To the Editor:

According to saveonenergy.com Connecticut suffers from the 2nd highest electricity bills in the country ($223.31/month on average). This is not just down to the generation/supply charges from the Electric Companies (31.32c/kWh on average) but also the amount of electricity we in the State use (713kWh/month on average).

We can shout at the bills when we receive them, yell at the Companies for the extortionate prices they charge, or even have a “quiet word” with our Politicians looking for re-election (in November) … Or we can do something about it ourselves.

Heating, cooling and lighting of buildings accounts for 28 percent of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, mainly due to electricity production. These GHGs contribute to the warming of the climate/atmosphere, which means we need to increase the use of our air conditioners … using more electricity… You see the problem?

And that’s if the grid can sustain the production. Last summer Texas experienced multiple power outages during one of their extreme heat waves … The electricity providers asked residents not to use major appliances and set thermostats to 78F between 3-8pm.

Vox published an excellent article “The Air-Conditioning Paradox” on May 18th 2022. You can Google it! It’s worth a read.

Air conditioners use about six percent of the total electricity used in the US. That’s about $29 billion cost to homeowners and 117 million tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere … Just check your electricity bills for July and August.

You can try setting your thermostat to 77F or 78F when you are not at home and 76F when you occupy the space. It makes a difference to the payments! You can also lower your drapes or blinds during the heat of the day. That helps keep the heat out!

Fun fact: Did you know that if every American replaced one light bulb with a more energy efficient version we would save $600 million a year and avoid 9 billion pounds of GHG emissions?

That’s not the only way to reduce electricity consumption … Most of our clothes are hardly soiled when we put them in the laundry. Most laundry detergents work pretty well in cold water. No need for the high temp setting!

There are plenty of other tips on the saveonenergy.com and other websites: cold water first when using faucets, improving refrigerator efficiency and more…

Whilst we’re at it, remember those (2 min) shorter showers? Eight minutes instead of ten? Six minutes instead of eight? A four person household might save 6000 gallons of water a year + the energy to heat it and, if you have a well, the electricity to pump it. The average well in Connecticut is 300 feet deep. Pumping 20 percent less shower water might save five percent of your electricity consumption (roughly $175/year).

Who doesn’t want to save money … and help save the planet?

It’s Up To You — Do It For Your Grandchildren!

Frank B. Gardner & Neil P. Randle

Sandy Hook