6° of Energy Efficiency

1. Energy use affects the energy prices we pay at the pump and in our homes.

   It's a matter of supply and demand—energy prices go up as our energy use goes up, and higher prices affect "the bottom line" of every person and family.

   • In 2006, each U.S. household, on average, will spend nearly $5,000 to power its home and vehicles. That's a huge chunk of any budget—and a 32 percent increase over the past two years!
   • But with energy efficiency, you have the power to control your energy use without sacrificing comfort or convenience—and "insulate" yourself against future price spikes. With energy efficiency and smart energy practices, individuals and families can reduce their home energy bills and make fewer of those costly trips to the gas pump.

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2. Energy use affects our home comfort—or discomfort if we don't do it right.

   There are many steps you can take to reduce your energy use and costs without sacrifice or deprivation, while keeping your home comfortable.

   • Save up to 20 percent on your home energy bill, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by insulating adequately and sealing air leaks. You'll also enjoy increased indoor comfort and avoid "heating the outdoors."
   • Eliminate additional drafts and cold spots by installing ENERGY STAR-labeled energy-efficient windows with double or triple panes. Depending on the climate, households can save $110 to $540 annually compared with single-pane windows. Or use storm windows.
   • Using a programmable thermostat that "remembers for you" to adjust the indoor temperature according to your daily routine ensures waking up to and coming home to a comfortable house — without wasting energy and money by running the heat at full tilt overnight or while the house is empty. For every degree you lower your thermostat in winter, you can save up to 5 percent on the heating portion of your home energy bill (depending on your climate region).
   • Use insulating foam sealant to seal the gaps and cracks through which cooled and heated air escape to help make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.

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3. Energy use affects the air we breathe and our respiratory health.

   More frequent visits to hospital emergency rooms for asthma and other respiratory conditions occur on days when ozone concentrations are high, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which adds that in controlled studies, ozone worsened airway inflammation and caused other results likely to indicate worsening asthma.

   • The prevalence of asthma in the United States has doubled in the last 20 years, according to the EPA, most rapidly in children younger than 17. More than 20 million people now report having the disease. Each year, illness associated with asthma accounts for an estimated 10 million patient visits, an estimated loss of 3 million work days, and 90 million days of restricted activity.
   • Whether fueled by coal or natural gas, power plants release carbon dioxide (CO²), noxious gases, and/or sludge as waste products as they generate electricity to power your home. Fossil fuels take millions of years to make, and their supplies are finite.
   • The Alliance to Save Energy estimates that purchasing the most fuel-efficient vehicle in a particular class can save consumers $300 to $700 in annual fuel costs and considerably reduce unhealthful emissions.
   • Refrigerators in the U.S. use energy equivalent to the output of some 60 300-megawatt power plants. Yet if all of the nation's households used the most efficient refrigerators, electricity savings would eliminate the need for 20 to 30 power plants — and reduce unhealthful pollution considerably.

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4. Energy use affects our nation's economic well-being, too.

   • We can help address energy-related problems by utilizing energy efficiency, which has reduced our nation's energy use by 47 percent in the past 30 years and is our greatest energy resource.
   • Using less energy is also a way to generate good jobs for our economy.  In its 2005 Annual Report, ENERGY STAR estimated that every federal dollar invested in its partnership programs had generated more than $60 for the US economy and created more that $15 in private sector investments.  And when the National Research Council examined 17 randomly selected DOE energy efficiency R&D programs, it found $20 in economic benefits were generated by each R&D dollar expended.
   • When we cut our energy use and costs, it frees up money for more productive purposes. That's as true for the nation as a whole as for an individual family. And, working together for the common good, large numbers of people taking steps to save energy—even small steps—leads to significant benefits for all of us.
   • The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if every U.S. household replaced just one traditional light with an ENERGY STAR-qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light 7 million homes, and save $600 million in utility bills.

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5. Energy use affects our energy security.

   • The wise and efficient use of energy– no matter its source – extends our nation's energy supplies.  And, when natural disasters disrupt energy supplies, being energy efficient helps us rebound quicker, better and more economically.
   • As we continue to pursue energy efficiency here in the U.S., we will serve as an economic model to developing countries that are expected to require more and more energy resources in the future.  By sharing our best practices, consumers in these countries will be able to use energy more wisely and won't require as much energy from the global marketplace.
   • The U.S. is pioneering research and development in energy efficiency technologies that will assist energy consumers around the world and help our nation's energy security by easing the balance between global energy supply and demand.
   • The U.S. sits on only 3 percent of the world's known oil reserves and accounts for 5 percent of the world's population — yet we consume 25 percent of the world's oil.
   • We not only increase our national energy security when we reduce our use of energy, we also lower our own costs, improve our nation's productivity, and help curb greenhouse gas emissions.

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6. The world we leave behind.

   • We make trade-offs for energy. 

     Virtually every source of energy triggers a trade-off, whether it's:

     • Increased land consumption and adverse land impacts,
     • Added energy production demands and higher commodity prices,
     • Adverse effects on fish and wildlife,
     • Waste generation,
     • The air we breathe,
     • Greenhouse gas emissions, or
     • Visual blight.

     Energy production and use account for nearly 88 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and more environmental damage than any other human activity, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

     There is a growing recognition of the reality of global warming and the harmful effects of climate change on both our environment and public health.  Ocean waters have warmed one degree Fahrenheit since 1970, and category 4 and 5 hurricanes have doubled worldwide since that decade.  One recent study suggests the rate of Greenland's ice melt has more than doubled in the last decade.

     We can help to address these problems by utilizing energy efficiency, which over the last 30 years has lowered our energy demand by 47 percent compared to what it would otherwise have been.  Energy efficiency truly is our greatest energy resource. 

     Using less energy by employing energy-efficient technologies— compact fluorescent light bulbs, programmable thermostats—and engaging in smart energy practices—turning off all lights and electronics that are not in use—helps our world by reducing pollution, and also saves money for individuals, families, communities, states, and countries. 

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Bringing the 6 ° of Energy Efficiency concept full circle, we see that once again, the global and the personal are closely related, and we can each make a difference—for ourselves and for the planet.