Energy conservation, now

On Oct. 14, the Labor Department reported that 90 percent of the monthly increase in inflation came from the 12 percent increase in energy prices in September and that this increase was taking a toll on the economy. Consumer confidence hit a 13- year low in mid-October (BDN, Oct. 15-16).

Many citizens, businesses and governments are having a hard time adapting to the high energy costs being driven in part by the calamitous hurricanes Katrina and Rita that hit the Gulf of Mexico and Gulf coastal areas in late August-September; in part by the uncontrolled tumult in the energy markets; and in part by the rising worldwide demand for oil, natural gas and motor fuels.

In the last several weeks, we have all seen the headlines “Baldacci Heralds Fuel Charity Fund” (BDN, Oct. 22-23), “Running out of energy (BDN editorial, Oct. 22-23), “New England faces shortage of natural gas” (BDN, Oct. 15-16), “Electric bills to increase significantly in March” (Ellsworth American, Oct. 6), “Burned by oil, Mainers look to wood” (BDN, Sept. 9), “A wary Maine braces for cold” (BDN, Sept. 12), “Fuel costs clobber schools” (Ellsworth American, Sept. 8), “Winter heating costs set to soar” (The Washington Post, Sept. 15).

In an article in the Oct. 15-16 BDN, “New England faces shortage of natural gas,” the concern was expressed that, since 60 percent of Maine’s electricity comes from natural gas-fired power plants, we may experience electric power brownouts or outages this winter due to the lack of natural gas supply. Gov. Baldacci is urging us all to prepare now; and he is working with the other New England governors to reduce the demand for natural gas by increasing conservation. He has started a fund to help low income Mainers pay for their heating costs.

As those of us remember from the 1998 ice storm, when our electricity goes out, so do our furnaces. It would be wise to prepare our homes as best we can for safe secondary power and-or heat sources – such as cleaning our wood stoves and chimneys and ensuring our generators are safely installed with fuel. In hand. Insure that you have working smoke detectors. Many of us on wells also lose the ability to pump water if the power fails – so we should have some drinkable water supplies in clean potable water containers.

It also makes sense to do the best “wrapping up” we can do to our homes this fall – the side-benefit is that, if the electricity does not go out, we will have reduced our demand for heat as well as reduced drafts and will have lowered electric and fuel bills.

Try some of the no cost actions listed below to reduce your use of heating fuel and-or electricity. These actually can reduce your oil and electric bills, thus saving you money (plus, it will also reduce air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions).

1. Turn off your lights and appliances such as TVs when you leave the room.

2. Turn down your thermostat to 60 degrees at night and when away from home for more than six hours. When home and not in bed, keep it at 68 degrees and wear a sweater (except if you are over 65 years of age or have children under 5 years of age as you need warmer rooms).

3. Turn off your computer when you will not be using it for more than four hours.

4. Make sure your dishwasher and clothes washer loads are full. Turn off the heated dry cycle in your dishwasher. Wash clothes in warm or cold water.

5. Turn down your electric hot water heater temperature – but no lower than 120 degrees.

6. Close your woodstove or fireplace draft controls when your woodstove or fireplace is not operating.

7. Many appliances have “instant on” features – such as TVs, radios, computers, DVD players – unplug them if you are not using them.

8. Dry your hair in the open air rather than with a hair dryer

9. Hang your wash if you have a place inside rather than using the clothes dryer.

10. On cold, windy or rainy gray days close your drapes or blinds as windows are a heat loss area.

11. Make two or three meals worth of soups, stews and spaghetti at one time – eat one and freeze the rest. This saves not only cooking fuel, but also your time and energy.

12. Put bales of hay or bags of leaves by the foundations.

13. Seal what cracks you can by windows and weather-strip doors.

14. Wrap single pane windows with plastic.

I hope you will act now by doing some of these common sense-no cost things to help get though this winter.

Pam Person lives in Orland. She was co-founder of the Coalition for Sensible Energy. She currently serves as Energy and the Environment Chair for the League of Women Voters of Maine as well as co-chair of Maine Global Climate Change LLC.