Five Energy Saving Resolutions You Can Easily Keep in 2020

Many people look forward to the new year as an opportunity for a fresh start. This year, the Sponsors of Mass Save want to help you keep as many of your resolutions as possible, especially when it comes to saving money, saving energy, reducing your family’s impact on the environment or some combination of all three. These five resolutions are simple but effective and easy to implement:

Resolve to cut down on phantom energy waste.

Many of your everyday household items, such as televisions, coffee makers and gaming consoles, use as much energy in standby mode as they do when they’re actually on. Advanced power strips can help eliminate this phantom energy waste and reduce electric costs by as much as $100 annually. They come in two varieties – Tier 1 and Tier 2. With a Tier 1 advanced power strip, when the main device is powered on or off, peripheral devices like streaming media players, gaming consoles and speaker systems will automatically power on or off. Tier 2 power strips feature activity or motion detectors and will automatically power off devices if they’re not in use.

Resolve to make laundry day more energy efficient.

As much as 90 percent of energy used to wash clothes is a result of heating up water, which is not always necessary. This presents a significant and nearly instant opportunity to save energy! Washing in cold water is more economical and can help maintain the durability and quality of your clothes for longer periods of time. What’s not to love about that?

When it comes to drying, air drying can also save energy and lengthen the lifespan of your clothes. When you do need to use the dryer, consider using the sensor-drying mode, which will shut off the dryer once clothing is dry, which will help prevent over-drying and reduce the amount of wasted electricity. If you don’t have sensor drying, consider upgrading your clothes dryer to an ENERGY STAR® model, many of which also include other energy saving features. And with the Mass Save rebate, you may even be eligible to receive $50 back when you make your purchase!

Resolve to be even smarter with your thermostat.

Smart thermostats take the energy saving potential of programmable thermostats and add a host of features that make it even easier and more convenient to manage your home’s temperature. They allow you to control your home’s temperature with your smartphone so you can make adjustments whether you’re on the couch, checking in from work or running errands. Some models will automatically adjust based on your schedule or the current weather. Using a smart thermostat to manage temperature settings can help you shed up to $180 off your energy bills.

Resolve to heat water, smartly.

The saying that “knowledge is power” has never been truer than when it comes to home energy savings. One of the easiest, and most helpful, steps you can take to save energy is to better understand how your home is currently using it. A no-cost home energy assessment can help provide this insight and identify areas in your home - some that may be obvious and others that may be harder to spot - that could use energy efficiency improvements.

The Sponsors of Mass Save are ready to help make 2020 your most energy-efficient year yet! Head to the “Learn” section of our website for even more easy energy-saving tips and insights.