In 1991, President George H. W. Bush designated October as Energy Awareness Month. Since then, the White House and the U.S. Department of Energy have used the month to encourage and teach Americans to make their daily lives more energy efficient. This year's theme is "A Sustainable Energy Future: Putting All the Pieces Together." Here are a few simple ways you can put the pieces together in your home to conserve more energy:
Dining Room
Try Meatless Mondays. If the entire country stopped eating meat one day a week, we'd save 12 billion gallons of gas, and about 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water per pound of beef. If you can't give up your meat, try eating more fish and chicken. Beef is the least energy efficient meat on the market. Go to meatlessmonday.com for more information.
Bedroom
Unplug your electronics when they aren't in use or use a power strip. Even when your computer is off, if it's still plugged into the wall it's using phantom energy. Hang up thick curtains. They can help prevent heat from escaping your room. A thicker blanket in the winter will keep you warm and you won't have to turn up the thermostat. Kitchen When shopping for new appliances, check energystar.gov. The site ranks refrigerators, dishwashers and other appliances by their efficiency levels. Use a lid on your pots when cooking to reduce cooking time.
Garage
Drive less. Try carpooling with classmates and coworkers or using public transportation. Empty your trunk of any nonessential items and make sure you combine errands — don't drive all the way to Meijer just for a jar of peanut butter. Avoid letting your engine idle for more than 10 seconds by skipping the drive-thru and going inside.
Bathroom
Buy a low-volume showerhead. Older showerheads can use up to 7 gallons of water per minute. Low-volume showerheads use about 1.6 gallons per minute.
Closet
Buy less. Making and transporting clothes uses energy, so think twice about buying those jeans that look identical to the pair you already own. You can also shop at vintage and secondhand stores.
Garden
Look into buying or making a rain barrel. A lot of energy goes into making water drinkable — don't waste it on watering your plants or washing your car.
Laundry Room
Wash your clothes in 30-degree water. Turning the knob on your washer from hot to cold water will help you use about 40 percent less energy. For an interactive, visit ballbearingsonline.com Sources: energystar.gov; meatlessmondays.com; John Vann, associate professor of marketing
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
