A CALL TO ACTION

Welcome to our EARTH SAVERS webpage. AADC is committed to supporting environmental awareness. Each month author Jody Brady gives us information and tips on how to be more friendly to the environment. Your comments and tips are welcome. Scroll down if you would like to comment. Comments are curated and may not appear immediately.

Hot Town – Summer in the City
Let’s Protect the Grid!

Don’t lower your thermostat when it’s HOT out!

Leave that cooler temperature where you normally set it. Many people think that if they set their desired cool temperature very, very low, it will work faster. That is not true.

In fact, if you set your desired cool temperature very low, it strains your air-conditioner. That air-conditioner is already working harder than usual on hot days, so don’t push it even further! If you do that, your equipment is simply not going to last as long. Choosing an extra low setting also increases the energy you use (and pay for) to get to a cooler temperature. And it stresses the entire grid. This can lead to blackouts, especially if a large number of people are turning their settings way down.

Setting the air to go extra low is not going to cool your home any faster. A good cool temperature to aim for is 77 degrees. Not too cool, so there is no strain, but cool enough to feel comfortable.

When away from your home for extended periods of time, set your thermostat 5 to 10 degrees warmer than you normally would. When you adopt this practice, your annual energy savings are going to be substantial.

With most energy providers, you pay more for energy use at certain times of the day. With our local PG&E, you will pay peak pricing rates for whatever energy you use, from 4pm to 9pm every weekday. Those are the critical peak hours when demand is high. You can save money by setting your thermostat a couple degrees higher during that time. Or, perhaps you can get your home cooled at least part way down before the peak hours start.

Consider getting a portable air-conditioner as an economical way to cool your bedroom at night. You can have a cool bedroom, and at the same time, set the temperature higher for the rest of the house.

Remember to use these other energy savig techniques when cooling your home: