by Greg Archer
October is National Energy Awareness Month.
One short month to spread the word about the benefits of energy efficiency.
This year’s Energy Awareness Month theme, A Sustainable Energy Future; Putting All the Pieces Together, encourages everyone to see how they fit into the big picture.
To promote this awareness, many groups and partners across the country will join together on October 5th for the first-ever, nationwide, Energy Efficiency Day campaign. The aim of this social media effort is to raise awareness among the public and media by organizing participants to share examples of the positive impact of energy-efficient practices.
You can make a difference!
Join the celebration by sharing your energy-efficient practices on Twitter, Facebook, SnapChat, or other social media. Include #EEDay2017 in your posts.
Here are some easy ways you can be more energy efficient:
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFLs) or light-emitting diode (LED) light bulbs
- Shut off the water while you brush your teeth
- Turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms
- Unplug your cell phone and other chargers when not in use
- Recycle paper, plastic, cans, and glass
- Turn down your thermostat in the winter and turn it up in the summer
- Clean the condenser coils on the back of your refrigerator and freezer
- Seal up large air leaks around windows, doors, etc
- Replace your furnace/air conditioner filters
This Month
- Collect your utility bills. Separate electricity and fuel bills. Target the largest energy consumer or the largest bill for energy conservation measures.
- Insulate heating ducts in unheated areas, such as attics and crawl spaces. Keeping ducts in good repair can prevent heat loss of up to 60 percent at the registers.
- Seal up the most significant air leaks in your house—the ones that whistle on windy days or feel drafty.
- Schedule an energy audit (ask your utility company or state energy office) for more expert advice on your home.
But don’t stop there. Practice energy-efficient habits all year long. Visit Energy.gov for more information
**These tips were taken from the Department of Energy and the ACEEE Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings
Making minor improvements to your everyday life could yield years of benefits for you, your family, and the world.