Fight the Light!

Don't leave lights on when no one is in the room. If you are going to be out of the room for more than five minutes, turn off the light.  If you know of a light that is everyone forgets to turn off, make a sticker or a sign to hang next to the switch that says "Lights Out!" or "Don't Forget!"  Where possible, use compact fluorescent light bulbs. Those funny-looking bulbs produce the same amount of light by using 1/4 of the electricity. Plus, they last for years and years without burning out.

Don't Leave Things Turned On

Turn off the TV when no one is watching it. The same goes for computers, radios and stereos - if no one using it, turn it off. Turn off all the appliances at the surge protector/control strip - that four- or six-plug extension chord that you plug all your computer things into. Some devices, like modems or other networking boxes are drawing small amounts of power all the time.

It's a Matter of Degrees!

For every degree you lower your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range, you'll save up to 5% on heating costs. In cold weather, wear warm clothing and have your thermostat set to 68 degrees or lower during the day and evening, health permitting. When you go to sleep at night, set the thermostat back to either 55 degrees. When you leave home for an extended time, set the thermostat at 55 degrees. That way, your family can save from 5 percent to 20 percent on your heating costs. (Don't do this, of course, if it will cause health problems for anyone in your family.)

Don't Heat the Great Outdoors!

Americans use twice as much energy as necessary to heat their homes. That accounts for a lot of wasted energy! Think about your curtains. Keeping the curtains closed on cold, cloudy days and at night helps block the cold outside air from getting inside.  You can also cover your windows with plastic for more coverage.  Don’t leave your doors open longer than needed.

In the Bathroom

Wasting water wastes electricity. Why? Because the biggest use of electricity in most cities is supplying water and cleaning it up after it's been used!  About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom.For example, you use about five gallons to seven gallons of water with every flush! A leaky toilet can waste more than 10,000 gallons of water a year. Wow!

Drippy faucets are bad, too. A faucet that leaks enough water to fill a soda bottle every 30 minutes will waste 2,192 gallons of water a year.  Please leave a message with Kelly to fix a leak as soon as you notice it.

Another simple way to save water AND energy is to take shorter showers. Simply reducing that lingering time by a few minutes can save hundreds of gallons of hot water per month for a family of four. Showers account for 2/3 of your water heating costs. Cutting your showers in half will reduce your water heating costs by 33 percent.

In the Kitchen

If you need to warm up or defrost small amounts of food, use a microwave instead of the stove to save energy. Microwave ovens use around 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens do. For large meals, however, the stove is usually more efficient.

Don't keep the refrigerator door open any longer than you need to. Close it to keep the cold air inside! Also, make sure the door closes securely. There is a rubber-like seal around the door that you can test. Just close the door on a dollar bill, and then see how easy it is to pull out. If the dollar slides out easily, the door is probably leaking cold air from inside.

What is happening to electricity in Oregon?

Last Updated on March 04, 2003

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