Make energy conservation your New Year’s resolution!

Dec 17th, 2007 5:38 AM

Shed extra kilowatts in 2008 To everyone who answered my call to use less electricity in 2007, thank you. We reduced our electricity use significantly, and to get the specific details on our progress, please see my 2007 Annual Report, Taking Action, at www.conservationbureau.on.ca. But there’s much more we can do to reach our provincial goal of saving an additional 1,350 megawatts by 2010, so here’s some ways to do so. Here are 10 easy tips to get you started: • Turn off the lights in an empty room. Replace the old, incandescent bulbs in your home with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs whenever possible; they use 75 percent less electricity and last much longer than incandescent styles. Consider solar powered lights, timers or motion sensor equipped light fixtures for outdoor security • Use a power bar with a timer to automatically shut off electric appliances that are not being used, and purchase ENERGY STAR appliances – their savings add up. • Dispose of the old “energy hog” fridge in the basement which is wasting both space and energy. The fridge you bought in 1975 costs about four times as much to run as a new ENERGY STAR model. Is the temperature of your refrigerator and your freezer set for only as cold as you need? Defrost your manual- defrost freezer regularly to ensure it operates at maximum efficiency. • Have your home assessed by an energy audit expert. Homeowners interested in making energy efficient changes to their home may be eligible for provincial and federal retrofit grants. To find a local energy auditor go to: www.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-home-improvement. Weather stripping and caulking around windows, ducts and doors can cut your heating bill by 10 percent. • Defend the purchase of that stylish new sweater by using it as a reason to keep your thermostat set lower in the winter. For every degree you lower the heat, you’ll save up to 5 percent on your heating cost. Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat of your home when you are not there and warm it prior to your return. • A dirty furnace filter reduces air flow and makes your furnace work harder; clean filters can save up to 5 percent of energy use. Clogged lint traps on clothes dryer also waste energy by reducing the efficiency of the unit. Use special tape to seal leaky heating ducts and keep heat going to where it is needed. • Take a quick shower instead of a bath; a typical bath uses about 75 litres of hot water, while a five-minute shower with a low flow showerhead you will use about half that amount. • Wrap your electric water heater and reduce energy use by 8-10 percent with an easy to install “tank insulating blanket,” available at hardware and building supply stores. Foam sleeves that cover and insulate the heated water pipes exiting you water heater are very easy to install. • Wash your clothes in cold or warm water. Did you know that 85-90 percent of the energy used by washing machines is used to heat the water? If you are buying a new clothes washer, check out front- loading models, which cost a little more but use about half the water of conventional washing machines. When the weather is right, use an outdoor clothesline to dry laundry. Clothes dryers account for about 6 percent of household energy use in Ontario. • Use energy-saving small appliances, like an electric kettle, toaster oven, or microwave whenever possible. Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load, and use the energy-saving cycle. -30- The Ontario Power Authority creates and implements conservation and demand management programs, ensures adequate investment in new supply infrastructure, performs long-term, electricity system planning. The Chief Energy Conservation Officer and the Conservation Bureau are part of the OPA, and work toward promoting a culture of conservation throughout the province (www.powerauthority.on.ca and www.conservationbureau.on.ca) For high resolution photos, or to arrange an interview with Mr. Love, please contact: Jonathan Laderoute, e|c|o, 416-972-7401, laderoutej (a) huffstrategy.com Don Huff, e|c|o, 416-972-7404, huffd (a) huffstrategy.com

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Make energy conservation your New Year’s resolution!

Dec 17th, 2007 5:38 AM