Sitting here watching the Cardinals and Giants go into extra innings. The Cards offense is anemic, but I'm guessing that's not why you're here...
There's a growing realization that energy inefficiency can be a significant drain on a local economy. A recent study at the U of A shows that if half of the Fayetteville households reduced their energy consumption by 25 percent over the next five years (a very achievable stat), residents would save over $8 million. $8 MILLION!! The commercial numbers are so high I'm not even listing them here yet (hundreds of millions).
If half of that money were then spent here in the local economy instead of going towards power plants, the grid, or salaries in Ohio it would be a significant boost.
So with that, here's the best guide I've seen so far on how to improve the efficiency of your home. I use it myself.
It's a website developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (
EPA Yardstick). You can compare your home with others around the country just by adding one year's worth of utility bills and your zipcode. OR if you're not into the comparison just click through the site to find out all about insulation, weatherization, windows, federal tax credits, etc. It's an incredible Do-It-Yourself guide, but also gives a list of local contractors that can do the work for you.
Make your home more energy efficient and then go eat at Pesto Cafe with the savings!