 |
|
 |
Air/Energy/Climate
Energy/Climate
What can I do?
 Change 5 light bulbs. Per the EPA, if every U.S. household replaced 5 conventional light bulbs with bulbs that have the ENERGY STAR label, we would prevent more than 1 trillion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year. That could replace many of our old coal fired power stations.
- Clean or replace your air and heat filters and have your cooling and heating equipment checked for efficiency regularly.
- Perform an audit of your home’s energy use. Ask your local energy provider to conduct a free audit.
- Change the temperature that you think you need to maintain in your house. You’d be surprised at how much energy you save just by changing a couple of degrees.
- Consider energy-efficient washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators and other electrical devices the next time you replace them.
- Replace the older insulation or add more insulation to your home. Compare the cost of new insulation installation with the savings in energy over 10 years. Your local power company can help you develop those figures. Consider double or even triple glazing.
- The next time that you change your car, consider the engine capacity. North Carolinian’s spend at least $9 billion every year on imported oil. It would not be difficult to save $2 – $3 billion per year by driving cars with 20% more fuel efficiency. The savings could be spent in-state on other things (creating more wealth and jobs).
- If you live in a coastal community, ask questions of your local leadership about the wisdom of some types of beach development. Will it survive beach erosion, heavier storms, rising sea levels? How well prepared is the community for such changes? Who will pay for property damage in storm vulnerable sites?
|
 |
 |
