Many have described energy efficiency as the low-hanging fruit for reducing greenhouse gases as well as helping us cut our rising electric bills. In Washington, DC a couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to be in the room when new DOE Secretary Steven Chu described it as “fruit lying on the ground.”
Translation: Energy efficiency is the cheapest, fastest and cleanest source of energy and is available now. Consider that energy efficiency:
- is one of the few weapons we have in our aresenal that is cost-effective (it saves you money);
- reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves our electric reliability;
- includes technologies that already exist with more being developed for buildings, homes, transportation, power systems, and industry;
- holds great potential for creating lots of jobs, from plumbers to energy auditors, architects to air conditioning technicians.
Those of us who work in energy efficiency are happy to have the full support of the new presidential administration, but not everything happens at the national level. There are initiatives states and cities can undertake and things that individuals can do to reduce their energy consumption and lower their bills. Learn ways to save energy and money at home.