Think of all the money we're going to save...

As many people start to wind down their holidays, we wanted to share a comic strip cartoon from our friends at Apogee.

We hope everyone has had a great holiday season and look forward to more blogging in 2009!

Happy Holidays!

Wishing you a happy and safe holiday to you and yours! Click on the image above to view a special e-card from our entire Energy Conservation Blog Team.

Recycle your Christmas tree … and your old computer!

In just a few days, people across the world will have Christmas trees that need to be taken down. But what’s the next step in disposing your tree? Earth911.org provides some great information:

RECYCLE YOUR CHRISTMAS TREE. Ninety-eight percent of Christmas trees were grown on farms, not in forests, so at least it's not as if you're cutting down an ancient tree. Each year, 10 million Christmas trees end up in the landfill. While your tree won't fit in the recycling bin with your newspapers and bottles, you can recycle your tree: many cities offer programs to turn your tree to mulch or wood chips. Call (800) CLEANUP or visit http://earth911.com/seasonal/green-your-holidays to find the tree-recycling program near you.

And how about your old computer?

Many people are going to get new computers for the holidays, like a stylish new Mac or a creative tablet style PC. But what do you do with the old computer that’s too slow to use? Recycle it! Check out RECONNECT to learn more.

Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.

Prep your home for the holiday vacation

Prepping your house for vacation is a great way to save energy. One way to do this is to turn down the temperature on your heating unit. A general rule of thumb is: the energy required to heat a building to a comfortable temperature is roughly equal to the energy saved as the building warms to the higher temperature.

Another way to save energy while you are away from home is to set the water heater to the vacation mode.

Before you head out the door, check the fridge to make sure there is no food that will spoil - it also makes room for the tasteful holiday desserts you will be bringing back with you. Make sure that your refrigerator isn’t set to the coldest temperature.

Unplug unnecessary appliances such as computers, TVs, gaming systems, DVDs and stereos to save on the phantom load.

And instead of leaving a light on 24 hours, consider putting lights on timers that only stay on for a few hours in the morning or evening. When looking for timers, look into getting one with a random time function, to give a more 'lived in' look.

When you return, remember to increase the thermostat temperature slowly to avoid spiking usage. Knowing your home is tucked in for its vacation stay, means energy savings for you.

Have other ideas to prepare your home for the holiday vacation? We'd love to hear your tips!

Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.

Buy carbon offsets for gifts

How many truly unique holiday gifts are on the market? We’ve found an idea that really is unique and helps the planet: carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are a great way to help reduce carbon emissions during holidays travel, like driving and flying.

In the past, our readers have had many questions about carbon offsets and what exactly they are. BeGreenNow.com describes their purpose well: "While it's nearly impossible to reduce your carbon footprint to zero, carbon offsets can make up the difference ... by purchasing carbon offsets and renewable energy credits, you're investing in cleaner technologies that help neutralize your contribution to global warming."

Currently Wikipedia defines a carbon offset as "a financial instrument representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions ... one carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases."

I’m sure everyone has an Auntie Clair or an Uncle Jeffrey who have come across the country to bring you stale fruitcake. Instead of getting them another George Foreman grill and bagged popcorn, you can buy carbon offsets in their name, offsetting the carbon emissions from their trip.

Check this air travel calculator to quickly calculate their flight (short, medium, long) and how many flights you want to offset. You can also offset their vehicle emissions.

Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.

Stocking stuffers

Many energy- and eco-conscious people are looking for stocking stuffers for the holiday times. Here are a few easy ideas:

• A CFL bulb (don't forget about our discount program on ENERGY STAR® Qualified CFLs)



• Sustainable, hand-crafted items – check out Etsy for an endless selection



• A smart power strip



• A plant, herbs or someone's favorite seeds or bulbs for their garden



• Eco-friendly household items, such as reusable coffee filters or natural, non-toxic cleaning products – it's a great way to let a friend sample green products they may be able to use on a daily basis



• Rechargeable batteries



• A subscription to a junk mail reduction service, such as Greendimes or 41pounds.org



• Locally-grown organic fruits, vegetables and other goods from your nearest farmer's market



• An energy audit



• A glass water bottle – there are lots of stylish options available for even the most discriminating of tastes



• Reusable grocery and shopping bags – many stores now carry their own variety, or purchase one to match your flair



• Safe, BPA-free toys and teethers for your favorite baby and recycled, eco-friendly toys for older tots



• A copy of the The Green Book or some other guide offering small, practical ways someone can go green



• A cool LED balloon lamp (sure to delight big and little ones alike)



• Don't forget Fido! Look for green pet toys

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Thaxton Elementary’s outstanding NEED Program

A few weeks back, the Dominion Energy Conservation team went to an Energy Expo in Roanoke, VA. There were exhibitors with a variety of demonstrations: high efficiency windows, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and even tandem bicycles. The most enthusiastic booth was staffed by ten Thaxton Elementary scientists. When I say scientists, I mean 5th graders who are as sharp as they come.

The Thaxton Elementary scientists are part of their school's National Energy Education Development Program (NEED). NEED is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating students, teachers and the community about energy and energy issues. The scientists had solar-powered toys (using a lamp), explained how wind power worked (using a balloon and toy car) and showed us how to make a circuit to turn on a light (holding each others' hands).

Watch out Einstein, Thaxton’s NEED students are on your coattails!

Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.

Green Cars

There’s a lot of talk about hybrids and other energy efficient vehicles, which makes us wonder which is the greenest of them all? When matched up using a “Green Score” the Honda Civic GX takes the cake for the 2008 Greenest Car. While it gets a strong 36 Highway MPG and 24 City MPG, it takes the win by the fuel it runs on: Liquid Natural Gas.

The following chart is the top 12 Greenest Vehicles of 2008:

Check out GreenerCars.org to see the greenest vehicles by class as well as the 2008 Meanest Vehicles for the Environment. This chart, in addition to the Miles per Dollar Calculator illustrates just how much energy efficient cars save you money at the pump.

Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.

Green the Holidays

Now that today is Cyber Monday and tons of people are shopping for electronics via the web, there are a few ideas to help Green the Holidays:

• If purchasing a new computer, give strong consideration to a laptop with minimal energy usage



• Look for products with these logos when browsing:
  



• Before purchasing a new TV, use the TV Energy Usage chart to see which is most efficient.



• Consider purchasing recycled electronics (and also learn more about recycling your old electronics).



• Buy rechargeable batteries.



• Take a look at greenelectronics.com. They often pick out "hot deals" on green electronics.

Don’t forget to share this page to help others conserve energy and save money.