Greening Florida Government-Ways to Save Energy

Energy management is an important aspect of environmental management which will show healthy dividends for the state. Improving energy efficiency saves money and helps protect the environment without sacrificing comfort.
 

Tips for Saving Energy

1. The most effective method of reducing the amount of energy consumed by the manufacturing sector of our economy is to reduce the amount of unnecessary products produced, and to reuse items in their original form wherever possible.
2. Remember to set your thermostat according to your use of the house/office. While you are away from home or work or when you go to sleep, set the temperature so that your heat and air isn't used as much. A programmable thermostat can help.
3. If you are not in a room, make sure all the lights are off. Also, use lighting appropriate for the task. A small reading lamp near your favorite chair is more efficient than lighting the whole room.
4. Close vents in rooms you don't usually use. Why pay to heat spaces you aren't using?
5. Don't leave your computer on when you are not using it. Even in "sleep" mode, your computer is wasting energy and costing you money.
6. Don't block vents or radiators with furniture. They'll operate less efficiently.
7. Use large equipment during off-peak hours when possible.
8. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of traditional incandescent. These produce less heat and save energy and can be used in any room in the house.
9. Consider ink-jet printers, which use 90 percent less energy.
10. If your computer monitor has Energystar features, make sure they enabled. This will shut off your monitor after a couple of minutes, saving energy.
11. Lap-top computers for employees use up to 90 percent less energy.
12. Encourage employees with flexible schedules to use public transit.
13. Install a bike rack or a storage area in order to encourage bicycle transit.
14. Organize office carpools and reduce parking pricing for carpoolers.
15. Schedule an energy audit of your business.

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