Schedule an Energy Audit, today! Do you have an Energy Hog?
Things You can do to slow climate change & sustain creation:
Drive less! Walk, bike, ride mass transit or carpool. Combine trips, routing to
reduce miles driven (trip chaining). With your next vehicle, choose a more
fuel-efficient car: Dump that V8, go from 6 to 4 cylinders. Take the Clear the Air Challenge! CONSIDER A HYBRID! Smaller cars are a great, easy cost, way to start. Here are tips for Improving Your Vehicle's Mileage (Tire Pressure, Air filter): http://geology.utah.gov/sep/energy_efficiency/gasoline/mileage_tips.htm Our poor air quality in Utah is tied both health issues and climate change!
* Choose the most energy-efficient appliances, especially major ones like refrigerators and AC. Insist on the EnergyStar label.... and if your oink refrigerator is older than 10 years, replace it!
* Buy "green power" like Blue Sky wind energy from your electric utility – if they don’t have it, ask why not!. Have at least your 8 most used light bulbs be CFL's or LED's (see below or go to our CFL page).* Do you fly more than 1 round trip a year? Consider offsetting your air miles!www.carbonfund.org has a great international tree planting program. Deforestation is serious!
* Remember the 6 "R's": RETHINK, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, REPURCHASE & REJOICE!
*Bring your own reusable bags for shopping. * Use cold water for washing clothes / dry less.
* Try not eating meat 2 additional meals each week....read The Climate Diet for more ideas.
*Use effective minimal yard watering; just you alone can save 10,000+ gallons of water a year and $$ toosee Water Wise Utah! Don't use fertilizers: they have been banned in Afganistan: we should too!* Take the "Energy Star Change a Light Pledge" today!
Guidelines for using Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL’s) or LEDs (try them!)
1. Buy them, use them, spread the word – they save you money many times their cost and help preserve creation and everything natural we often take for granted now.
2. CFL’s (unless labeled otherwise) won’t last long in dimmable or electronic (motion detecting) sockets. Dimmable CFL’s are available and are labeled such: GE and Philips have been proven to be the best.. Some LED's dim now - replace a bulb for $10 that will last 50 years (3 hours a day)!
3. CFL’s are best used in fixtures that are on for 15 minutes or longer. Thus, they are not ideal for closets, halls, motion detect lights or anywhere that they are on for just a few minutes at a time. LED bulbs do work here.
4. CFL's are perfect for rooms you spend a lot of time in. If you replace all those lamps you will likely see a decided reduction in your electric bill. Timed fixtures should be also a great use. CFL’s are not best used if there is a risk of breakage. If you break one, no worries: move the kids, open a window, and use a broom. There's <4 mg (not much) mercury in a CFL. More mercury is actually put into the air with a coal powered standard bulb. The old mercury thermometers had a 100 times more than a CFL does. Click here for even more CFL info.
5. If it is fluorescent and you will be back in 15 minutes leave it on (some manufacturers say 2 hours!). If it is incandescent or LED and you will be back in more than 3 minutes, turn it off!
6. For frequently asked questions about CFLs, mercury, disposal, and how to pick up the pieces if there is breakage, here is a very helpful link: LED's last 50,000 hours so it will be a while.
Something to think about:
The U.S.A. is only 5% of the world’s population, yet we consume more than 30% of the world’s energy. Each of us (on average) consume the same energy as 395 Ethiopians. We use more than twice as much energy as the average German. By using energy the way we do, we are doing an injustice to those in other, not so well-to-do parts of the world.
Utah URI
Interfaith Power & Light Action Center
Contact us to get one scheduled for your faith community...it can save thousands of $$$! How ours works: You email or call us to schedule an appointment. Ideally, a "building & grounds" person, faith leader, and/or green team person would be present & take some notes during the ~2 hour audit. We will do a write-up and email a report, catagorizing energy savings ideas:1. Easy to do / little cost 2. More effort / cost 3. Major Projects
Host a Reuse Round Up!
All you need is a large room and some tables!
Download a flyer to get started & learn more. We can help by spreading the word and offer ideas on what to do.
Is your refrigerator more than fifteen years old?
If so, your refrigerator is likely gobbling up your own or your congregation’s cash and burning extra energy resources that harm Creation! Consider an Energystar upgrade that gives relief to your operating budget and reduces your carbon footprint! Energy conservation is good stewardship!
