Doing right by the environment is often inconvenient and expensive. But an article by _Yahoo Finance_ columnist Laura Rowley, offered up one very easy and effective idea for reducing electricity use. Culling from the practices of the extremely green , she recommends simply unplugging appliances when not in use. One study found that people can save up to 25 percent on their electric bill just by cutting down on so-called “stand-by loss.” Think of all the items you leave plugged in when you’re not using them–TVs, computers, printers, coffee makers–and get in the habit of pulling the plug when they’re idle.
h3(matt). Matt’s View
p(matt). A friend recently pointed out that there’s a choice in how to pay for electricity in Illinois. We’ve been paying a flat rate per kilowatt-hour. But we could sign up for a program that varies the cost by time of day and demand. More information is available . In our household, the potential savings don’t appear to be that great since I work from home and like to keep the house somewhat cooler than 100 degrees in the summer. But if you’re away from home during the peak energy times and can adjust your thermostat accordingly, you may be able to save. Call your electricity provider and see if variable pricing is available in your area.
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