The end of “An Inconvenient Truth”, Al Gore’s movie about global warming, and an appendix in the book (same name) give tips for an individual to reduce emission by saving energy. LSPA hopes that each of our members will make some of these steps/changes in our own lives.
Energy-efficient measures save money as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, compact fluorescent light bulbs will last ten times longer than incandescent bulbs. Their higher cost will in the end result in significant savings because of their long lives and the lower amounts of electricity needed to power them.
In this and future Beacons, we will share the tips from Gore’s book.
Steps to Take At Home:
• Choose energy-efficient lighting (use compact fluorescent lights — many of these will fit your current lamps)
• Choose energy-efficient appliances (look at the Energy Star ratings)
• Operate and maintain appliances properly (clean regularly; always run full loads in laundry and dishwasher)
• Heat and cool your house efficiently (lower heat a degree or two; use programmable thermostats; set air conditioner a degree or two warmer)
• Insulate your house<
• Conserve hot water (set thermostat at 120 degrees F; turn off when away for extended periods)
• Turn off lights and computers when not in use. Also, reduce standby power waste (many televisions, cell phone chargers, and DVD players use power even when turned off; unplug or use a power strip that you switch off so that these items are not using power when you are not using them)
At the end of the LSPA Board retreat, each attendee went home and replaced at least one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent. Can you do that today?
Date published on web site:
12-01-2006
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