Today's Energy Insight

Today's Energy Insight

According to Energy Star, if all of the households in Minnesota changed just one incandescent light bulb to an Energy Star qualified bulb, the combined individual efforts could save up to 106 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. This is enough energy to light all the households in St. Paul for nearly 180 days. Based on the average electrical rate in Minnesota, the amount of energy saved would reduce household electrical bills by a combined total of $9 million a year. AND, this simple change would prevent nearly 163 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions each year which is the equivalent to removing the annual emissions of 14 thousand cars from Minnesota roadways.

Today's Energy Insight

Which of the following will help you save the most energy?

A)  Install a low-flow shower head.
B)  Use only CFL bulbs.
C)  Regulate your thermostat.
D)  Buy an Energy Star certified refrigerator.

Scroll down to check your answer...

All of the options listed are good for conserving energy however, heating and cooling your house uses the most energy. When you regulate your temperature settings or install a programmable thermostat, you will see the most savings.

Energy Awareness Month

Did you know October is Energy Awareness Month?

Here's a question for you... What are YOU personally doing in your classroom, your area or your office to save energy? The first five people to email their answer to: sheri_brunner@rdale.org will receive a fun prize, be sure to include your school or building name. Answers and prize winners will be posted later this month. Thanks for doing your part and being energy smart!

Today's Energy Insight

Hope you are enjoying the gorgeous fall weather right now but if there is one thing we know about the changing seasons in Minnesota, we know it is not going to last and winter is coming. Which brings me to the point of today's post...

More than 50 percent of the energy used in a typical American home is for space heating and cooling. Much of that conditioned air escapes through poorly sealed, underinsulated attics. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated.

So today's energy insight is make sure you are ready for the coming cold weather months by keeping your home properly insulated and you will SEE energy savings this winter.

As the seasons change from summer to fall, many cooks turn from the grill back to the kitchen and bakers start whipping up pumpkin or apple everything. It's easy to save energy in the kitchen this time of year, just follow these few simple tips from the California Energy Commission.

 

• Use the smallest appliance for the job. Microwave ovens use less than half the energy required by a conventional oven.
• Use the smallest pan and burner needed for the job. Match the size of the pan to the heating element. More heat will get to the pan and less will be lost to the surrounding air. Believe it or not, a six-inch pan on an eight-inch burner will waste more than 40 percent of the energy!
• Cook with lids on your pans. Cooking pasta without a lid on the pot can use three times as much energy.
• With glass or ceramic pans, you can turn your oven temperature down 25 degrees, and foods will cook just as quickly.
• Don't open the oven door to take a peek at what's cooking inside. Instead, turn on the oven light and check the cooking status through the oven window. Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside by as much as 25 degrees - which increases cooking time and wastes energy.
• As long as your oven is on, cook several items at the same time. Just make sure you leave enough room for the heat to circulate around each casserole and pie plate.
• Self-cleaning ovens use less energy for normal cooking because of the higher insulation levels built into them. However, if you use the self-cleaning feature more than once a month, you'll end up using more energy than you will save. Consider using the self-cleaning feature immediately after using your oven, to take advantage of the residual heat.

Today's Energy Insight

Did you know leaving your computer on can consume up to 300 watts of electricity, about as much as a refrigerator? To save energy, a general rule of thumb for shutting down as opposed to leaving your computer on, is 30 minutes. If you are going to be away from your computer for longer than half an hour, please consider shutting down and restarting upon your return.