Mercury Dropping, Power Use Rising? A Tip to Cut Your Bill (and Emissions)

Here's a tip to cut down your winter power bill. Set your house to 68 degrees during the day and turn it down when you're going to bed. If you're leaving the house, turn it down to 55 degrees. For every degree you lower your heat, you'll save three percent in energy costs.

Or better yet, as Professor Robert Farr explains, you could install a programmable thermostat:



On top of the energy savings, there's a global warming benefit. By one estimate, every home that monitors its thermostat can cut its household greenhouse gas emissions 300 pounds annually!

Monday: Arlington Green Living Gala

Coming up on Monday:

The Arlington Green Living Gala!
Monday, Nov. 26^th, 7–8:30pm

Join Arlington County leaders for an environmentally friendly celebration to premier the documentary Upclose: FreshAIRE and present the Green Living Challenge Awards to Arlington’s greenest residents and neighborhoods. The festivities will celebrate Arlington’s efforts to reduce emissions and honor Arlingtonians committed to protecting our environment. Meet and learn from your neighbors who are leading the way in greening their homes and lifestyles. Special guests will include Paul Ferguson, Arlington County Board Chairman, the Green Living Challenge winners and Professor Rob Farr, the rakish and affable star of the Fresh AIRE Tips Free. Refreshments will be served.

Courthouse Plaza County Administrative Building
2100 Clarendon Blvd., 3^rd Floor, Arlington, VA

Hope to see you there!

Cut Your Power Bill in 45 Seconds

The Arlington Virginia Network (AVN) has posted a series of segments featuring Professor Robert Farr to the AVN YouTube page. Below is one of the best ones, featuring tips on how to cut your power bill. However, I must give you this warning -- I've had the Professor Farr jingle stuck in my head all day:



I've already installed power strips, helping cut my power bill 10%. And just recently, I went one step further environmentally, buying renewable energy.

The Professor Farr segments are all worth watching, partly for the environmental tips, but mostly for the campy humor. It's vaguely reminiscent of the Jim "The Hammer" Shapiro commercials that kept us entertained back in my college days in Syracuse.

Cross-posted from What's Up Arlington