Portland, Ore. -   October is Energy Awareness Month and the Bonneville Power Administration wants to arm consumers with some helpful tips that they can employ to save energy and reap the associated financial benefits. 

"With continued growth in our region comes more consumer demand for energy," said Mike Weedall, vice president of Energy Efficiency at BPA. "By adopting energy efficiency practices all of us can help use our energy sources more wisely, and save money on our energy bills at the same time."

             Here are some easy to accomplish measures you can take to save energy and money: 

• Lower your thermostat at night and when you are not at home. If possible, use a programmable thermostat so it's automatic. Every degree lower, can reduce your power bill 2 percent. 

• Switch to compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. They use a fourth of the energy used by regular bulbs. They also provide just as much light. It's especially important to replace halogen bulbs in torchiere lamps with CFLs because they use 70 percent less energy and produce more light! 

• Close your fireplace damper when there's no fire. Leaving it open is like having a 48-inch-square hole in your house. 

• Clean or regularly replace your furnace and heat pump filters-this helps them run more efficiently. 

• Make the "off" switch part of your habit. Turn off lights, computers and other electronic appliances when you're not using them. 

• Apply weather stripping to stop drafts around doors and windows. Beneath doors, install common draft guards available at most hardware stores. Add weather stripping to window and doorframes. 

            Other steps to consider:            

• Add energy-efficient showerheads and faucet aerators. These can reduce the amount of water released from a tap by up to 50 percent, which means less hot water needs to be heated.
• Insulate hot and cold water pipes. If pipes are exposed beneath your home, insulate them with special pipe-insulating foam, or tape a standard insulation blanket around them. Keep cold pipes from freezing and hot pipes hot. 

            Taking just some of these steps will help consumers save energy and money.  For more helpful tips on saving energy and making your home more energy efficient, visit BPA's Website at http://www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/ 

BPA is a not-for-profit federal agency that markets about 40 percent of the electricity consumed in the Pacific Northwest.  The power is produced at 31 federal dams in the Northwest and one nuclear plant, and is sold to more than 140 Northwest utilities.  BPA operates a high-voltage transmission grid, comprising more than 15,000 miles of lines and associated substations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.

 ###

---

 

 

printer friendly

- Powered by the PIER System -