Energy Savers

Lighting the Way with Compact Fluorescent Lighting

There is a major push today to get homeowners to adopt compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) light bulbs. They have been on the market for nearly three decades, and many homeowners still do not use them widely. But the tide is definitely turning. Their availability and the percentage of homeowners familiar with the technology and purchasing them for their homes have been steadily rising. The products have improved considerably compared to early products, and their prices have plummeted.

The ENERGY STAR® Change a Light, Change the World Campaign has been running now for more than half a dozen years. This campaign is designed to bring individuals and organizations together in a nationwide effort to save energy and help fight global warming, starting by encouraging a switch to lighting that has earned the government's ENERGY STAR label for energy efficiency. Up until recently, that typically meant switching to energy-efficient CFLs.

How Do You Observe Earth Day Every Day?

Yesterday was officially Earth Day, but really, every day should be Earth Day.

How do you observe Earth Day every day?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a topic related to energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

Happy Earth Day! 39 and Counting

It was in 1970 that Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin established "Earth Day" as a teaching opportunity for budding environmentalists. Seems like a long time ago—I was all of six years old and to me, "green" was something Kermit the Frog sang about being.

We've come a long way since then.

Earth Day is now a national celebration of environmentalism and conservation. A lot of what we in EERE do is directly supporting the ideals and aspirations of Earth Day, and you can see growing support from major corporations, media and academia. It's pretty exciting, and definitely an exciting time to be in the energy field.

We owe that, in large part, to you. The American public has "gotten the idea" and now embraces these principles in growing numbers. But we can't let it stop there. We all need to think about how we can do more, use energy more efficiently, and do our part to help preserve our planet for the next generation. Believe me, as a new dad, that last bit is on my mind a LOT.

So give it some thought, okay? We're here to help so stay in touch and let's celebrate Earth Day every day. Visit energy.gov and the Earth Day page on EERE to find more resources and ways that you can save and celebrate Earth Day.

Let us know in the comments how you plan to celebrate Earth Day!

Drew Bittner is a former Presidential Management Intern (PMI) and the Web content manager for EERE's corporate Web pages.

Question of the Week: How Will You Save Energy this Spring?

EERE's Stay Cool, Save Money site has some tips for how you can save energy and money at the weather heats up.

How will you save energy this spring?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a topic related to energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

Spring into Energy Savings

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.
- Hal Borland

In my part of the country, winter seems to hang on an interminably long time. So I always look forward to the first signs of spring with unbridled glee. At the first glimpse of a cherry blossom, the winter boots are banished to the back of the closet and the sandals are put to work in earnest.

But while spring may give the perfect excuse to hang up the winter coat, the advent of spring does not mean that we can pack away thoughts of energy efficiency with our wool sweaters. Last winter, Jennifer Carter gave us a number of great energy efficiency tips for winter. Now that spring's milder temperatures are upon us and it's time to consider what energy efficiency means in warmer weather, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's new Stay Cool, Save Money website is a great resource for efficiency tips. The site has a wealth of no-cost and low-cost advice that can help you lighten your energy load without lightening your wallet. And, for those ready to make a more long-term investment in energy savings, the site has resources to help you make well-informed decisions to get the most bang for your energy buck.

Question of the Week: How Will You Landscape for Energy Efficiency?

On Tuesday, Elizabeth wrote about some resources that will help you landscape with an eye to energy efficiency. Now that spring is here, I know many of your are just itching to get outside and work on your landscaping.

How will you landscape for energy efficiency?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a topic related to energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

Landscaping with an Eye To Energy Efficiency

Spring is on the way, and everyone's already thinking about getting out into the warmer weather. (Unless, of course, you are as unlucky as we are up here in Colorado, and are still struggling with the occasional foot of snow…) But even if the weather isn't cooperating, you still may be interested in learning more about how you can use landscaping to make your home more energy efficient.

It's one of those ideas that, while easy to overlook, makes a lot of sense: Properly planned out landscaping can help shave the peaks and valleys off of the most intense weather your home is exposed to. It can shade rooms that get too much sun in the summer, protect your home from the coldest winter winds, and funnel summer winds toward your home.

EnergySavers.gov: A New Season, a New URL for the Consumer's Guide

If you're a regular visitor to EERE's Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, you may have noticed some changes this week. The site has moved to EnergySavers.gov and is now called "Energy Savers." The same in-depth information is still available, and we hope this new address will make the site easier for people to find. Along with this move came a home page facelift. Visit the site at EnergySavers.gov and let us know what you think!

In the spirit of spring renewal, we've also refreshed our seasonal Web site; the winter "Stay Warm, Save Money" site is now " Stay Cool, Save Money;" check it out for tips and strategies to save energy in the spring and summer.

These aren't the only changes you'll be seeing on the Energy Savers site in the coming months. We are working hard to improve the site and provide the content and links that you need to learn how to save energy at home.

Question of the Week: How Does Your Community Encourage Energy and Fuel Savings?

Many communities offer programs or events to encourage citizens to be energy conscious and environmentally friendly.

How does your community encourage energy and fuel savings?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a topic related to energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

Energy Saver Heroes: Clean Cities Coordinators

The idea of an Energy Saver takes on a whole new meaning when considering the coalition coordinators of EERE’s Clean Cities program. Clean Cities, the deployment arm of EERE’s Vehicle Technology Program, works to support local decisions to reduce petroleum consumption in transportation. We have 86 different coalitions across the country, each of which takes its own local approach to this goal. As the voluntary leaders of these coalitions, coordinators bring together a huge variety of stakeholders, including local businesses, city governments, fuel providers, and community organizations. Working with these stakeholders, the coordinators can help them decide which technologies – including alternative fuels, hybrid vehicles, and idle reduction measures – can decrease their petroleum use. In fact, our coordinators’ on-the-ground work has helped put 579,000 alternative fuel vehicles on the road and reduce two billion gallons of petroleum.