May Your Holidays be Bright, and Your Utility Bill Dim

2014-12-08

Jacksonville, FL - The winter holiday season can be the most expensive months for utility bills. Below is a list of top tips for conserving energy and water during the holiday season.

Conserve While Cooking

• Turkeys and hams are typically slow roasted for many hours - there’s no need to preheat your oven.
• Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside by as much as 25 degrees, increases cooking time, and heats up your kitchen. Instead, look through the oven window.
• Use a microwave oven to cook smaller dishes quickly and efficiently. Microwaves use 50 percent less energy than conventional ovens and they don’t heat up the kitchen.
• Slow cookers, or crock-pots, also are an efficient option. They can cook a whole meal for about $.17 worth of electricity.
• Consider investing in Energy Star-qualified appliances which consume 10–50 percent less energy and water than standard models. You can save more money on utilities than you spent on the new appliance.
• If you are frying food, recycle your used cooking oil which can be turned into biodiesel. You can deposit used cooking oil at any one of the 21 participating Jacksonville Fire & Rescue stations.

Decorating Tips

• LED Holiday lights are a great option. They use far less energy than conventional string lights, have a longer lifespan, and operate at a much lower temperature, reducing the risk of fire.
• Set timers for lights to automatically turn on when it gets dark and off in the middle of the night, depending on your preferences.
• Reflective ornaments and tinsel are just as bright at night, so getting creative with your lighting display can multiply your resources for shine.

Traveling and Receiving Guests

• If you plan on traveling for the holidays, there are ways to save on energy when you are not home:
  • If you are leaving for 2-3 days, turn your thermostat down. Turn your water heater off. Just don’t forget to turn it back on immediately upon arrival.
  • If you are leaving for 4 or more days, consider turning your water main off unless other water consuming appliances (e.g. water softeners) may be negatively impacted. In the case that a pipe breaks, this will reduce your water consumption and your risk for flooding.
   
• If you are receiving out of town guests, keep track of your energy usage with JEA’s Tracker.

Gift Giving

• Gaming systems are popular gifts around the holidays. Before purchasing, investigate the best gaming system for your energy needs.
• Check out EnergyStar's Holiday Gift Guide for greener, more energy efficient gifts for the conservationist in your family!

Category:

• conservation
• customer
• education
• ways to save