September
5,
2008
Summer Savings: 6 Ways to Save Money and Stay Cool
By Olivia Zaleski
Feeling the burn in more ways than one this recession-riddled summer? Though your air is cool and conditioned, you're hot and bothered. Why? Record-high gas prices mean astronomical energy bills. According to the United States Department of Energy, 45 percent of our summer utility bill goes — unnecessarily — to cooling our homes. Then there's money wasted and heat generated from inefficient appliances, lightbulbs, and electronics. Get smart! Stop wasting money this summer. Instead, turn summer into the season of savings, saving money, the planet, and yourself from heat stroke.
Line-Dry
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laundry drying on the line
Take advantage of sunny days and line-dry your laundry. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American family devotes 5-6% of its energy bill to clothes-dryer heating coils.
Cool Right
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fan blowing on a woman
Open windows, use fans, and create a cooling cross-breeze. Or employ a muscular hunk to waft you with a gigantic palm frond.
Refrigerate Efficiently
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refrigerator
Give your refrigerator a fighting chance. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from the stove or dishwasher. Close blinds and curtains in the kitchen. See the difference on your energy bill.
Drive Less
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gas prices
Nicer weather offers no excuses. Walk, run, bike to work. You'll save money — a lot, with today's gas prices — and plenty of C02.
Advance Your AC
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air conditioner thermostat
If AC is a must, invest in a central air-conditioning unit with a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 14 or higher. You could reduce your carbon-dioxide emissions by more than 1,500 pounds a year.
Light Right
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cfl compact fluorescent lightbulb
Invest in compact fluorescent lightbulbs. They'll produce 60% less heat than incandescents, while saving you an average $180 per year (Source: Energystar.gov).
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