As we come to the close of Energy Awareness Month, that doesn't mean you should stop thinking about ways to save energy. Not only does reducing your energy consumption help conserve resources, but it also conserves your bank balance, which is something I think we can all agree is especially important these days.

The amount of information out there on energy savings is staggering and frankly, a little overwhelming. I'm not going to tell you about the major projects like installing solar panels or turbine power on your home. Don't get me wrong - I think those are excellent ideas and something I hope to move to some day. But for a busy parent who's time- and cash-short, sometimes it's easier to start small and work your way into those bigger projects. So without further ado, here are some tips on saving energy inside your home:

• All aboard! First of all, the whole family needs to be on board. Have a family meeting and talk about ways to save energy - turning out lights, turning off water while brushing teeth or soaping up, and so on. Make an "Oops!" jar where family members have to contribute a quarter to the electricity bill when they accidentally leave something on. Nothing catches a kid's attention like having to dig into the piggy bank!
• Filters: Keep your air conditioner/furnace filters clean, and make sure to change them monthly. Lynn at OrganicMania says her repairman told her that the thicker "filtrettes" can actually reduce energy efficiency. While we're on the subject, The Mocha Mom reminds us to check duct work for holes that can leak your heating and air conditioning.
• Elderly appliances: Some appliances, especially older ones, can use electricity even when turned off. Unplug items in places where they're not used often, like the guest room. Guru Lloyd mentioned the Kill A Watt a few weeks ago, and it's a great tool for checking how much energy is being drained by things that appear off. I read that some libraries even rent power usage meters, so call around to yours and ask.
• Go compact: I'm skeptical about compact fluorescent light bulbs, because I didn't like the spectrum of the earlier ones, but they've gotten much better lately. We've started using them in places where we don't venture often, like the pantry. Incancesdents are being phased out, so we might as well start getting used to CFL now. Besides, they use one quarter of the power of an incandescent - can't argue with that logic.
• Timing is everything: Install timer switches for things like bathroom heaters. Or pressure switches for places where it's easy to forget a light is on, like the pantry or non walk-in closets. And another great item is a programmable thermostat, so you don't have to remember every day to turn it up a few degrees when you head out the door - it remembers for you.
• Use it or lose it: Use your appliances to their capacity. Running half a dishwasher or washing machine load takes as much energy as running a full one. Wait until you have a full load to run it. And by the way, did you know that washing clothes in cold water not only saves energy, but keeps the dyes from bleeding? Just make sure you have an all-temperature detergent and you'll be fine.
• Peak performance: Keep appliances in top working condition for best energy usage. Sometimes it's cheaper in the long run to replace the wheezing air conditioner with a new, super-efficient model. We replaced one of two old air conditioners a couple of years ago and immediately started seeing a 25% decrease in our electricity bills.
• Here comes the sun: You don't need solar panels to take advantage of the sun. Open curtains in sunny windows during the winter to let the warmth in. Lara Fishman at Swanky Moms suggests putting desks and study spaces by the window and letting kids read by sunlight, not artificial light.
• Don't burn the baby: Is your water heater set on Stun? Lowering the water temperature can help save energy AND save skin, especially if you have little ones. The U.S. Department of Energy reminds us: "For each 10ºF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%–5% in energy costs."
• Switch it off: Rebekah Kogelschatz at Mommies Coffee Break has a lot of great tips, one of them bring to plug cell phone chargers, fax machines, printers, and their ilk into one power strip that can be switched off with a single button when not in use.
• Last but not least: Thanks to Saving Mommy Money, I found Google's online energy calculator that will let you see how many of your hard-earned bucks you will save by switching things off around the house.

But wait, there's more! I know I've only hit a very few of the thousands of energy savings tips floating around out there. Do you have a favorite tip? Can you pinch an energy penny and make it scream? Post 'em here and let's see what you've got.

Posted by Dee | tagged: Energy