2008 Holiday Gift Guide
a discovery company

Green Your Home for Winter: Where To Start

Lloyd Alter, Toronto

No Image

By Lloyd Alter
Toronto, Canada | Sun Mar 23 17:21:00 EDT 2008

carbon%20emissions%20household.jpg


Unknown.

READ MORE ABOUT:
Energy | Saving Energy | Water | Windows

So many guides to saving energy tell you what to do; they might say insulate your walls or change your windows, but they don't tell you what the cost-effectiveness of each action really is. That's why we love the Cool Citizens Guide from the Rocky Mountain Institute; it not only advised what to do but determined the cost in dollars per ton of carbon dioxide saved so that you can decide which action is most effective for you.

As an example, changing your windows is really expensive relative to the amount of carbon saved, coming out at $133.88 per ton of carbon saved, whereas changing to a programmable thermostat is relatively cheap to do but yields big results, coming in at $ 9.34 per ton of carbon saved. Given how much energy prices have risen in the last five years, these numbers are low but the relative relationship is what's important. Of course, the best things in life are free, so we will start with those:Household Carbon Emissions:

1. Lower water heater temperature to 120°F
2. Increase AC thermostat by 3°F
3. Wash clothes in cold water
4. Air dry clothes during summer
5. Turn off unneeded lights

Just taking these free actions will save 1600 pounds of carbon per year. Download the PDF at ::Rocky Mountain Institute

Difficulty level: Easy

 
  • email
  • digg
  • share
  • print
helpful article? vote for it
{ }
close window

CLOSE X

 

comments on this article

view all post a comment

 
 
 
 
 

how to go green

View All

Votes

How to Go Green: Home Electronics
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Home Buying
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Home Heating
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Electricity
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Rental Properties
  COMMENTS

{}

How to Go Green: Weddings
  COMMENTS

{}

 
Greensburg image
 

tv schedule

view all

On Now

On Tonight

 
Channel Finder Planet Green
 

buying guides

View All

Votes

Buy Green: East Coast Beer
  COMMENTS

{}

Buy Green: Thanksgiving Turkey
  COMMENTS

{}

Buy Green: Desktop Computers
  COMMENTS

{}

Buy Green: Laptop and Notebook Computers
  COMMENTS

{}

 

today on planet green

view all

Votes

recent
discussed

Use These Green Time Savers for the Holiday Season
POSTED  3 Dec 2008.  COMMENTS

{ }

Throw a Green Cookie Exchange Party
POSTED  3 Dec 2008.  COMMENTS

{ }

World's Greenest Homes Episode: Eco Manor
POSTED  9 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Emeril Green Episode: A Meal to Remember
POSTED  10 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Stuff Happens: No Butts for Mother Nature (Video)
POSTED  11 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Go Paperless for Thanksgiving Dinner
POSTED  25 Nov 2008. 4 COMMENTS.

{2}

Buy Green: East Coast Beer
POSTED  18 Nov 2008. 3 COMMENTS.

{3}

World's Greenest Homes Episode: Chicago House
POSTED  25 Nov 2008. 9 COMMENTS.

{13}

Pass Up Fast Food on Road Trips
POSTED  24 Nov 2008. 3 COMMENTS.

{3}

Replace Risky Hot Dogs with Grass-Fed Franks
POSTED  19 Nov 2008. 2 COMMENTS.

{5}

 
 
 

Ads by Google