EE Tips for Back to School

It's that time of year again! Colleges and preK-12 schools are opening their doors for another year of teaching and learning. Most of you - whether you’re a student, teacher or parent - will have an emptier home over the next 9-10 months. An emptier home provides endless opportunities to lower that energy bill! Here are some energy-saving tips that I follow as well as others from energyinyourlife.com:

1. Adjusting the thermostat

Turn off the thermostat completely, or...
Turn up the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher when using AC
Turn down the thermostat to 68 degrees or lower when using heat
Change the temperature remotely using a programmable thermostat and your smartphone

2. Making lunches

Take out all the food you’ll use from the fridge at once - opening it multiple times uses an exorbitant amount of unnecessary energy
Use reusable lunch bags or boxes with insulating sides to keep things cold and reusable sandwich and snack containers to minimize waste
Bring a cold lunch to avoid using a microwave
Fill up a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated. I like CamelBaks

3. Unplugging electronics – gaming consoles, computers and rarely used kitchen appliances can use a lot of power when off but still plugged in, so save some energy and unplug!

4. Closing blinds

AC works a lot harder to keep your home cool when hot sunlight is pouring in
Get some insulating shades to keep your home even cooler

5. Getting an audit

PG&E offers various energy auditing services to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck
energy.gov provides some other energy audit tips and opportunities

6. Dressing appropriately – it’s still pretty warm out now, but it’ll cool down soon and if your school is air conditioned, be prepared and wear layers!

7. Going to and from school efficiently – walk or bike if you can, and carpool if you need a lift.