What You Can Do Now

We can all make a difference in the fight against global climate change. This section provides specifically tailored information that building-owners, homeowners, business-owners, landlords and tenants can use to save energy and lower their utility bills and ultimately reduce their GHG emissions. The information ranges from grant, financing and product-rebate opportunities to simple but important steps we can all take to save energy. Whether it's at home or work, and regardless of whether we are owners or renters, we are all familiar with at least some of the steps we can take to save energy and money: turning down the thermostat a couple degrees, adding insulation to our attics, etc. For a complete list of these and other tips, go to www.staywarmpa.com/. For more specific information, click on the links on the right to learn the some easy actions you can take to reduce your emissions.

Top Five Tips for Everyone

1. Practice Common Sense

There are many simple but important steps we can take to save energy, be it in our homes, apartments, offices, schools and factories. We all know of these steps: weather-stripping doors and windows, adding a programmable thermostat, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs. As simple and familiar as these steps may be, they still are some of the easiest and best ways we can reduce our energy consumption and bills. For a comprehensive list of these tips, visit the Commonwealth's Web site, or the Natural Resources Defense Council's Web site.

2. Buy Green Energy

No matter how much we conserve, we still need energy in our homes, apartments, offices, schools and factories. Fortunately, in Pennsylvania we can choose who generates our electricity and select an energy "generator" that uses a sustainable energy source such as wind or solar power.

Currently, we can pick from four electricity generators: PECO, Commerce Energy Inc., Community Energy, or the Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania. Both Commerce Energy and Community Energy produce at least 50 percent of their energy from renewable sources such as wind or solar power. Both PECO and the Energy Cooperative Association of Pennsylvania also offer wind- and an alternative-energy program. Check here for more information, or call 1-888-PUC-FACT.

West Chester residents and businesses can also contact the Pennsylvania Officer of Consumer Advocate for a list of their suppliers and their prices or call 1-800-684-6560.

Importantly, no matter which energy generator you choose, PECO will still bring or "distribute" the electricity into our homes and buildings, so you will continue to pay your electric bills to PECO. However, the source of your energy will change, and this is a very important way to help the market for clean energy grow.

3. Buy ENERGY STAR Products

ENERGY Star products consume less energy and thus cost less to operate. Refrigerators are the best example: today?s models can use less than one-fourth the energy of 30 years ago, so an upgrade can mean huge energy savings for your household. Manufacturers often offer rebates for ENERGY STAR products, which range from computers to refrigerators and from boilers to shingles. The Energystar.gov web site can tell you whether there are any rebates currently available for the product you are looking for. Go to the EnergySTAR site, type in your zip code, and click the product in which you are interested.

4. Support State and Federal Legislation

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is currently considering legislation that would provide varying levels of funding for homeowners, businesses and commercial-building owners. Various programs are being considered to help Pennsylvanians make their structures more energy efficient and to help Pennsylvanians take advantage of alternative fuels like solar energy. Penn Future tracks these developments here.

5. Apply for Financing for improving the energy efficiency of your home

Pennsylvania homeowners can improve the energy efficiency of their homes with this fast and convenient financing program for high efficiency heating, air conditioning, insulation, windows, doors, siding, geothermal and solar PV systems as well as "whole house" improvements using Home Performance with Energy Star. Provided by AFC First Financial Corporation, a Pennsylvania lender and principally supported by the Pennsylvania Treasury Department and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the Keystone HELP? program helps make affordable energy efficiency available to all Pennsylvanians.