Can America Use Less Energy?
It's deceptively comforting, the warm glow of the suburbs after nightfall. But a fiend lurks where the light pours from the windows of too-often-empty rooms. The monster within is America's voracious demand for power; despite the threat to bank account and planet, we keep using more. The steps to tame electricity in the home are known but hard to manage in our technology-rich world. Workplace energy waste does nothing to bolster the economy, although creative ideas abound for battling the beast. A key move may be to give power companies rewards for efficiency. Leadership will be essential, but the politics of sacrifice doesn't play well. Individuals must take the first steps; a starting place is unnecessary consumption by computers. And if you must have new gadgets, look at those that help monitor energy use, curb it, and even generate clean power.
Putting Your Home on an Energy Diet
Simple steps with fast payback can cut family power bills
Energy Costs Around Your House
Heating is still No. 1, but new devices add to electric bills
Three Ways Businesses Can Save on Power
Factories and offices often waste energy needlessly
Conservation Can Mean Profits for Utilities
States are changing the rules of the game so that it pays power companies not to expand
Green, Not Sacrifice, Is the Political Word
Today's elected officials eschew sweaters and accentuate the positive
The PC's Dirty Little Secret: It Wastes Power Shamelessly
But you can buy Energy Star models—and turn them off, too
Small Moves You Can Take at Home to Conserve
These gadgets save power without breaking the bank
Reader Comments
Every can help make a difference...IF we work together!!!
Can American Use Less Energy?
By:Jorge
I agree with your article for the most part, however, I do not believe we should reward power companies for efficiency. The mere thought of bettering the economy and helping society should be enough of a reward. And if we, as an economy, were to hand out rewards, would the power companies be so willing to concede if the results were slow and the "prize" stopped coming? Would they feel obligated to help even if they were not making any real profit? I think not for America has become a cruel prison where big businesses and dirty money are in control. However, American citizens can help, should we all work together. America only makes up 5% over the world's population yet consumes more than 26% of the world's energy. Simple items that seem so advanced and fun are harming the earth more than we think. One power plant can give energy to 160,000 homes. Commercial ads show big screen television to be a "MUST HAVE" in every American home, yet if every American had 1 big screen television, it would take 17 power plants to give the appropriate energy needed. If every household were to have 2 computers, lap top or otherwise, it would account for the energy consumption of 19 power plants. Even something as minute as a digital picture frame in every American's home would account for 5 power plants, and, combining all these electronics, consume the energy of 41 POWER PLANTS!!! Why do we need so much technology?! There was a time when individuals had to work hard in order to maintain, yet now we are handed all these electronics that cause more harm then good. Not only does having this extent of technology harm the energy source, but also harms children. Many children are killed and/or kidnapped by predators online. The cell phone accounts for sexting and many fights due to the famous "so-and-so said this about you." Its ridiculous how we believe we can better the economy by throwing money at the issue!!! What we need to do is cut back on costs by helping the enviornment. Turn of the light and television when your not using it. Don't rinse off the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Do not preheat the oven unless it is absolutely necessary. Make sure your house is a light color if in a hot area and a dark color if it is in a cold area. Turn off the cell phone and computers at night, or, better yet, get rid of them and try doing things the old fashioned way. If teachers were to get rid of the computers in the school and have children write their work rather than type, it would help save ALOT of energy as well as reduce cheating abilities (however, it is obvious that cheating is always possible). We CAN use less energy if we all work together!!! Do you really want your grandchildren suffering for your laziness and lack of responsibility?!
in response to Jorge
I like that idea, I believe we need to go back to the old days in the 21st century. have that one days rest, and i mean everyone rest, every business rest, everyone and everything rest and not work, and not have 24 hr stores be 24 hr stores, when did we ever need that? thats a lot of energy at nighttime that is really unneeded.
What about Government?
I liked your article, but why not talk about our own government's need for an energy diet? Yes, when you look from high up you see a lot of lights, some coming from rooms that are not being used, but most of those lights come from Road Lighting. One has to wonder, why do we need our roads so well lit on a Monday at 2am? I would argue that with advances in car technology, inclyding Xeon lights, etc, we could at minimum turn off every other light post on our highways during non-peak hours, say Midnight to 5am Sunday-Thursday, and 3am to 5am Friday and Saturday. How much energy consumption would be save in doing just that, without (in my opinion) increasing any risk to the population? This is just one of many ideas that our government should explore to reduce its own energy consumption!
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