Save money through energy and resource efficiency

Continuing with a look at each of the eight points of the Modern Victory Movement. Today is point number three - Save money through energy and resource efficiency. 

Carbon taxes (aka: cap & trade), peak oil, political hostility towards traditional energy sources (oil, gas, coal, nuclear), a declining dollar, and high inflation caused by stupid fiscal policies are creating a perfect storm in which all forms of energy are going to get much, much more expensive over the next several years and beyond. The best way for most people to protect themselves from high energy inflation is to use less through the science of energy efficiency.

A tremendous amount of energy savings could be achieved through simple home energy-efficiency, without requiring great changes in lifestyle or personal behavior. Nor does it take huge amounts of money. I have some practical experience in this regard.

A couple of years ago, I went about making my family home of about 1,500 square feet more energy efficient. Some of the things done included:

• Repairs to the shell of the home
• Repairs to the insulation under the house
• Replaced several old appliances with new, energy efficient models
• Replaced old windows with new energy-efficient windows
• Switched all indoor lights to CFLs*
• Filled in gaps where pipes and wires come into the house (kitchen, bathrooms, utility room) with a can of spray foam insulation
• Replaced regular shower heads with low-flow shower heads

As a result of these repairs, I was able to reduce my home's energy use by about 60% on a monthly basis compared to the previous year. Please note that this was achieved without any major change in lifestyle or personal behavior, but rather through energy-efficiency only.

The total cost of all this was about $6,800. Between the lower monthly energy bills and the tax credit for the new energy-efficient windows, the break even point on this investment was less than three years. How have your investments done over the last three years?  

The really great thing is that electricity prices could literally double and my monthly power bill will still be lower than it was before.  How is that for a hedge against higher energy taxes (cap-and-trade) and inflation? 

I feel certain that most American homes, and businesses for that matter, could probably achieve similar energy savings by simply making their buildings more energy efficient.

Of course, wasteful actions (usually due to simple thoughtlessness) should be stopped as part of achieving energy efficiency. Again, this can be done without major changes in lifestyle or personal behavior:

• Turn off lights when not in a room
• Turn off radios, TVs and/or DVD players when not being used
• Unplug battery chargers when not being used
• Unplug unnecessary clocks, kitchen gadgets and so forth
• Set thermostats lower in the winter (wear sweaters, throw an extra blanket on the bed)
• Set thermostats higher in summer (electric fans can make you feel five degrees cooler)
• Take quick showers (less hot water used = less energy used)

Remember, the more energy you save, the more money you save. Good luck, and good savings...

*Notes on CFLs

1- CFL bulbs have gotten a bad rap in recent years due to their mercury content.  The fact is that modern CFLs contain less than 30% the mercury contained in the CFLs that first came on the market. Unbroken, CFLs pose no mercury danger. And it would take 125 broken CFLs to equal the amount of mercury contained in that old thermometer that is probably sitting in your bathroom cabinet.  

2- CFLs are also controversial because many governments are mandating their use. I am a free market guy, therefore I am against laws mandating their use. In a free market system, people should have choice in products they purchase.