Volume 3 Issue 27

October is Energy Awareness Month

Energy Efficiency Tips

October 20, 2011

October is Energy Awareness Month. As the weather grows colder, it's always good to take steps to reduce your energy costs. In this newsletter, I'll share some simple ways to lower your electricity bill.

Thank you for reading my newsletter. I appreciate hearing from you, so please stop by the office, call, write or email.

Mayor Bruce Botelho and I participated in a community discussion on nuclear policy and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

Heating and Temperature Control

ü  Reduce your heat when you're not home and at night while you're sleeping;

ü  Wear warmer clothes inside so you're comfortable with a lower temperature;

ü  Use a space heater in only the room you're hanging out in or reduce the heat in rooms you use infrequently;

ü  Check for drafts using the smoke of an incense stick, especially at windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures and attic doors;

ü  Apply plastic or hang blankets on doors and windows that aren't used in the winter to eliminate drafts and keep in the heat;

ü  Put weather stripping around windows and doors and if you've already got weather stripping, check to make sure it's still working;

ü  Use silicone, caulking or spray foam to fill in cracks, plumbing fixtures and other openings, including in the basement, you would be surprised how much heat is escaping through cracks that seem insignificant; and

ü  Crack your oven door while it's cooling down after you're done cooking to take advantage of that extra heat.

Lights, Appliances and Hot Water Use

ü  Turn off lights when not in use;

ü  Replace traditional incandescent bulbs with CFLs and LEDs;

ü  Unplug unused electronics as most use electricity even when turned off;

ü  Use power strips to cut electricity to electronics without having to unplug every time;

ü  If you're replacing old appliances, buy Energy Star appliances and choose a dryer that automatically shuts off when clothes are dry;

ü  Only open the fridge door when you know what you want;

ü  Set your fridge temperature between 36 and 38 degrees and your freezer temperature between 0 and 5 degrees;

ü  Maximize your laundry and dishwasher efficiency by only running full loads, using cold water when possible and air drying;

ü  Clear your dryer's vent and lint filter, both in the machine and outside the house;

ü  Reduce your hot water temperature to 120 degrees;

ü  Insulate your water heater; and

ü  Use a low-flow shower head or install a variable flow valve.

Two former interns stopped by my office to say hello. Natalie Hale is working on her medical degree and Tabitha Williams is a graduate of the University of Alaska and serves as the Senate Assistant Sgt. At Arms.

I Encourage Students to Consider an Internship in My Office

One of my greatest joys in serving in the Legislature is having the ability to work with so many wonderful and talented people. Over the years, I've worked with students from middle school through college and beyond. Whether they're participating in traditional internship programs, fellowships or programs they've designed themselves with school officials, my staff and I love to work with interns.