ENERGY SAVING LENTEN CALENDAR
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Travel
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Garage
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Bedroom
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Living Room/Study
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Bathroom
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Kitchen
For Episcopalians Lent is the time when we remember the 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, facing challenge and temptation. It is a time when we reflect on God’s purpose for our life. This year we challenge you to reflect on creation and its conservation by practicing some of the energy saving ideas presented in this calendar. BCP p. 259 “Make us always thankful for your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of your good gifts” In 2010, St. John’s Vestry passed a Resolution on Environmental Stewardship that stated, “we are called into a sacred trust to serve as co-creators with God in being stewards of creation...”
Ash Wednesday Make an errand itinerary Avoiding making special driving trips is one of the easiest ways to save energy. Plan and combine your errands to accomplish more on the same trip driving fewer miles and using less precious gasoline.
Swap out incandescent bulbs with LEDs As “old-school” incandescent bulbs burn out, replace them with new light emitting diode bulbs (LEDs).They use up to 25% less energy, can last up to twelve times longer, and save about $90 a year in electricity costs.
Get a home energy audit An Xcel Home Energy Squad visit can make energy efficient home improvements – including installation of LED bulbs, programmable thermostat, and energy-efficient showerheads. Available to Xcel Energy customers. Contact: 303-446-7910
Look for the ENERGY STAR® label ENERGY STAR® products are independently certified to save energy, save money, and protect the climate by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy.
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Maximize dishwasher efficiency Air-dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher’s heat drying option and run your dishwasher only when full.
Check the refrigerator and freezer temperatures Set the refrigerator temperature at 3639°F and freezer at 0-5°F. The refrigerator and freezer will still work at their optimal temperatures.
Clean refrigerator coils Cleaning refrigerator coils regularly will keep the compressor running efficiently.
Defrost refrigerator and freezer To ensure that your appliances are running efficiently, defrost your refrigerator and freezer before ice buildup becomes 1/4 inch thick.
Think small For single items use a small toaster oven or microwave instead of a conventional oven. A microwave oven uses up to 80% less) energy than conventional ovens, cooks food faster, and doesn’t generate as much heat.
Pots and pans Match the size of your pot or pan to the size of the burner so that there isn’t any wasted energy. For example, using a 6-inch pan on an 8-inch burner will waste 40% of the heat generated by the burner.
Keep the door closed Every time you peek in the oven, it needs more energy to maintain the temperature. An open refrigerator door accounts for 7% of the appliance’s total energy use – enough energy to run your dishwasher 20 times!
Replace vanity lights Many bathrooms are over-lit. If you have a 4 or 5 bulb vanity above a sink, you can probably unscrew at least 2 bulbs and still have sufficient light. Swapping out the bulbs for LEDs will drastically cut energy use.
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Use bathroom fan sparingly Don’t leave bathroom ventilation fans running longer than necessary.The fan replaces inside air with outside - sucking away a large amount of household heat.
Replace shower head Older showerheads can use about 5 gallons of water per minute. Install an energy efficient low-flow shower head.This product can reduce water usage by 50% or more.
Replace baths with showers If everyone in a family of four replaced one bath a week with a five-minute shower, they could save up to $20 on their annual energy bill.
Turn off the faucet Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving or washing. A running tap wastes more than 1.6 gallons of water a minute!
Jump in Instead of leaving the room to attend to other parts of your morning routine while you “wait for the water to heat up,” stick around in the bathroom and jump in when the water is hot to save up to $65 a year!
Air-dry your hair Instead of using the hair dryer and straightening iron every day, try going natural. Not only does air-drying your hair save energy, it can also save you time in the morning.
Install a programmable thermostat A programmable thermostat improves control and savings by automatically scheduling the times of day that the HVAC system is in use.
Setting the thermostat Cranking the heat up or down will not cool your home any faster. Set your thermostat no higher than 68°F in the winter and no lower than 78°F in the summer.
Take advantage of sunlight In the winter, open your drapes to use the sun as a natural heater. In the spring/summer, close blinds and drapes when the sun is out. Also, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45%.
Use a smart power strip Too much of a hassle to unplug your electronics every time you’re done with using them? A smart power strip can turn off all the plugged-in devices at once, fully eliminating their vampire loads.
Close fireplace damper Unless a fire is burning, keep your fireplace damper closed. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter - allowing warm air to go right up the chimney.
When you are out of the house When you are asleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back by 10 to 15°F for eight hours and save around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills.
Use ceiling fans year round In the summer, use the ceiling fan in the counterclockwise direction to feel a cool breeze. In the winter, operate the ceiling fan at low speed in the clockwise direction to force warm air down into the room.
Unplug devices before bedtime You might be wasting energy if you leave your phone plugged in throughout the night. Most devices only take a few hours to charge and draw current even when they’re fully charged.
Keep warm with a down comforter Because of its natural insulating properties, down makes it easy to lower the thermostat and remain comfortable in bed. Down is one of the best insulators, is 100% natural, and is completely renewable and biodegradable.
Turn the TV off Don’t leave the TV on when no one is in the room and turn the TV off at the outlet. A power strip with timer can help with this. Remote controls leave the TV in stand-by mode.
Stay insulated During the summer, use heavy curtains to block out hot sunlight. During the winter, keep them open during the day for natural heat from the sun, and close them at night for extra insulation.
Change TV settings If your TV model has an automatic brightness control (ABC) sensor, be sure to turn it on. Also, select the normal or standard picture setting; settings like “vivid” can use a lot more energy to produce an overly bright picture.
Empty bedroom? If you have vacant rooms in your home, close the vents, shut the door and place a blanket or some other type of airflow blocker along the bottom of the door.This will keep you from having to heat this room all winter.
Read a print book Instead of turning on your tablet or laptop to catch up on your favorite TV show or read emails, unplug and read a paper book. You’ll sleep better and save energy.
Solar driveway lights Outdoor solar lights are easy to install and virtually maintenance free, and using them won’t increase your electric bill.
Clean out hazardous waste Some Colorado residents are eligible for one Hazardous Waste Collection pickup per calendar year. Denver: 1-800449-7587. Jefferson County: www.rooneyroadrecycling.org
Use safer car care products Car care products can contain ingredients that are hazardous to human health and the environment. On EPA’s “Safer Choice” website you can find safer car care product options https://www.epa.gov/ saferchoice/products
Keeping tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by 0.6% on average – up to 3% in some cases. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage, are less safe, and don’t last as long.
Travel light Carrying extra weight in your car or truck cuts down your gas mileage. On the average, each 100 pounds of extra vehicle weight will cost up to onehalf mile per gallon. Remove luggage racks when not in use to save energy.
Meet your neighbors and carpool to the Cathedral St. John’s Community Without the Commute is supporting neighborhood groups and events. For more information email: community@sjcathedral.org
Leave your car in the garage Plan a car-free activity - walk or take public transportation to an event. Consolidate exercise with errands. If you’re planning to go out and walk for exercise, find a route that passes a post office, library, or drug store.
Palm Sunday Check air intakes/ exhausts If something blocks the intake or exhaust on furnaces, water heater, or air-exchangers, it can lead to inefficient and dangerous energy problems. After each snow or wind storm, do a quick check to make sure everything is clear.
Lower water heater temperature Many water heaters are set at 140°F, but 120°F is sufficient for most household needs. On average, heating hot water accounts for 18% of residential energy use. Don’t forget to dial the water heater temperature way down if you’ll be away for a week.
Save energy and wear and tear on clothes If you can, wash with cold water and full loads. Dry right-sized loads for your machine - if the dryer is too full or too small, it will take longer to dry.
Replace the furnace air filter Set a calendar reminder to replace the air filter at least every three months. Some filters can be cleaned rather than replaced, so be sure to check. A clean air filter means your furnace won’t need to run as long or work as hard.
Think about new equipment If you’re in the market to replace older appliances or equipment, consider switching to one that has earned an ENERGY STAR® label, which requires products to meet specific standards for energy efficiency. Doing so will also reduce your energy bill each month.
Energy saving tools and calculators:
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Xcel Energy Home Energy Squad www.sjcd.org/energy-squad Energy Star @ Home www.sjcd.org/energy-star US Department of Energy’s Home Energy Save Calculator www.sjcd.org/energy-calculator