Reducing Your Energy Consumption

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Reducing Your Energy Consumption Carbon
Footprint Through the NH Carbon Challenge
Denise Blaha Co-DirectorNew Hampshire Carbon
Challenge
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What is the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge?
WE ARE A UNH initiative working to educate,
inspire, and support sustained reductions in
residential energy consumption.
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The New Hampshire Carbon Challenge
WE PROVIDE Households and communities with the
tools, resources, and support to reduce their
energy consumption and household CO2 emissions by
10,000 pounds per year. (Roughly 20 of typical
households yearly emissions)
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Why Households?
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Climate Change

• Decades old concept
• Increased scientific certainty
• Rise in public awareness and concern
• Surge in calls for action at all levels

• But still limited personal action

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We may be part of the problem, BUT we are also
the solution!

• Of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions come from
  households
• Vehicle Use
• Home Heating and Hot Water
• Electricity Use

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Each of Us Can Reduce our Environmental Footprint
and Help Stabilize our Climate
There are many simple actions we can take in our
homes to reduce our energy consumption and thus
greenhouse gas emissions. These actions will
save us MONEY.
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What kinds of actions?
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Lots of Possibilities
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• We can make simple substitutions

Replacing 1 incandescent bulb with 1 compact
fluorescent bulb 115 pounds of carbon dioxide
(CO2) saved per year!
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Do you know what this is?
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Phantom Load
Does your house look like this at night?
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Phantom Load Losses in the US Electricity
Produced by 17 Power Plants!
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Stop the Snacking!
Use a UL power strip and turn it off when not in
use. 80 per year 600 pounds CO2
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Small changes really add up in annual savings
Drive JUST 10 less miles per week 55 520
pounds CO2
Clothesline or Indoor Drying Rack Each load of
laundry avoids 3.3 pounds of CO2
Turn down a few degree in the winter and up in
the summer 172 1400 pounds CO2
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..and up (Annual savings)

Wash in cold water 70 600 pounds CO2

Stop junk mail 800 pounds CO2
Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows 215
1700 pounds CO2
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Increased Fuel Economy
36 MPG 6,500 pounds
CO2 per year
23 MPG 10,200 pounds
CO2 per year
13 MPG 18,059 pounds
CO2 per year
(Estimates based on US average of 12,000
miles/year)
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• 55 per year 520 pounds CO2
• Drive JUST 10 fewer miles per week

• REDUCE THOSE MILES!
• Combine trips plan ahead
• Car Pool
• Public transportation
• Bike to work
• Teleconference
• Investigate employer flex hours

• 440 per year 4100 pounds of CO2
• Replace your vehicle with a more fuel efficient
  car (10 MPG higher).

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Rule of Thumb
Every mile driven puts a pound of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere.
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Prioritize energy efficiency in these items!

• Vehicles
• Heating Systems
• Clothes Dryers
• Dehumidifiers
• Refrigerators/Freezers

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The production and transportation of bottled
water produces a lot of Carbon Dioxide
Avoid bottled water
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What is at stake if we fail to adopt an energy
efficient lifestyle?
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and more record heat days
Less snow
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In effect, we will all be moving south (and not
just for the winter!)
Temperatures in the northeastern United States
could rise between 6 F and 12 F by the year 2100.
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Precipitation Forecasts This Century

• More rain

2. More intense rain
3. More intense rain, more often
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We know the damage done by extreme precipitation
events
DoverApril, 2007
Dover May, 2006
Fosters Daily Democrat
C. Skoglund
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Newmarket, NHMay 2006
Fosters Daily Democrat
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Impacts on Human Health
Increased Risk of Heat Related Illness Impacts
of Poor Air Quality
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Vector-Borne Diseases
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But I use energy for EVERYTHINGHow do I even
know where to start?
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Take the NH Carbon Challenge
We have developed tools to enable households to
assess their current energy usage and identify
ways to reduce their consumption.
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If every household in Pelham took the Carbon
Challenge wed collectively keep
44.5 million pounds of CO2 per year
out of the atmosphere and save money too!
equivalent to 3,708 cars!
Please take the Carbon Challenge!
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Reduce Emissions and Your Energy Costs
The typical family taking the Carbon Challenge
has lowered its energy use by 16 and is saving
810 a year in reduced energy costs. Taking the
Carbon Challenge requires about 15-20 minutes.
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How do you take the Carbon Challenge? Where do
you start?
Begin by getting an estimate of YOUR households
contribution to climate change. Use our new
household Carbon Estimator?! http//carbonchalleng
e.sr.unh.edu/calculator.jsp
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And dont forget those cars
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Recycling Section
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The Carbon Estimator can answer a lot of
questions
What can I save by changing 10 light bulbs in my
home?
What if we turn off lights when not in use?
A freezer thats rarely used?
Phantom load (the snacking)?
SAVINGS ESTIMATES TAILORED TO YOUR FAMILY!
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More questions? More answers and more savings!
What would we save using biodiesel (B5) to heat
our home?
What if we got a heating system tune-up?
What would we save turning our thermostat down?
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Each Household Receives a Customized Report on
Their Actions and Projected Savings
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Each Household Also Receives a Bumper Sticker or
Window Decal
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Linking households together
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Our Google Map of Challenge Takers
We rank communities to inspire a little friendly
challenge!
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Several High Schools in Eastern Massachusetts are
taking the Challenge
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Reading Memorial High School is 1
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Our Current Leader Reading, MA
Wait a second Isnt this the New Hampshire
Carbon Challenge?
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Shouldnt a New Hampshire town be the 1 town in
New England taking the New Hampshire Carbon
Challenge?
Shouldnt a New Hampshire High School take the
1 slot away from Reading Memorial High?
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Fortunately, I found a New Hampshire High School
on the map
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How do you take the Pelham High School Challenge?

• Use the Carbon Estimator to assess
  your households energy usage and identify
  actions you are willing to take to reduce your
  energy consumption.

http//carbonchallenge.sr.unh.edu/calculator.jsp
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2. Select Pelham High School from the pull-down
list of community challenges to tag your actions
to our collective effort!
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Save your challenge record!
So youll be counted in the Challenge!
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IN CONCLUSION Easy, Money
Saving, Personal Steps YOU Can Take
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1. Drive a fuel efficient car does not need to
be a hybrid () 2. Turn down the thermostat
() 3. Stop the snacking! Put electronic devices
on a power strip. () 4. Caulk and weather-strip
around doors and windows () 5. Light bulbs
matter CFL, LED 6. Think before you drive
(run, walk, carpool) 7. Choose EnergyStar
products () 8. Stop junk mail 9. Avoid bottled
water 10. Share this information with a friend
take the Carbon Challenge!
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Questions? Thank-you!
http//nhcarbonchallenge.org