2120 Milvia Street, 2nd Floor, Berkeley, CA 94704
TEL: (510) 981-7439, TDD: (510) 981-7474
Office Hours: Mon-  Fri 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Email: Energy@ci.berkeley.ca.us

Ten New Things you can do to save  
Money, Energy and the Environment! 

Here are ten simple changes you can make that will make a difference in your energy bill while saving you money, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (Includes a Bonus Tip at the end!)

1. Use reflective metal rings under your stove’s burners:  get rid of the black burner reflectors under your stove’s burners – whether you have a gas or electric stove.  Those black reflectors actually absorb the heat from your burners and do two things – lengthen your cooking time, and make your entire stovetop hotter.  A shiny reflector beneath your burners will reflect the heat up, cutting cooking time dramatically, saving money and energy, and making your stovetop cooler and safer to touch.  If you can’t find shiny reflectors the right size for your stove, use aluminum foil.  It makes the stove easier to clean and it can be easily replaced.
2. Use rechargeable batteries, and keep a solar batter charger on hand.  This will cut down on the number of batteries you need to buy, and by having a solar battery charger, you will be assured of having a steady supply of batteries in the event of a power failure.
3. Wash all your clothes and linens in cold water.  Very few fabrics these days require hot or even warm water to get them clean. A decent detergent, along with washing soda and ammonia will rid clothing and linens of bacteria and dirt.
4. Turn your refrigerator and freezer settings down to “B’ or “2”.  Ice cream doesn’t have to be rock-hard!  Manufacturers automatically set their refrigerators up high to start with, ensuring that the refrigerator will reach a cold temperature quickly for the buyer.  Few people stop to turn the refrigerator down to a lower setting, and end up paying for a lot of wasted electricity.
5. Use a solar dryer (clothesline) when possible; and if not be sure to keep your dryer’s lint filter clear of debris.  A clogged filter means the air isn’t circulating well, and will lengthen the time needed to dry your laundry.  While your checking your filter, check the dryer setting – you may be able to use a shorter drying time if you have a newer washing machine that wrings more of the water out of the clothes.  If your dryer has a moisture sensor, use it!  It should shut the dryer off automatically when the clothes are dry, saving energy and money.
6. Never add wet clothes to a partially dried load of clothes.  It will spread the moisture out to the other clothes, lengthening your drying time.
7. Set your water heater at the “normal” or slightly below the normal setting, to no higher than 120 degrees F.  The best way to test if your water heater is too high:  if you have to add cold water to your shower, then the temperature can be lowered.  This will also prevent scalding should someone turn on the cold water elsewhere in the house while you are showering.
8. Caulk around your doors, windows and any pipes under sinks or floors.  This will reduce drafts, save heat, make your home much more comfortable, and has the added benefit of eliminating gaps where pests such as ants and other insects can enter your home.
9. Get rid or Phantom Power losses – appliances and equipment that uses energy even when they’re turned off.  The easiest way to identify these is to look for an LED light that remains on after you’ve switched the equipment off.  Many modems, including cable modems, cell phone chargers, televisions, DVD players, VCRs, stereos, etc. – especially those that can be turned on using a remote control – all use phantom power.  To eliminate this energy loss, plug these into a power strip, and turn the strip off.  You may need to use a couple power strips, and be sure to place them in a convenient spot so you will be able to use them easily.
10. Learn more: read a book about the environment, or about endangered species.  There are hundreds of them, even for children. Below is a short list of some excellent ones:
1. The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss
2. Reason for Hope, by Jane Goodall
3. The Consumers Guide to Effective Environmental Choices, by Michael Brower & Warren Leonard 
4. Earth in the Balance, by Vice President Al Gore
5. Our Ecological Footprint, by William Rees, & Mathis Wackernagel

BONUS Tip!  Keep your car's tires inflated to their proper pressure.  The tire's PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) is listed on the side of the tire in raised letters.  A single tire under-inflated by even 5 pounds can reduce your mileage by as much as 4% per gallon.  So, a car that gets 30 MPG with properly inflated tires would drop to 28.8 MPG with only one tire under-inflated.  Check your tires weekly, and keep a tire gauge in your glove compartment for convenience.  

You can also purchase economical tire inflating equipment that plugs into your car's lighter socket.  This can help you in the event of an emergency flat tire as well.  Some models also double as a battery booster.  Check with your local auto parts store.

Check here or even more ideas on how to live sustainably.

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