You may have heard the term “energy efficient” being thrown around a lot lately, especially if you are in the middle of building a new home or upgrading some of your old, outdated appliances. On the surface, everyone can agree that saving energy is important, especially when you know it saves you money, too. But what does energy efficiency really mean, and why is it important for our planet?
Definition of “Energy Efficient”
Appliances, homes, or machines that are “energy efficient” get the same job done with less power. They create less waste, use less energy (be it electricity, fuel, water, or gas), and save the consumer and their locality a great deal of money.
What Happens When We All Use Energy Efficient Products
Most citizens of our world could give you one or two ways that they try and “help the environment,” be it taking public transportation or carpooling, not using disposable eating products, or turning the water off when they brush their teeth. Most people probably do a few energy-saving things without even thinking about it!
However, using energy-efficient appliances is one of the most cost-effective, fastest ways to save everyone money, lower greenhouse gas emissions, improve the job market, and keep up with the exponential demand for energy that is growing with our population and tech-savvy world.
When people are intentional about saving energy, the environment is bettered because less fuel, water, and electricity are pulled from natural resources. The entire system benefits by lowering the overall power demand, which means that there is not as much of a need for new infrastructure.
The economy is bolstered because families pay less money in utilities, jobs are created in the energy service industry, and prices are stabilized. There is also less economic risk for those who have utility investments in their portfolios, as prices for electricity and fuel are more stable.
How You Can Help
Now that you know why saving energy is important, let’s break down what you can do.
No matter where you live, whether you’re a homeowner or renter, you can upgrade your appliances to energy-efficient machines (even LED bulbs and advanced power strips make a big difference!). Programs like Mass Save® offer rebates and incentives to help you on your journey.
Write to your local government agencies to make sure that they are doing everything they can to help save energy in your locality. Energy costs often encompass a great deal of the operating budget of a town, so if your government is saving energy, it could save your family and community money in the long run, too. These organizations include water and waste management facilities and electric, gas, and fuel companies.
There are probably many non-profit organizations and energy-efficiency alliances in your area that are already beginning to do this work. Mass Save, for example, offers paid internships to help bring new talent into the energy sector and provide real-world training for an important new trade. Reach out to see how you can help.
Saving energy is a job for all of us! If we all band together with small improvements, it will make a world of difference.
Call (781) 309-7540 or contact us to get started with a no-cost Mass Save® home energy assessment.