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Berkeley, CA
May 21, 2012 - May 23, 2012
Pacific Grove, CA
August 12, 2012 - August 17, 2012
Sacramento, CA
November 12, 2012 - November 14, 2012

Consumer Resources

Energy Saving Tip:

 

Set your thermostat back (forward) when you can accept cooler (warmer) conditions, such as night time or whenever you leave your home for several hours.

Keep your tires properly inflated. For every 3 pounds below recommended pressure, fuel economy goes down by about 1 percent.

Replace aging, inefficient appliances. Even if the appliance has a few useful years left, replacing it with a top-efficiency model is generally a good investment.

In addition to making your car or truck last longer, replacing the oil and oil filter regularly will help fuel economy. Check your owner's manual for specific guidance.

Dry multiple loads of laundry consecutively. You’ll take advantage of the residual heat from the previous load.

Install occupancy sensors if you (or your kids) are always forgetting to turn off lights.

Combine trips. Warmed-up engines and catalysts generate much less air pollution, so combining several short trips into one can make a big difference.

Schedule an energy audit for more expert advice on your home as a whole.

Check the age and condition of your major appliances, especially the refrigerator. You may want to replace it with a more energy-efficient model before it dies.

Keep your refrigerator/freezer in a cool location (i.e. not next to the stove or in the garage).

Help your air conditioner work more efficiently by using CFLs and running the dishwasher and clothes dryer at night.

Replace 60-100W incandescent lights that you use several hours each day with CFLs.These lamps can save 75% of the energy used by incandescents.

Have very leaky windows? If buying new energy-efficient windows isn’t in your budget, use weatherstripping and consider adding storm windows.

Get a tune-up. Whether you do it yourself or go to a mechanic, a tune-up can increase your fuel economy. Follow owner's manual guidelines.

Collect your utility bills. Separate electricity and fuel bills. Target the biggest bill for energy conservation remedies.

If your walls aren't insulated, have an insulation contractor apply blown-in insulation (cellulose or fiberglass) to the walls.

Start using energy-saving settings on refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes dryers.

Try to anticipate stops and let your car coast down. Braking and accelerating hard leads to increased pollution, wasted gas, and worn-down brakes.

Clean or replace furnace, air-conditioner, and heat-pump filters to improve efficiency.

Take a load off. Carrying around an extra 100 pounds reduces fuel economy by about 1 percent. Take a few moments to unload your cargo area.

Avoid "jack rabbit" starts and aggressive driving. A second of high-powered driving produces about the same carbon monoxide as a half hour of normal driving.

Have your heating and cooling systems tuned up in the fall and spring, respectively.

Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You'll not only save energy, you'll avoid scalding your hands.

Follow the speed limit! Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will lower your fuel economy by about 10%, and can dramatically increase tailpipe pollution.

When possible, plan your trips to avoid rush hour. Stop-and-go driving burns gas and increases emissions of smog-forming pollutants.

Unplug or use power strips to cut off energy to electronics that are not in use. Anything with a power brick, indicator light, or remote control uses energy even when “off”.

Refrigerators with side-by-side fridge and freezer doors (even ENERGY STAR models) tend to be much less efficient than models with the freezer on top.

Use your car's vents and open windows to cool off before you turn on the AC; AC use increases fuel consumption and NOx emissions in some vehicles.

Buy low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and compact fluorescent light bulbs to save on lighting and water heating energy.

Crawl into your attic and inspect for insulation. If there is less than R-30 (11” of fiberglass or 8” of cellulose), you could probably benefit by adding more.

Baking 1 or 2 potatoes? Use the microwave or toaster oven instead of heating up the whole oven.

Use regular gasoline unless your owner's manual says otherwise. High-octane fuels improve neither fuel economy nor performance.

Insulate hot water pipes and ducts wherever they run through unheated areas.

Use overdrive gear at cruising speeds. When driving a manual transmission, shift up as soon as possible. Higher gears decrease fuel use and engine wear.

Buy low-rolling-resistance (LRR) replacement tires. Switching to a typical set of replacement tires lowers a vehicle's fuel economy as much as 4 percent.

Seal up the largest air leaks in your house—the ones that whistle on windy days, or feel drafty. These holes may add up to as much as an open window or door!