Tame High Winter Energy Costs This Holiday Season

RISMEDIA, Nov. 3, 2008-High home heating and other energy costs need not dim your holiday cheer this year. The Alliance to Save Energy’s energy-efficient holiday tips can help take the “chill” out of the holiday season by lowering home and vehicle energy bills, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions-and even spark some gift ideas.

Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday travel. “Over the River and through the Snow to Grandmother’s House We Go” often means a road trip to either get there or a rental car on the scene. Although volatile gasoline prices have sharply slid, now is not the time to slack off from those smart money- and gasoline- saving tips that can save you hundreds of dollars a year. For extensive basic tips as well as specific road trip and vehicle rental tips go to the Alliance’s Drive $marter Challenge website direct tips and vacation link at http://drivesmarterchallenge.org/money-saving-tips/Default.aspx

Teach personal finance to your children in these difficult economic times – conduct a home energy audit together. Locate everywhere that you are needlessly wasting energy AND money. Minor changes can capture precious dollars that could be better spent for other needs. Conduct a scavenger hunt together to locate “Energy Hogs” http://www.energyhog.org/pdf/ScavengerHunt.pdf . Also, locate “Energy Vampires” in this Halloween timeframe that continue using energy when idle/turned off-http://www.energyhog.org/adult/pdf/vampire_hunt.pdf

Honey, what you mean that you got me insulation for my holiday present? There’s some good news this holiday season. You can make home improvements that keep your family toasty-and get a tax credit to boot. Add insulation, sealing, high efficiency windows, and a number of other efficient products and not only reduce your monthly energy bills but also save up to $500 on your federal income taxes for certain improvements made after January1, 2009. Details at www.ase.org/taxcredits.

Be an “Energy Star” with other energy-saving presents. Electronics, home office equipment, appliances and other products with the ENERGY STAR label-the federal government’s symbol of energy efficiency-not only make great holiday gifts but can also cut related home energy bills by up to 30%.

Lower electricity costs and increase safety with LED holiday lights. LED technology (Light Emitting Diode) for holiday lighting is a smart choice. They use 10 times less energy than incandescent mini lights, 100 times less energy than standard bulbs, last more than 50,000 hours, and are safer because they’re virtually indestructible and cool-safe to the touch and eliminate fire concerns. They are easily strung and don’t overload a typical household electrical circuit. If a bulb burns out, other bulbs will stay lit, so you can easily replace the bad bulb.

Further maximize holiday lighting savings with timers. Limit light displays to no more than six evening hours daily. Leaving lights on 24 hours will quadruple your energy costs-and create four times the pollution. Also, untended incandescent lights can cause fires, so always unplug your interior holiday lights before going to bed or leaving the house.

Unplug the video games and turn off the millionth broadcast of It’s a Wonderful Life – and read your favorite holiday story instead. Your children may appreciate your attention and time, and you will be saving energy in the process.

Pay the local kids to shovel your driveway. Better to give them some extra spending money than to use it towards the purchase of a smog-producing, gas-guzzling snow blower.

In the spirit of Kwanzaa-the African-American spiritual week of remembering, reassessing, recommitting, and rejoicing -reassess your power consumption, recommit to energy-efficient practices, and rejoice in the savings.

Once you’ve lit the Chanukah menorah, spin a dreidel by candlelight – it uses no energy! By the eighth night, you may not need any electric lights at all!

No roasting chestnuts over an open halogen torchiere! It can burn hot enough to cause a fire, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Instead, give yourself the gift of an energy-efficient ENERGY STAR-certified torchiere lamp, for a brighter, thriftier, safer holiday.

Strap on those cross-country skies or roller blades or ride your bike to tour the neighborhood holiday decorations. It’s a great way to work off extra holiday calories and cut down on your gasoline costs, too. Also, don’t leave your door open to carolers and lose precious heat. Instead, turn off the TV and electronics and join in the fun. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors, too!

For more information, visit http://www.ase.org/