Saving money and energy

By Patricia Gerhardt

KSU River Valley Extension

Saving money and energy can—and should—go hand in hand. Plus, the following energy-saving tools will also help the environment. So the following techniques are a win-win-win for all of us!

The first tip, to air-dry your dishes rather than using the dishwasher’s dry cycle is easy enough. Simply stop the dishwasher before it enters the drying cycle. Are you in the habit of using a timer and/or motion detector to turn off unnecessary lights? What about your computer and monitor? Plugging those into a power strip makes it simple to turn the power off. Make sure, too, to unplug your tv/entertainment system when going out of town for an extended period of time. Do you leave your cellphone charger plugged in all day—even when your phone is not charging? Why? All it’s charging during that time is your energy bill.

Water heaters are the second highest source of energy use in the home. By lowering its thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll not only save energy, you could prevent someone from getting a nasty burn. Are you in the habit of washing partial loads of clothing and/or dishes? Most washing machines can be set to do smaller loads but you don’t have that option with dishwashers. So, fill it up before pressing the ‘start’ button.

Now that we’re getting into cooler weather, when was the last time you had your heating system checked by a professional? What about changing the furnace, heat pump and AC filter? If you can’t remember, it’s probably time to change the filter. (I didn’t think it’d been ‘that long’ since mine was changed. Wrong! When I pulled it out, it was beyond a little dirty.) Dirty air filters not only increase energy costs but can shorten the life of the equipment itself.

As ‘old-school’ incandescent lightbulbs burn out, replace them with new, light emitting diode bulbs. These bulbs use less energy and last up to 12 times longer. Consumers report by converting to these lightbulbs, they save about $90 a year in electricity costs. True, LED bulbs do cost more up-front, but shop around. The prices are dropping.

When shopping for new products or appliances, check out the ENERGY STAR label. They meet strict new energy efficiency criteria that will reduce your utility bills and help the environment. For example, ENERGY STAR washing machines use approximately 40 percent less water and 25 percent less energy than standard models.

We all need to do our part to be better consumers. Doing so will put more money in our pockets and cleaner air and water in our environment.