Counteract Skyrocketing Energy Bills
The Michigan Public Service Commission estimates that natural gas
prices will jump 40% this winter. In the past two years, Consumers
Energy customers have already seen their natural gas rates increase 73%
and Michigan Consolidated Gas Company (MichCon) customers are paying
50% more.
“Many
consumers have seen their annual natural gas bill increase by $300,
$500 or even more and its only going to get worse,” said Megan Owens,
PIRGIM Consumer Advocate. “One way consumers can fight back against
ever-increasing energy bills is by being smarter about energy use in
their homes.”
Change a Light, Change the World
Wednesday, October 5 is national Change a Light, Change the World day
and the kick-off to Energy Awareness Month. PIRGIM is joining the US
Environmental Protection Agency and the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality in urging people to change lights in their home
to an ENERGY STAR lights.
If
every American home took the "five light change" pledge, not only would
each family save more than $60 every year in energy costs, but our
nation would collectively keep more than one trillion pounds of
greenhouse gases out of our air.
Use Less Energy, Spend Less Money
The average family spends over $1,500 a year on energy bills, nearly
half of which goes to heating and cooling costs. Through common sense
actions and improved technologies, consumers can save hundreds of
dollars by using energy more efficiently. Not only will these actions
save consumers money each year, but they will also help reduce
pollution and reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels.
“This
is a great opportunity for consumers to both avoid high energy costs
and do the right thing for the environment,” said Owens. “Most
consumers want to save energy but don’t know what actions they can take
that really pay off.”
Five Simple Ways to Cut Home Energy Costs
1. Heat Smart Install a programmable thermostat and set it to
automatically adjust the temperature to meet your comfort needs
efficiently during different times of the day. A programmable
thermostat can save you $100 a year with decreased heating or air
conditioning of an empty or sleeping house.
2.
Simple Maintenance Check air filters every season and get your heating
and cooling systems professionally checked once a year. A dirty air
filter can increase your energy costs and lead to early equipment
failure.
3.
“Don’t Heat the Whole Neighborhood” If you feel cold air along the
edges of your windows and doors, you’re wasting energy and money. The
attic, basement, and unfinished rooms are generally the biggest
culprits for air leaks. Caulk and weather-strip around drafty doors and
windows. Consider new windows or clear plastic window insulators if you
have old, drafty windows.
4.
Change 5 Lights Replace your five most frequently used light fixtures,
or the light bulbs in them, with ones that have earned the Energy Star,
to save more than $60 each year in energy costs. Their up front price
is a bit higher, but they will use two-thirds less energy and can last
up to ten times longer.
5.
Look for ENERGY STAR Labeled Products When shopping for new appliances,
home electronics or other products, look for the Energy Star - products
that meet strict energy efficiency criteria set by the U.S. EPA and
Department of Energy. They use less energy, help prevent air pollution
and can reduce energy costs by 30 percent, saving the typical homeowner
$500 each year.
For more energy saving tips and other great information, visit www.energystar.gov, www.pirgim.org or call PIRGIM at 734-662-6597.
