October Is Energy Awareness Month

October is Energy Awareness Month, which was first proclaimed in 1991 by President George H.W. Bush.

Promoted by the U.S. Department of Energy, the theme for 2009 is “A Sustainable Energy Future; Putting All the Pieces Together.” The campaign aims to encourage all of us to see how we fit into the big picture.

Each of us has the power to make choices every day with regard to using power and reducing how much we consume. Energy Awareness Month should propel us toward energy independence as a nation.

DOE announced Sept. 14 that it will allocate $454 million to a new program to make energy efficiency retrofits happen in homes and businesses. New construction is increasingly incorporating ways to conserve energy and water use, but existing buildings continue to gobble up energy. The “Retrofit Ramp-Up” initiative will save $100 million per year in utility bills.
Energy Saving Tips

But you don’t have to wait for rebates and tax credits. Trimming energy use through efficiency can take several forms related to heating, cooling, lighting and power sources. At home, energy-efficient appliances use less electricity, natural gas and water; turning off computers, televisions and entertainment systems when not in use substantially reduces the amount of electricity consumed; installing a programmable thermostat cuts down on the amount of heat generated; and changing old, incandescent light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp bulbs makes an enormous impact on electricity consumption.

Yes, light bulbs make a difference! Lighting accounts for as much as 20 percent of energy use. Compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs utilize 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, last ten times longer and provide the same amount of light. If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL, in one year it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes and would prevent the release of greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of about 800,000 cars.

Read on to learn twelve ways to save money in under an hour. Get more information on heating tips from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers or find out about geothermal heating and cooling for your home.

Businesses can benefit from deriving their power from alternative energy sources and using more efficient technology for lighting, heating, and insulation. Many businesses have undertaken lighting retrofits to save energy and money. Several, including the U.S. Navy, Wal-Mart, the New York Times, Holiday Inn, and Arizona State University have undertaken lighting retrofits, including light emitting diode (LED) lighting, according to Environmental Leader.
Lighting The Way

On Aug. 24, DOE allocated $6.2 million for researching and developing next generation energy-efficient lighting, including solid-state lighting such as LED lighting, which reduces electricity costs by 80 percent. One private sector company, LED Saving Solutions focuses on cost containment by offering $100 million in LED lighting retrofits at zero out-of-pocket expense to hospitals, schools , office buildings, manufacturing plants, warehouses, hotels and other businesses around the country and is also sponsoring a rebate program for organizations to trade in old light bulbs for efficient LED bulbs.

In September, Business Week reported that the LED market, while a small portion of the lighting industry, is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in the next 10 years.

“U.S. goals to improve new building efficiency by 50% and existing building efficiency by 25% over the next decade will lead more companies to turn to LED,” Business Week said. -greenandsave