New Energy is about more than clean fuels and technologies. As consumers, we can do much to reduce demand. Since 1973, The Alliance to Save Energy confirms that energy efficiency and conservation measures have already cut energy usage by 40 percent.

“Energy efficiency can be achieved much more quickly than drilling for oil,” advises Peter Lehner of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “In the long term, it can reduce consumption, ease demand, and help to lower the price of fuel.”

Sometimes we just need innovative thinking. For example, this country times its 250,000 traffic lights so inefficiently (we got a “D” in a national report) that a University of Virginia engineering team concluded that we could save a billion gallons of gasoline a year (more than is saved by all the hybrids on the road) if we optimized the process. The answer lies in cities investing in smarter computer programming and equipment.

Following are five proven ways we can both support the planet and save money at home:

Make the Switch Lighting typically racks up 20 percent of a home’s electricity bill. The federal government’s Energy Star program confirms that compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 75 percent less energy than standard incandescents. They also last 10 times longer. For more, see www.energyStar.gov.

Drive Smarter Americans are finally transitioning from gas-guzzling pickups and SUVs to smaller cars and hybrids, with a target of 30-plus miles per gallon on the highway. A surprising number of worthwhile choices—from the Chevrolet Cobalt XFE to the tiny Honda Fit—meet or exceed that goal. Browse the mileage ratings at www.FuelEconomy.gov, and locate good choices at www.GreenerCars.org.

Then, stick to posted speed limits; drive less and carpool; and keep the engine tuned, filters clean, and tires properly inflated. Better yet, walk, bike and take public transportation.

Tighten Up In addition to old, inefficient appliances, much of the energy we pay for is going out windows, responsible for 30 percent of home heat loss. Locate home energy drains with an energy audit, available free through some utility companies. Or do it yourself, with online guides such as the calculator operated by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories at http://hes.lbl.gov.

Let the Sun Shine In More states now offer incentives for installing energy-efficient home energy systems, such as solar panels and small wind turbines. Credits can cover as much as half the purchase price, reducing payback periods to less than 10 years. For a database of state incentives for renewable energy and energy conservation, visit www.dsireusa.org.

Smaller Footprints Several online resources allow us to track our ‘carbon footprint’ and offer tips to help us reduce it. The Environmental Protection Agency has a good tool at EPA.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html. Another is provided by the Union of Concerned Scientists at http://go.ucsusa.org/calculator.html. For interactive illustration, visit www.Earthday.net/ecofootprint.

Even the best governments—if they do find a way of working together—can’t build a sustainable future without our help. Fixing our current energy crisis is a big job that will require everyone’s cooperation.

 

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