Wednesday, September 4, 2013

EE Tips for Back to School


It's that time of year again! Colleges and preK-12 schools are opening their doors for another year of teaching and learning. Most of you - whether you’re a student, teacher or parent - will have an emptier home over the next 9-10 months. An emptier home provides endless opportunities to lower that energy bill! Here are some energy-saving tips that I follow as well as others from energyinyourlife.com:


1.       Adjusting the thermostat
  • Turn off the thermostat completely, or...
  • Turn up the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when using AC
  • Turn down the thermostat to 68 degrees or lower when using heat
  • Change the temperature remotely using a programmable thermostat and your smartphone
2.       Making lunches
  • Take out all the food you’ll use from the fridge at once - opening it multiple times uses an exorbitant amount of unnecessary energy
  • Use reusable lunch bags or boxes with insulating sides to keep things cold and reusable sandwich and snack containers to minimize waste
  •  Bring a cold lunch to avoid using a microwave
  • Fill up a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated. I like CamelBaks
3.       Unplugging electronics – gaming consoles, computers and rarely used kitchen appliances can use a lot of        power when off but still plugged in, so save some energy and unplug!

4.       Closing blinds
  • AC works a lot harder to keep your home cool when hot sunlight is pouring in
  • Get some insulating shades to keep your home even cooler
5.       Getting an audit
6.       Dressing appropriately – it’s still pretty warm out now, but it’ll cool down soon and if your school is air         conditioned, be prepared and wear layers!

7.       Going to and from school efficiently – walk or bike if you can, and carpool if you need a lift.


Photo Source: http://www.ecosmartworld.com/
Happy first day of school everyone! Have a safe, healthy and happy year. Learn lots!