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  Energy Monitors: Seeing is Believing — and Saving

  Energy monitors make managing your power consumption enjoyable and easy to do. Read
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  9 Unexpected Energy (and Money) Savers

  Here are a few surprising and simple ways to cut your energy bill this season. Read
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  8 Easy Ways to Seal Air Leaks Around the House

  For what the typical family wastes every year on air leaks—about $350—you can plug energy-robbing gaps, start saving money, and enjoy a more comfortable home. Read

What you do is plug the device into the wall and then plug your electronic device into it.  It will then determine how much energy is being used by that electronic device.  Some devices use electricity even when they are turned off.   They are sometimes referred to as energy vampires.   You can save money on electricity by determining which devices you should unplug when not in use.  An alternative can be to plug the devices into a power strip that can be turned on and off.

I’ve read that cell phone charges can be a problem with using electricity even when a cell phone is not plugged in to them.  I checked ours and they are not a problem.   I have unplugged an older TV and a CD player that are rarely used.  They were both pulling electricity even when off.  Our Wii which is frequently left on even when not in use was pulling  power as well.  I tried turning it off and it was still using power.  So, I’m going to try to turn it off and unplug it when not in use. 

There were a few things that I going to leave plugged in.  The first is our water cooler.  It used the most electricity of the small electronics/appliances.  However, it costs about 14 cents per day in electricity and we go through a lot of water.  Our phones also use electricity but I’m going to leave them plugged in.  It is convenient to have them in several rooms of the house and the usage is small.

APS also offers discount programs – APS CFL Discounts.    They also have a  CFL light bulb Savings Calculator which allows you to calculate savings by room based upon the number of bulbs replaced and the type of lighting in that roonm

Another way to get free admission is to check out a Culture Pass at one of the local libraries.  This program covers a number of museums in the area, plus the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden.

October is Energy Awareness Month.   Here are some easy ways to reduce energy use in your home and save you money.

• Use a programmable thermostat to control the a/c and heat in your home.  Turn up the temperature during the summer during the times when you are away from home and do the opposite in the winter.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.  Remember that these bulbs must be disposed of properly when you are finished using them.  Ace Hardware locations that have SRP boxes for used CFL bulbs.
• Set your dishwasher to air dry the dishes instead of using the heat dry cycle.
• Turn off electronics when not in use including your computer and printer.  For TV’s and home entertainment centers, you can plug them all into one power strip.  Turn off the equipment then turn off the power strip because TVs and DVD players will still use power in standby mode.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
• Make sure your fireplace damper is closed when the fireplace is not in use.

For more energy-saving ideas:

Visit www.energysavers.gov

Visit the US Department of Energy’s Energy Savers Blog

SRP Customers – www.savewithsrp.com

APS Customers – call 602-371-3636

Manufactuerers’ Appliance Rebates – www.energystar.gov

Tax Credits

Chandler Public Libraries

Chandler Public Library Locations:

Downtown branch – 22 S Delaware St

Basha branch – 5990 S Val Vista Dr

Sunset branch – 4930 W Ray Rd

Hamilton branch – 3700 S Arizona Ave

The museums that are participating are: Arizona Museum for Youth, Arizona Museum of Natural History, Arizona Science Center, Bead Museum, Cave Creek Museum, Children’s Museum of Phoenix, Desert Botanical Garden (starting June 1), Heard Museum, Mesa Contemporary Arts, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Zoo, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, and Taliesin West.

More Information regarding The Culture Pass

Fix a Leak Week in Phoenix

The EPA’s Watersense site has lots of information on how to save water including information to consider if you are purchasing new toilets, faucets, or showerheads.