order":6,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5039","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5039","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5039"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5039\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10881"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5039"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5039"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5039"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}