{"id":2706,"date":"2019-11-22T18:24:55","date_gmt":"2019-11-22T18:24:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/blog\/planet-philadelphia-interview-copy\/"},"modified":"2023-08-18T10:41:27","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T10:41:27","slug":"energy-efficiency-and-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theenergy.coop\/test\/blog\/energy-efficiency-and-you\/","title":{"rendered":"How Energy Efficiency Impacts You, and What You Can Do About It"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Gabrielle Rodriguez and Georgia Mae Lively–11\/22\/2019<\/p>\n

Home energy usage is the largest contributor to an individual\u2019s carbon footprint.\u00a0 In fact, energy usage in residential properties accounts for 20% of carbon emissions in the US<\/a>, and nearly 30% of the energy used in Philadelphia buildings<\/a> is wasted.\u00a0 This wasted energy escapes through leaky windows, poorly insulated walls, and inefficient appliances and can really add up, in more ways than one.\u00a0 As a result, energy efficiency has become vital in combating energy waste and carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

Energy waste not only impacts the environment, but translates into higher costs for everyone.\u00a0 This is known as household energy burden, which is reflected in the percentage of annual income that is typically spent on energy bills.\u00a0 For some, that amount represents an extreme burden when compared to income levels.
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

Source: https:\/\/aceee.org\/sites\/default\/files\/publications\/researchreports\/u1602.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

But something as simple as a home energy audit<\/a><\/u> and some small changes can help you reduce energy waste and cut your monthly bills by 25%.\u00a0 A home energy audit is a tool for understanding how much energy your home uses, where that energy may be escaping from, and what kinds of repairs and updates should be made to improve your home\u2019s energy efficiency.<\/p>\n

In order to make this accessible to our members, The Energy Co-op is pleased to announce a new initiative with the Energy Coordinating Agency<\/a> (ECA) to provide comprehensive home energy audits to our members beginning on December 1st<\/sup>, 2019. \u00a0Stay tuned for more information in our blogs and newsletters!<\/p>\n

Energy audits aren\u2019t the only tools available for reducing energy waste and making homes more energy efficient.\u00a0 There are many actions anyone can take<\/a> and a number of organizations and services available to help individuals lower their costs, particularly if you are among those who bear the highest energy burdens:<\/p>\n