🎆NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTIONS🎆
We are almost a month into 2025 and many of our new years resolutions may have fallen by the wayside. But as the Lunar New Year begins, it’s another opportunity to reflect on what the upcoming year holds and how we can use less energy this year.
Here’s a riddle for you…What’s the cheapest form of energy???
It’s the energy we don’t use. I know, I know - I know what you’re thinking, that’s not funny! But it’s not a joke. The less energy you use, the less money you spend so it becomes the cheapest form of energy. So, why not turn off the lights when you leave the room? Why not take shorter showers? Seriously, we are only a month into the new year and have already had an essential water use advisory. Unfortunately, the frigid temperatures and cold weather we are experiencing could mean water main breaks and leaks.
So, one way to combat that is to resolve to DO LESS!!! The less we use, the less we spend. The less we spend, the more money that stays in our pockets/wallets – imagine what the impact would be if we used less energy every day by making these switches…
Read on to find out more tips to help you DO LESS this year!
Use less by monitoring your thermostat
According to the US Department of Energy, “heating your home uses more energy and costs more money than any other system in your home -- typically making up about 29% of your utility bill.” So we have come up with the top three things you can do to help lower those bills.
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Schedule a Checkup: If you pay for your own heat and electricity, getting a Quick Home Energy Checkup (QHEC) is a great first step. Call your utility provider (BGE, Pepco, or Potomac Edison) to schedule this. The QHEC is offered at no additional cost through the EmPOWER Maryland Program. During the hour-long assessment, a certified contractor will evaluate your home’s energy usage and identify areas for improvement.
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Keep your thermostat at the optimal temperature. You can save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling. In the winter, set your thermostat to 68°F during waking hours and lower it when you are asleep.
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Attend a webinar. The Office of People’s Counsel has regularly scheduled informational sessions that will walk through utility bills line-by-line in these 30-minute information sessions, answering your questions along the way. And if you miss it live, the sessions are recorded.
- Next Session is February 4 at 12 noon. Sign up here for Potomac Edison and Washington Gas session.
And remember that if your bills are high, there are programs to help you. The Office of Home Energy Programs (OHEP) makes energy costs more affordable, prevents the loss of home energy service and helps restore interrupted service.
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Use less by turning off the lights or switch to energy efficient light bulbs?
A quick and easy place to start is by swapping out your light fixtures or bulbs to ENERGY STAR® qualified lights. This can save you up to $65 a year. Not only are LEDs more energy efficient, but compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) are considered a hazardous waste. Far too many are improperly discarded each year. Nationwide, more than 670 million mercury-containing bulbs end up in the trash and can lead to a release of mercury into the environment through breakage and leakage, and ultimately, contaminate the environment and food chain.
Our goal is to recycle these bulbs the right way and we need your help. Check out our County-sponsored lightbulb exchange events where you can recycle incandescent or CFL bulbs and receive 60-Watt equivalent LEDs at no cost. Events on this Calendar with a 💡are Light Bulb Exchanges.
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Use less by electrifying your home
While the Inflation Reduction Act information on the White House website may no longer be live, the County still has the Electrify MC program which is dedicated to help residents make the switch from fossil fuels like oil, gas and propane to cleaner electric alternatives. Electrify MC simplifies the switch to electric energy for home heating, cooling and other systems.
Don’t wait for your heating, cooling systems, water heaters, or kitchen appliances to break down. Make a plan NOW to avoid the stress of emergency replacements and access limited-time financial incentives from the County which can be combined with state and federal rebates!
Here are some reasons why you want to Electrify Your Home today…
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Reduce your upfront costs. Direct incentives mean that the amount is taken off the total cost right away.
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Lower your monthly energy costs. Energy efficient electric appliances use less energy compared to their fossil fuel-powered counterparts and that keeps money in your hands.
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Improve Air Quality. Enjoy fresher indoor air with electric appliances that produce fewer emissions compared to their fossil fuel counterparts.
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Enhance Comfort. Experience consistent heating and cooling with the latest electric technologies, ensuring your home is comfortable year-round.
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Create a Sustainable Future. Switching to electric appliances will lower your carbon footprint which helps preserve natural resources for future generations.
Join the Electrify MC program today and start your journey towards a cleaner, more energy efficient home.
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🍂 Get ahead of the Leaf Blower Ban: As you may know, starting July 1, 2025, the use of hand-held, backpack, and walk-behind gas-powered leaf removal equipment is banned in Montgomery County. Attention Property Managers, Landscapers, Jardineros! You are Invited to an event called LANDSCAPING WITH BATTERIES. Mark your calendar for this workshop on March 12, 2025, from 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM, breakfast and lunch will be provided.
💡Swap out those Bulbs: Check out our County-sponsored lightbulb exchange events called Illumination Stations, where you can recycle incandescent or CFL bulbs and receive 60-Watt equivalent LEDs at no cost. Events on this Calendar with a 💡are Light Bulb Exchanges.
📚Go to the library: Not only are the Illumination Stations there but you can find out how to use less energy in your homes when you borrow a Kill-A-Watt meter and/or a thermal camera. Both of these devices will show you how much energy you're using or where leaks are in your home and all you need is a library card to check these items out!
⚡Register for the Energy Summit: The annual Montgomery County Energy Summit offers cutting-edge education focused on the latest trends in green building, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and related commercial, multifamily, and residential topics in Montgomery County. Happening on April 8-9, 2025 at the Silver Spring Civic Building, you will want to register today.
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