Power$martStarts at Home

IT STARTS AT HOME

surprising fact: The average home produces twice as much greenhouse gas pollution as the average car! Due to emissions produced by power plants that generate the electricity used to run modern homes -- plus home emissions from such things as oil or gas-fired furnaces -- an average house releases 22,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO₂) annually, almost twice as much as a typical car’s 11,500 pounds of CO₂ emmissions, estimates the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

The United States currently emits 45,000 pounds of CO₂ annually per person. Most scientists believe CO₂ is contributing to global climate change. Households used one-fifth of the energy consumed in the United States. About three-fifths of the energy Americans use at home is from electricity. The remainder comes from natural gas and oil. 

Unfortunately, we don’t even benefit from a lot of the energy we use. Energy dollars pour out of homes through drafty doors and windows and uninsulated attics, walls, floors, and basements. Even some idle (turned off) appliances use energy 24 hours a day!

Why Become Power$mart?

Available technology can plug major energy leaks. The average household in the U.S. spends about $1,300 each year on home energy, according to DOE. What if you could save up to a third of that using the tips in this booklet? You could go away for a fabulous long weekend, see 40 movies with a friend, save for college, or buy the latest video games, attire, and those cool shoes.

Why Develop Energy Consciousness?

The energy use of two families living in two homes that are EXACTLY alike can vary by 100 percent -- which means that how you use what’s in your home can double (or halve) your energy bills.