Saving Energy At Home

Ever since Sara was a child, she has made a conscious effort to conserve resources and recycle materials. Sara carried these values into adulthood and today saves both energy and money by using energy conservatively in her home.

On a regular basis, Sara maintains a list of energy and cost-saving actions in her home:

• Keeps her home regularly at 80 degrees and only uses her air conditioner after a few days of 100 degree or higher temperatures.
• Opens doors and windows at night to allow fresh air in.
• Uses ceiling fans to help cool her home.
• Wears more layers instead of turning on the heater, uses it minimally, and keeps it set at 68 degrees.
• Does laundry at night or early morning to avoid peak energy use hours.
• Only runs washer with full loads and uses cold water.
• Hangs her clothes to dry outside in warm weather and on a drying rack when its cooler

When it came time to remodel her home, she:

• Chose products that would complement her environmentally-friendly efforts.
• Installed double-pane windows that will save energy and minimize heating and cooling costs.
• Installed a cool roof.

In addition to all of these efforts, Sara walks and rides her bike whenever possible. She recycles books, magazines and even clothes by donating them to charities. Whether doing laundry or the dishes, Sara uses earth-friendly products and detergents. She eats local and organic foods and prides herself on living a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, inside and out. Sara adds, "It is easy to get in the habit of doing our part to reuse and help the environment. Anyone can do it! A little effort by each person can make such a huge difference."