Energy Tips #1

A number of people have asked about links and energy saving solutions and it might make sense to begin with our own municipal power company, Middleborough Gas & Electric. The links are on the left side of the site and pretty basic fare, including government links.

.

Because homes and lifestyles vary so widely, it's often difficult to offer blanket solutions, but by paying attention to where energy is being wasted, it's often possible to reduce usage without sacrifice, like shutting off the computer and tv/vcr/dvd at a power strip when not in use. Even junk mail impacts energy consumption: 41pounds.org

.

A basic book, published in 1995 and now somewhat outdated, is:
Homemade Money: How to Save Energy and Dollars in Your Home
by Richard Heede, H Richard Heede, Rocky Mountain Institute
About this title: The Rocky Mountain Institute, the nation's most prominent energy think-tank, estimates that there are $50 billion dollars of energy bills to be saved annually in America. This book helps homeowners and renters sort through the bewildering array of new and old technology and explains how to save money and the environment.

.

From Rocky Mountain Institute:
Energy Efficiency
First Things First
The average American family spends nearly $1,500 per year on utility bills. This expense can be reduced by 10–90 percent (depending on how inefficient you are and how aggressive you want to be about getting efficient). Saving energy can be a good way to lessen the strain on family finances and free up money for better uses.There are hundreds of things you can do to make your home more efficient, ranging from simple, free adjustments to major, long-term investments. Which ones you should do in your home will depend on a number of factors — where you live, the size and style of your house, how efficient it already is, which direction it faces, and so on.

Nevertheless, let one principle be your guide: go for the best buys first. Often it will be the cheapest, easiest projects that make the biggest dents in your utility bills. Then, with the money you're saving each month on energy and water, you can tackle further projects. Some utilities and state energy offices offer great information and financing programs to encourage their customers to invest in energy efficiency and renewables. Ask yours about rebate programs and energy-saving technologies. The following tips are excerpted from the RMI book Homemade Money: How to Save Energy and Dollars in Your Home.

.

They also offer Household Energy Efficiency.

.

NESEA offers some solid information on their site.

.

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative offers information, beginning with Ten Remarkably Easy Ways to Save Energy (and Money) at Home .

.

MTC offers Community Energy Opportunities.

Their 45 page pdf report includes:
K-12 Schools & College

Residence Halls-

Energy costs are second only

to salaries for many school

districts-

About 30% of energy used is

“waste” energy, from system

inefficiencies-

Low-cost measures can reduce energy bills by 10% or more;

other investments can yield 25-30% savings
Government Office Buildings &

Courthouses-10% of a government agency’s

operating budget is spent on energy(source: DOE)-

About 30% of energy used is “waste”energy,

from system inefficiencies

.

Home Energy provides some solutions, but the subscription is somewhat pricey at $75 per year.

One of their earlier articles (1993) offers a breakdown of energy consumption by appliance at the bottom of the page, as a basic guideline HERE.

.