Go Green

Here are ten tips to help you go green in the year ahead.

1. Replace your HVAC filter
When was the last time you replaced your filter? If you can’t remember, there’s a good chance that it is time to replace it. Generally, these need to be replaced every three months, but factors such as having pets, climate and age of your system can cause this to vary.

2. Install a smart thermostat
A smart thermostat can add convenience, generate savings and help you go You can set it to adjust your home’s temperature depending on your schedule, and many thermostats can detect when no one is home and automatically reduce use. Incentives and deals are often offered by utilities — be sure to check with yours.

3. Analyze your energy bill
Review past bills to better understand your energy consumption patterns. Understanding these patterns can help you decide when to run appliances, whether to pursue energy efficiency upgrades and how to start reducing your usage.

4. Cut energy use during peak hours
In the springtime, the peak hours for electricity tend to be in the evenings. Consider going out to a park, restaurant or theater during this time to lower your electricity usage.

5. Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances
Look for appliances that are ENERGY STAR-certified. These appliances use 10 to 15% less energy and water than standard models, according to Energy.gov.

6. Look for energy savings rebate programs for solar, battery storage or electric vehicles
This could be your year to go electric or solar! Many utilities and government programs offer rebates and incentives to help make these technologies more accessible.

7. Consider going geothermal for your heating and cooling needs
Geothermal systems are literally powered by the Earth. These systems heat and cool your home using a piping system, referred to as a loop. Water circulates in this loop to exchange heat between your home, the ground source heat pump and the earth. There can be significant start-up costs, so see what incentives are offered in your area. There are also collective buying programs to help reduce initial costs through competitive bulk pricing.

8. Assess your home’s solar potential
How much of your roof is suitable for solar panels? Are there deals to make installation affordable? What energy savings could you receive? Find answers to these questions to discover if this is your time to go solar. Search for solar calculators, check with your utility or reach out to vetted companies for assessments and quotes.

9. Sign up for community solar
If you can’t install solar panels because you rent, don’t have a sunny roof or if it’s too expensive, you could benefit from community solar programs. Residents subscribe to a community solar farm and pay the owner for their portion of the electricity produced. The owner reports the output of each subscription to the utility. The utility then adds credits to the subscriber’s electric bill to equal the output. Check if these are offered in your area.

10. Learn about Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
If you’re interested in sourcing your energy from renewable sources, consider purchasing RECs. These are tradable, non-tangible commodities that represent 1 MWh of electricity that was generated from a renewable energy source and then put into the power system. When you purchase RECs, you are supporting the production of renewable energy. Check with your utility to see if it has a RECs program.