Fayetteville’s City Government is responsible for approximately 30,000 tons of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere in 2006 with an expected growth rate of 8 percent per year. Emitting these gases cost the City $1.9 million in the form of utility expenses, $881,000 in fuel consumption and untold costs in waste management. In light of these facts, I issued a memo to all City of Fayetteville employees last week mandating the following behavior changes to reduce energy consumption:

• All non-essential computers are to hibernate when not in use for 20 minutes and are to be shutdown in the evening. (IT personnel will program all City computers to hibernate after 20 minutes.)
• Copiers, printers and other office equipment are to be turned off in the evening.
• Switch off unnecessary lights and use natural lighting when feasible.
• Switch off lights as you leave the office in the evening.
• Unplug phone, blackberry and other chargers that are not in use.

These are just a few of the easiest and quickest steps we are taking at the City to change behavior and habits. I’ve asked our employees to share their ideas on how we can be more energy efficient in each of the City’s departments and divisions.

While we continue to make strides at the municipal level, I want to encourage each of you to begin to look at your daily routines through the lens of energy savings and climate protection. The lists below include a few tips to get you and your family started on a more energy efficient path. I sincerely believe that if we all work together, we can make an impact, reduce greenhouse gasses in our community, and build a better, cleaner future for generations to come.

Energy Conservation Tips: Did you know that buildings use 50 percent of all electricity in the US.

• Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights (CFL). Using CFLs can save 50 percent on lighting costs and last ten times longer.
• Switch off unnecessary lights when sufficient daylighting is present and use dimmers, motion sensors or occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lighting when not in use.
• Use task lighting; instead of lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it to directly illuminate work areas.
• Use Energy Star labeled products for electronic appliances.
• Adjust blinds to block direct sunlight during the summer and open them during the winter to naturally heat your home.
• Electronic devices use 75 percent of total energy when not in use. Unplug chargers, coffee makers, desktop printers, etc.
• Shutdown computers at night and hibernate during the day. Turn off your monitor when not in use.
• Install programmable thermostats for your home. The energy saved by automatically controlling home temperatures more than pays for itself.
• Insulate your water heater with an old blanket.
• Install a tankless water heater.
• Have your local energy provider do a free energy audit on your home (See links below) to determine the major energy consumers.

Tips to avoid waste: Did you know Arkansans create twice as much daily waste as the average American.

• Reduce waste by using a durable water bottle and installing a filter on your home tap. Use a coffee mug instead of Styrofoam cups.
• Reuse by repairing broken items, donating to charity or community groups or selling them. Also reward companies that use less packaging by purchasing their product over a more wastefully packaged brand.
• Recycle - When you do buy something look for recycled paper or packaging products and make sure the product is recyclable. Remember that recycling is downcycling because the recycled product rarely retains the same strength or use of the original.

Water Conservation Tips:

• Install timing devices on sprinklers and be aware of recent rain events when watering is unnecessary.
• Plant native species that do not require extensive watering.
• Install rain barrels to harness rainwater for irrigation and reduce your water bill.
• Water lawns during the early morning hours when temperatures and wind speed are the lowest. Watering your lawn in the middle of the day can scorch your grass.
• Don’t water the street. Check sprinkler positioning to ensure efficient coverage.
• An estimated 40 percent of drinking water is used for irrigation in the US.
• Your garden hose can pour out 600 gallons in a few hours. Do not leave them unattended unless you have installed an automatic shutoff device.

Interesting/Helpful Websites:

• EPA Energy Star: www.energystar.gov
• Ozarks Electric Cooperative: www.ozarksecc.com
• SWEPCO: www.swepco.com/CustomerService/HelpfulInformation/SavingEnergy
• Earth 911: http://earth911.org
• Worldchanging: www.worldchanging.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 12th, 2007 at 10:48 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.