Press & Media
Saving Energy Can Be One of the Simplest Things You Do
April 20, 2003
Column No. 03-16
The most popular request I get in my mail is for simple, free or low-cost things that people can do to save energy. Sure, I know lots of them, but I'm not going to give you any today. Instead, I'm going to give you some overall philosophy on how easy saving energy can be.
The recent increases in cost at the gas pumps have once again brought the idea of high energy costs to Americans, even though there really is no direct link between the cost of a gallon of gas and the price you pay your utility company each month for energy. Somehow, though, the gas price is what captures everyone's attention, so when those costs go up, people tell me they want to start saving energy and money.
Obviously, everyone would like to save money on their basic monthly expenses, and while your mortgage or rent payment is fixed, as are your taxes and insurance payments, the amount you pay for energy can vary tremendously, depending on how much energy you use. We recently had a lot of company staying at our house, for example, so we used our dishwasher much more than we usually do. I noticed a substantial increase in our utility bill that month. Use more energy and costs go up, use less and they go down. It's really as simple as that - you can control your bills to a great extent by regulating your energy use.
Researchers at the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) have calculated that a typical homeowner's utility bills in Florida account for about five percent of his or her total annual after-tax income. That's based on the average 8 cents or so that Floridians are paying for each kilowatt hour of electricity they use. Imagine what this number is in parts of the country where people are paying double or even triple this amount.
Rather than give you some specific energy-saving tips today, I'd like to point out that the way to save energy is really very simple and you don't need someone to give you a whole lot of specific ideas. What you really need to do is make an effort to use electric household appliances and cooling and heating systems less frequently, and keep them in good working order. You'll get products that do the job you need when you want to use them, and they'll last longer - giving you even more savings over time. I could add a lot here about the overall impact on our country's energy independence, too, as well as pollution reduction and conservation of resources for the future, but I'll save all that for another time.
Researchers have studied the energy costs of a typical home in Florida that uses electricity and has a swimming pool, and found that just about a third of the energy usage is for cooling - more than twice as much as is used for refrigeration (15 percent), the second-highest energy rater in a home. Hot water is closely behind at 14 percent of the average home's utility bill, followed in order by space heating, pool pump, lighting, cooking, clothes drying and others. Sure, your energy use may vary, and it will certainly change depending on where in the country you live, but this example ought to get you thinking about your own home and your own lifestyle. If you live in the north, just put the word "heating" in place of cooling on this list and think about the need to conserve.
If you want more money in your pocket every month, you don't necessarily need to ask your boss for a raise or get a second job. Think about how you use energy at home. Whether it's cooling or heating that is most often used in your home, carefully adjust the thermostat to the appropriate set points, keep the furnace properly maintained and serviced, change the filters on a regular basis and don't waste that air your're paying to heat or cool.
Think about what you want from the refrigerator before you open its door. How often have you seen a family member standing in front of an open refrigerator door, taking inventory of the goodies inside and trying to decide on the next snack or meal? It's a common thing people do, and a huge waster of energy.
Did you ever check the thermostat setting on your water heater to make sure it wasn't a lot higher than it needs to be? Many manufacturers ship their water tanks with a setting higher than most people require. A setting of 120 degrees F is usually recommended, though you may want to go as high as 140 if you have a dishwasher without a temperature booster. Setting over these levels are not needed and can actually be dangerous.
Do you have flow restrictors in your sinks and showerheads? Everyone knows that these very inexpensive, simple little devices can save a lot of water - especially water you're paying to heat and possibly wasting - but how many of you have actually installed a water restrictor?
Do you really turn off lights when you leave a room and it is empty? How about turning off a television in an empty room? What about ceiling fans? None of these things are needed when no one is in a room, yet it's a safe bet that many of you leave them turned on.
I'm lucky to work with some of the brightest energy researchers in the country, and I get the chance to write about the technologies, strategies and products they are studying. But just between you and me, the real energy savings, the big energy savings, can come from common sense and a little discipline in regulating your home's energy use
Written by Ken Sheinkopf
E-mail: sheinkopf@fsec.ucf.edu
NOTE TO EDITORS: Ken Sheinkopf is Associate Director of the Florida Solar Energy Center. For more information on energy efficiency and renewable energy, visit the Center’s web site at www.fsec.ucf.edu.