Environmental Science
Energy Resource Plan
Introduction
Energy conservation is important to the environment. You have probably heard that said on television and read it in the headlines a million times but you may not have thought about what it means for your family. The environment needs to be clean for our families. Less air pollution in the atmosphere means healthier kids and less asthma.
Noticing a difference in air pollution isn’t easy. But a cheaper electric bill would be a nice change and a good reward for saving energy. By conserving energy at home you will be saving money and have more to spend on other things.
Renewable and Non Renewable Energy
Renewable energy sources are all around us. Types of renewable sources include solar, geothermal wind and water. These resources don’t need to be dug out of the ground or hauled all over the world like non-renewable sources.
Methods to Conserve and Help the Environment
Heating is the biggest expense in a household budget. Tremblay at the Colorado State University Extension office reports that an average house spends 38% on heating each year (2011). If you want “maximum energy efficiency” set your thermostat at 68°F (Tremblay, 2011). A well-insulated house is a sure bet for energy coast savings.
Tremblay (2011) also reports an average house with no insulation and no special energy saving features wastes approximately 40% of the money paid on your bill. The waste is from things like leaked heat, wasted lighting or leaving electrical appliances on when no one is using them.
What you can do.
1. Keeping the lights off in empty rooms to saves more money than you might think. You can also use long lasting compact fluorescent bulbs in rooms where the light is usually on like in the kitchen. Long lasting bulbs cost more when you buy them but they really do last a long time. You can put motion sensors in your yard so outdoor lights turn off and on automatically.
2. Simple things can be done to cut down the heating bill. The more you do to keep the heat from leaking out of the house the more money you will save. Anywhere you feel a cold draft like around doorframes, electrical outlets and switches and even around outdoor water faucets. Every little bit adds up to a lot of savings.
3. Heating water costs a lot, too. When you change the setting from high down to 120°F you’ll save money. If your water heater is old an insulating wrap is a good idea. The best savings though would be to get a new water heater; your best savings would come if you purchase a model that has an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star approval rating (Tremblay, 2011). Solar water heaters are becoming more common even in states where you think there must be too many clouds.
Government efforts
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a lot of tips on its web site. On the Internet you can find a lot of ideas at www.energystar.gov.
At the Greening EPA page you’ll find a long list of the energy saving techniques the EPA uses. The EPA has to meet federal regulations, too. They build energy efficiency into new facilities and fix up old labs. They upgrade heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (EPA, 2011).
The agency also uses renewable and low tech emission technology whenever they can. So they are using photovoltaic cells, fuels cells, ground source heat pumps, solar heat walls and solar water heating (EPA, 2011).
These are choices we can make for our homes, too.
Conclusion
40% savings in a bill is a very good trade-off. None of us can afford paying for wasted energy. That’s why an energy efficient house makes common sense.
All that energy conservation involves is starting some new habits and fixing up the house.
Just making sure lights are turned off in empty rooms is a good habit to get into; and it’s easy to replace the light bulbs with energy saving bulbs.
A solar water heater can cut electric bills too. It costs something to install but over time using solar pays for itself.
If you are going to replace an old appliance look for a model rated energy efficient by the EPA’s Energy Star rating.
If we want our children to walk in our footsteps then we should leave them with an environment friendly footprint.
References
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Energy Conservation. Greening EPA. 16 Aug. 2011. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. Retrieved from
Tremblay, Jr., K.R. “Energy Conservation in the Home.” Colorado State University Extension. www.ext.colostate.edu. 29 Aug. 2011 Web. 9 Nov. 2011.
Energy Star. US Environmental Protection Agency. US Department of Energy. n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. Retrieved from
