Reduce your carbon footprint and increase your savings with these tips from the pros In our eco-conscious (and money-conscious) age, there?s really no excuse for wasting energy at home. There are dozens of extremely easy, small steps you can take right now to minimize your use of energy resources and cut back your bill from the utility company. In 2014, families and businesses who simply switched to more energy-efficient appliances shaved a combined $34 billion off their utility bills.
But there?s more to energy-optimization than buying a new fridge. To find the most effective energy-saving tactics at all price points, Curbed checked in with Christina Kielich of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and certified home energy auditor Erlend Kimmich. "There are so many small changes people can make to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, but it all adds up to significantly lower energy bills and a smaller environmental footprint," Kielich says.
Replace your light bulbs
The typical American household spends 5-10 percent of its energy budget on lighting alone, according to the DOE. Incandescent light bulbs might give off a nice homey glow, but only 5 percent of their energy consumption is actually converted into light. Today?s LEDs, on the other hand, are an average of 85 percent more efficient than incandescents.
Americans can save $26 billion per year by switching to LED light bulbs.
Swapping your incandescents with warm-colored LED bulbs can save you $...