Energy efficiency is doing more with less energy which not only benefits you, but also the environment and the world. The benefits of energy efficiency include:
-- Saving you money
-- Improves the economy
-- Good for the environment
-- Improves security
-- Enhances quality of life
Energy efficiency saves you money
The average household spends approximately $5,550/year on energy. However buying energy-efficient appliances, making energy-efficient home improvements, and taking energy-efficient actions every day can save considerable money. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs saves 30-80% on energy bills.
Energy efficiency improves the economy
While energy efficiency helps you save at home, it helps businesses and governments save on a much bigger scale. Overall, energy efficiency is saving the American government, its citizens and businesses more than $500 billion a year in avoided energy costs. In addition to saving money, energy efficiency projects create jobs. Industry leaders make energy-efficient innovations, and energy-efficient policies lead to breakthroughs among manufacturers. From Easily Green LED streetlights to flame-shaped, dimmable candelabra CFLs, energy-efficient lights are just as pleasing to the eye as the old bulbs but use far less energy.
Energy efficiency is good for the environment
When we use less energy, we save precious natural resources and cut down on pollution.
If we didn't have energy efficiency, we’d have to produce or import energy sources like oil, natural gas, and coal. So, energy efficiency helps us keep more resources on the earth longer. From power plants to cars, consuming energy can produce emissions that harm our environment. But investments in energy efficiency across the biggest sectors of our economy could abate up to 1.1 gigatons of greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy efficiency improves national security
Energy efficiency safeguards nations by decreasing the overall demand for energy, and the need to import and transport fossil fuels. Enhancing energy independence like oil to power our vehicles means we don't need to depend so much on foreign resources. With energy efficiency, we save energy resources for future generations to use.
Energy efficiency enhances quality of life
You might not see it, but you can feel it but energy efficiency improves quality of life.
It makes you more comfortable. Notice how your insulated home keeps AC inside during the summer, and heat in during the winter? Or how you rarely need to change your energy-efficient light bulbs? That’s energy efficiency making your environment more enjoyable. Businesses can improve productivity, as well as the bottom line, by taking advantage of energy efficiency in office buildings and production processes.
Additionally residents of cities that employ smart growth technologies and transportation systems have an easier time of getting around and getting consistent access to electricity.
Want More Reasons to be Energy Efficient? Energy Conservation vs. Energy Efficiency: What's the Difference?
