Step 4 - Electricity Usage

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With more and more press about energy saving, people are starting to understand that the production of electricity can cause air pollution. Coal fired electricity generators are the worst, but natural gas generators also emit carbon dioxide, which is the primary greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. There are several things you can do to reduce your electricity usage depending on how green you want to be.

The ultimate step in reducing your carbon footprint is to switch to electricity produced from 100% renewable energy. Companies such as Bullfrog Power charge a higher rate for the electricity (about $1 per day), but by reducing your electricity usage, the cost difference can be lowered.

Energy conservation is in the news frequently, with tips to switch your traditional incandescent light bulbs to LED light bulbs, turn off the lights you are not using, and using power bars to turn off your computer. These tips are great, but what changes will make the biggest impact? The answer is different for every workplace and household - it depends on how you use electricity. If you measure all the appliances and devices you use, even when they are turned off, you will be able to better understand what to change. To measure electricity usage, you will need a watt reader device to plug the appliances/devices into before plugging them into an outlet.

In general refrigerators are the largest energy consuming appliance, and the older the model, the worse the performance.