Energy Savings

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Marlborough Energy-Efficiency and Renewable-Energy Resources

  • Get a FREE Energy Audit for your home or business and free energy-saving items while they last from your utility provider!  Contact www.MassSave.com  866-527-7283

  • Renewable Energy Check out renewable energy products, professional services, and training programs at www.AltEnergyStore.com in Hudson, MA

  • Solar Hot Water services:  Eastern Solar Services, 508-358-5281 (Eastern MA), 508-882-0102 (Central MA)  Ken Nelson, 30 years experience

  • An Energy Co-op promoting social, economic, and environmental justice; and local sustainability www.cooppower.coop 

  • Financial Incentives/Savings  An excellent website intended for the Cape and Islands, much of its information applies to all Massachusetts residents.  
    http://www.cirenew.info/incentives.htm

cfl standard bulb

Top Ten Energy Saving Tips  

  • Replace regular incandescent bulbs with energy-saving light bulbs.

  • Use less hot water. Wash clothes in warm/cold water.  Install low-flow showerheads.

  • Turn down the water heater temperature to 120F.

  • Get a programmable thermostat.  

  • Turn the thermostat down in winter and up in summer.

  • Turn off or unplug electronics that are rarely or never used.

  • Put TVs, computers, and battery chargers with phantom loads on power strips.

  • Insulate water pipes.  If your water heater is old get an insulation blanket. Read the label on the water heater first.  Get pipe and water heater insulation at a hardware or home store. 

  • If you buy something new, buy Energy Star.

  • Weatherize windows with rope caulking and doors with weather strips to seal air leaks. 

More Tips                                                                         

Energy Conservation (FREE, immediate savings)

  • Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.

  • Use a solar clothes dryer in summer months.  A clothesline can save 10+% on energy bills.

  • Take three-minute showers or less.

  • Contact www.MassSave.com (866-527-7283).  Get a home energy audit and free things for your home.

  • Install low flow aerators and shower heads.  (FREE from MWRA).  

  • In Summer, use fans to pull in cool air at night and close blinds at mid-day.

  • Shut vents and doors to unused rooms. 

 Energy Efficiency ($, quick payback)

  • Change to energy saving light bulbs (CFLs).  Replace the most frequently used lights in the kitchen and living room to reduce your electricity as much as 5%.  

  • Learn about efficient lighting at http://www.eartheasy.com/live_energyeff_lighting.htm

  • Weatherize windows and doors.  

  • Insulate your home.  Rebates can cover 75% of the cost!!!

  • Use a Kill-A-Watt to measure efficiency of electric appliances. It is available free at the Marlborough Public Library or buy it from www.AltEnergyStore.com for $25.

  • Replace outdoor electric lights with solar LED lights.  

Renewable Energy ($$, payback is longer)

  • Invest in renewable energy.  Look into solar hot air, solar hot water, solar electric panels, geothermal, small hydro, or wind energy

A note on light bulbs...  There are many kinds of energy efficient light bulbs, for example Daylight CFLs have full spectrum, good light color.  www.efi.org in Westborough has an excellent selection of energy efficient bulbs and other energy efficient products.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my electric bills rising?  Oil and natural gas prices are rising as these resources become less available.  These fuels are burned to generate electricity at some electric power plants.

What can I do?  Reduce your electricity through conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.   

How can I save on oil and gas?  Get a FREE energy audit.  Weatherize your home.  When you buy new appliances and electronics make sure they are Energy Star.  If you want help, get a FREE energy audit!  Contact www.MassSave.com, T.866-527-7283

How do energy savings help the environment?  Electricity is generated by plants that primarily burn fossil-fuels (oil, gas, coal) to generate electricity.  Electric power plants produce 38% of the nation’s air pollution. (Yes, 38%!)  See www.eia.doe.gov to learn more about energy. 

Energy Savers in Marlborough

Do you know of a big or little energy saver? Let us know at info@GreenMarlborough.org !

Home 

Energy conservation/efficiency in the Boudrie home saved 2.5 tons of carbon and $700 in 2006.  More than 200 (two hundred) homes in Marlborough have solar hot water panels on their roofs.

Business          

Sergio's Restaurant - Energy efficient lighting  
Embassy Suite Hotel - Energy efficient lighting
Boston Scientific - LEED certified building

Shaw Realty  - Solar panels on the roof

See Shaw Realty's solar array in Marlborough on Route 20 near I 495 across from Lake Williams.  The solar panels were installed in Spring 2007.

 

 

City

Some municipal buildings in Marlborough, like the library and schools, have energy efficient lighting.

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Climate Change Action Ideas  

by Mike Manning, May 2008

 

The average American family household (two adults, two children, 1,500 square foot home, and two vehicles) emits approximately 50,000 pounds (equal to 25 tons) of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year.  This is equivalent to the weight of two (2) urban city transit buses!

 

To check your household’s CO2 footprint, please go to: www.empowermentinstitute.net.

 

You’ll need to have your total annual consumption of natural gas (therms) or home heating fuel (oil or propane) in gallons, and your electric usage in kwh prior to beginning the calculation.

 

Typically, more than half of a typical household’s CO2 emissions are vehicle-based.  So let’s start there.  The top measures you can take regarding your vehicle are:

 

  • Purchase a hybrid or alternatively fueled vehicle and reduce your emissions by 10,000 pounds per vehicle annually.

If you’re not in the market for a new vehicle, then try the following:

 

  • Service your current automobile according to scheduled maintenance, and reduce CO2 emissions by 1,250 pounds annually.

  • Inflate tires to the proper pressure and reduce your CO2 emissions by 250 pounds annually.

  • Change your air filter according to scheduled maintenance and reduce your CO2 emissions by 800 pounds annually.

 Now for your home itself:

 

  • Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).  Each CFL will reduce your carbon footprint by 100 pounds annually.

  • Reduce the amount of trash from a 35 gallon bag to a 20 gallon (or less) bag and reduce your CO2 emissions by 1,560 pounds annually.

  • Purchase an Energy Star rated dishwasher and reduce your CO2 footprint by 100 pounds annually.

  • Purchase an Energy Star rated front-door clothes washer and reduce your CO2 footprint by 500 pounds annually.

  • Switch one load of laundry each week, from warm to cold water, reduce your footprint by an additional 100 pounds of CO2 annually.

  • Set your water heater temperature to 120*F and reduce your carbon footprint by 175 pounds.

  • Install a solar domestic water hot water (SDHW) system and reduce your carbon footprint by 2,500 pounds annually.

  • Replace an old furnace or boiler with an Energy Star rated model and save 2,400 pounds of CO2 annually.

  • Plant a tree.  A tree will absorb 2,000 pounds of CO2 over the course of its life

  • Purchase CO2 credits online.  Several organizations have created ways for you to offset your CO2 emissions by directly supporting the reduction of CO2 in other parts of the world.  Some organizations are:

www.carbonfund.org                          www.green-e.org                                 www.greentagsusa.org      

www.nativenergy.com                        www.climatetrust.org                          www.plant-trees.org  

www.renewablechoice.com                www.americanforests.org                   www.livecooler.org 

 

Earth Day Ideas

 

Protecting the LAW - Land, Air, and Water by practicing the three R’s:  Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle

 

Protect the Land by:

 

  • Reducing paper consumption.  Contact: 

The Direct Marketing Association:

Families seeking to reduce retail catalog and mass market mailings may "opt in" or "opt out" of these mailing lists.  Please go to:  www.dmachoice.org

The Consumer Credit Industry:

Families seeking to reduce prescreened credit and insurance policy offers, may "opt out" of these mailing lists.  Please go to:  www.optoutprescreen.com or call (888) 567-8688

Both services are "no cost" and the telephone number for the Consumer Credit Industry is "toll-free".

 

  • Not purchasing newspapers - read stories online

  • Not accepting plastic bags.  Purchase reusable and washable shopping bags.  Nearly 300 billion plastic bags are sent to landfills – where they remain for hundreds of years.

Protect the Air by:

 

  • Reducing your vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) by taking public transportation or joining a car or van pool

  • Not idling your vehicle needlessly

  • Walking instead of driving

  • Properly maintaining your home’s heating equipment

  • Not burning leaves or trash

Protect the Water by:

 

  • Taking 3 minutes (or less) showers.

  • Only washing full loads in the dishwasher

  • Purchasing front-load clothes washing machine

  • Not letting the water run while brushing teeth

  • Watering the lawn only once a week and only during the hours of 4:00 am to 7:00 am

  • Installing low-flow faucet aerators in the kitchen and bathroom

For reuse of items, please go to:  www.freecycle.org.  Or donate items to the Salvation Army or Goodwill Industries

 

For recycling of items, please go to:

 

www.greendisk.com  to recycle most electronic waste also known as e-waste

www.call2recycle.org to recycle batteries

www.sprint.com/projectconnect to recycle cellphones

 

       GreenMarlborough.Org   2007