Wouldn’t it be awesome if your home generated all of its own power, freeing you from rising energy rates and allowing you to live comfortably while treading lightly on the planet? Though recent advancements in clean energy are bringing this ecoutopian dream closer to reality, cost is, unfortunately, still a major factor. But all hope is not lost for the Lazy Environmentalist on a budget. There are simple steps you can take to dramatically reduce your energy output while saving money. Since the EPA estimates that the average household spends more than $2,000 per year on energy and historical trends point to a steady increase in prices for all residential power sources—electric, propane, natural gas, and kerosene—implementing easy energy-saving measures is in nothing but our enlightened self-interest.
SET THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE
Until recently most homes in the United States were built under the assumption that energy is cheap and abundant. This may explain why the EPA has found that the average household spends about $1,000 every year, or 50 percent of its total energy consumption, seeking the perfect indoor temperature. Building houses capable of capitalizing on the natural heat and light from the sun or cooling from tree shade and breezes was rarely done. As a result, we’ve got some pretty dumb houses. To counter your home’s deficient IQ, start by installing a digital, programmable thermostat that lets you automatically control and adjust your home’s temperature throughout the day. Good ones range in price from $35 to $80 and can reduce your heating and cooling costs by about 20 percent per year. Of course, to reap those benefits you have to take the time to program them, which is why Energy Star requires that all of its qualified models come with four pre-programmed settings to automatically adjust temperatures throughout the night and day—an ideal situation for Lazy Environmentalists. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can always override the settings to suit your particular needs. Lux makes several affordable models that are highly rated by Consumer Reports for ease of programming, temperature accuracy, and clear display. They start at around $35 and are available at numerous retailers, including Ace Hardware. The Honeywell FocusPro 6000 series ($70) is equipped with an easy-to-read display and is compatible with central air conditioning units as well as electric, gas, or oil furnaces and heat pumps. Unless you’re adept at home remodeling projects, you may wish to have a local HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) professional install your model.
For those who survive the sweltering season with individual air conditioner units, a digital thermostat won’t be much help. The best way to stay cool, use less energy, and reduce your bills is to choose Energy Star–rated models that have an EER (Energy Efficient Ratio) over 10. EER measures the ratio of cooling capacity to energy usage, and top-notch Energy Star models sometimes go to 11. Look for affordable, top-rated models from GE, Frigidaire, Haier, and Kenmore. See Greenerchoices.com, a website run by Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, for a list of best buys. But while looking for the ultimate AC, don’t forget the ceiling fans. Fans are easy to install and a cost- effective method of cooling your home while creating a feeling of tropical relaxation. Visit Energystar.gov to search for models that consume less energy.
GREEN THE FRIDGE
Next to heating and cooling, running the refrigerator is the second most energy-intensive residential activity. Refrigerators account for 14 percent of all energy use for the average household. Switching to an energy-efficient model can save you a bundle, with current Energy Star models clocking in at least 40 percent more energy efficient than refrigerators built before 2001. For the budget-minded, top- freezer models are usually the way to go since they offer the most storage at the most affordable price. The Frigidaire FRT18S6AW is a top-freezer unit (about $550) that’s a great choice for smaller apartments thanks to a slim profile that offers 18 cubic feet of storage space. While the fridge comes with few bells and whistles, it gets the job done with plenty of room for veggies, beer, and leftovers. One of the most highly rated top-freezer refrigerators is the Whirlpool ET1FHTXM (about $850), with about 21 cubic feet of storage room. Nice perks include an interior ice maker, water dispenser, spill- ontrol glass shelves, and gallon storage on the door. To get the skinny on a wide range of quality, energy-efficient refrigerators, check out Greenerchoices.org.
CHOSE ENERGY-SMART ELECTRONICS
We Americans like our TV. Yes we do. We enjoy it so much that the EPA and Department of Energy now estimate that televisions in combination with related products like set-top boxes (the device that connects your TV to an external digital television signal) and DVD players account for 10 percent of the average household’s energy use, and that number is rising. As for energy efficiency, conventional wisdom holds that when it comes to flat-panel models, those with LCD (liquid crystal display) screens are more efficient than their plasma screen counterparts. This is mostly true, but since energy output depends upon the specific model you choose, your best bet is to visit Energystar.gov and check for TV models that meet the new, stricter Energy Star standards, which went into effect in November 2008. When you choose an Energy Star–qualified TV, you’re choosing a device that uses significantly less energy than its conventional counterpart when it’s turned on and when it’s off. Sound strange? Blame it on the “vampire” effect. One of the pitfalls of modern living is that everything we leave plugged into the electric socket uses energy even when turned off—some estimates have found that 5 percent of all energy in the country (and of every household) is wasted as result of this power-sucking phenomenon. Unless you plan to unplug your television and all other electronics when they’re not in use, you can achieve savings of about 30 percent by selecting Energy Star products that use less energy whether they’re turned on or off.
You can also combat vampire energy drain the super lazy way by plugging your television and all related devices into a Smart Strip Power Strip. Available online for under $40 at numerous outlets like Smarthomeusa.com, the Smart Strip comes with 10 outlets: one blue, six white, and three red. When you plug your television into the main outlet (the blue one), all devices plugged into the white outlets become connected to its on/off status. So when you turn your TV on, all the other devices automatically turn on. When you turn your TV off, all the other devices automatically shut off. The three red outlets enable you to operate devices— like lava lamps and curling irons—independently of the TV’s on/ off status. And because the Smart Strip Power Strip is just that, it senses when devices are turned off and cuts all power to those devices, eliminating the dreaded vampire effect. The strip performs equally as well when operating with computers and their related peripherals (printers, scanners, speakers, etc.) and is an excellent power surge protector. A smaller, 7-outlet version is also available for around $30.
Josh Dorfman is an environmental entrepreneur, media personality and author of The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living. He is also the founder and CEO of Vivavi, a retailer of modern, green furniture and home furnishings. His latest book, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget: Save Money. Save Time. Save The Planet, is now available. For more information, please visit: http://www.lazyenvironmentalist.com
