Energy Efficiency is extremely important as it not only has a positive benefit on our environment, it also helps you save money. If you increase the efficiency of your home, it directly reduces air pollution and lowers carbon emissions. The more efficient each home is, the lower the carbon footprint. Additionally, power plants are able to produce less electricity and therefore burn less fossil fuel.
Washington is ranked 3rd in the nation for total renewable energy production, and 34th for consumption of energy per capita. The Grand Coulee Dam alone can provide 4.2 million households with electricity for one year. In 2019, Washington generated the most electricity from hydropower of any state and accounted for 24% of the national annual utility scale hydroelectricity. Without hydropower, the state would rank 21st for renewable energy production.
Energy efficiency is best achieved by focusing on the largest segments of residential energy use; however, every little bit helps. With the ultimate goal of having a net zero energy home, even small changes make a big impact. If you can change the way you live, you can help change the world.
ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs are a simple and easy place to start making your home more energy efficient. If every American replaced just one light bulb with an LED, it would save enough energy to light three million homes a year – almost $600 million in yearly energy costs. If 300 million inefficient bulbs were replaced, we could save about $1.5 billion dollars in annual energy bills and prevent 17 billion pounds of annual greenhouse grass emissions.
56% of global warming pollution is estimated to come from energy generation and use. It is crucial to lay the foundation for, and invest in, a clean energy future today. The power grid in the United States restricts the flow of energy, limits consumer control, and often requires utility employees to physically check meters to measure usage. A modern grid would be more efficient, make better use of renewable energy sources and harness digital tools to track usage and quickly detect and resolve problems.