Be a fan of energy savings
On hot days, using your ceiling fan can allow you to raise your thermostat setting about four degrees without sacrificing your comfort, saving you money and energy.
Quick and Timely Tips
NEEF has gathered some short, useful information to help you to help stay safe, protect the planet, and save time and money!
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Save Energy and Money
These tips will keep you lights on and money in your pocket.
How much energy is in your trash?
Recycling just one aluminum can save the amount of energy needed to power a laptop computer for five hours! Before you toss a household item in the trash can, find out if it can be recycled. Visit search.earth911.com to learn what you can recycle, how and where.(EPA)
Hands off the dishes
It may be counterintuitive, but washing dishes by hand can actually use more water than putting them in the dishwasher! Using an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher instead of hand washing will save, on average, 5,000 gallons of water and 230 hours of your time each year. (EPA)
Have it made in the shade
In a neighborhood that is shaded by trees, summer air temperatures can be up to six degrees cooler! Plant deciduous trees on the south side of your home to filter out 70-90 percent of the hot summer sun. In the winter, the bare tree branches will allow sunlight through to warm your home.(Energy.gov)
Give your computer a rest!
If 100 million Americans put their computer and monitor to sleep when not in use, three billion kilowatt hours of electricity and more than four billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented, saving consumers $350 million every year on utility bills.(EPA Energy Star)
Let a little light in
Space heating is the largest energy expense for the average home in the United States. If you leave your curtains open during the day, sunlight can help warm your home, allowing you to turn down the thermostat and save energy and money.(Energy.gov)
Kick energy savings into high gear
Biking benefits the environment…and your wallet. Leaving your car behind for even one trip saves gas and reduces air pollution. In 2014, traffic congestion in the US wasted more than three billion gallons of fuel. The total cost of all that congestion? $160 billion or about $960 per commuter. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute)
Put an end to energy vampires
If 100 million Americans turned off or unplugged electronics when not in use, 12 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and more than 18 billion pounds of carbon pollution would be prevented, saving consumers more than $1 billion on utility bills. That is equal to preventing carbon pollution from more than 1.7 million cars. (EPA Energy Star)
Small adjustments, big savings
If 100 million U.S. homes set their thermostats a few degrees higher in the summer or lower in the winter, consumers would save $16 billion per year on utility bills. That is equal to preventing carbon pollution from the electricity use of more than 11 million U.S. homes. (EPA Energy Star)
Health Tips
Some useful tidbits on staying safe and healthy outdoors and indoors!
A winter sunburn? Yes, really.
Just because it’s colder outside doesn’t mean your skin can’t get sun damage. In fact, water, snow, and sand all reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn. That means if you’re out skiing or hiking on snow-covered ground, you’re extra vulnerable.Any time you head outdoors—even in the winter—you should follow common sense sun protection habits, as outlined in NEEF’s Sunwise program. That means applying sunscreen, checking the UV Index, and wearing protective clothing.
Safe heating
During times of extreme cold, many turn to unusual heating methods to try to keep their families warm. However, some of these methods can be dangerous, and others should be avoided entirely. Keep portable generators outside, never use oven or cooking ranges to heat your home, and do not leave portable space heaters unattended.(The Weather Channel)
Lifelong UV Protection
About 23% of a person’s lifetime exposure to UV radiation occurs before age 18. When you head outside for your next adventure, don’t forget sunscreen. Choose one that is at least SPF 15 and provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays. (The Skin Cancer Foundation)
Burn Wisely
Many of us turn to a wood-burning stove or fireplace to keep warm during the cold winter months, but these heat sources can threaten indoor air quality with smoke if not handled properly. Before burning, make sure your chimney is clean, and never use gasoline or charcoal starter to get the fire going. Learn more about best burn practices.(EPA)
Get a lesson in air quality this school year
Ten to 14 percent of personal vehicle trips made during peak morning commuting hours are taking kids to school. If you don't take the bus, help reduce morning traffic and protect air quality by carpooling, walking, or biking to school. (National Center for Safe Routes to School)
Stay safe in the cold
Infants less than one year old lose body heat more easily than adults, and they can’t generate enough body heat through shivering. Make sure young ones are wearing warm clothing, in multiple layers as needed.(The Weather Channel)
Weather Preparedness
Don't let severe weather take you by surprise!
Be the first to know
How do you learn about bad weather, road closures, and other emergencies? Many communities have systems that will send you text messages with this information. Click on your state on this map to find local Office of Emergency Management information.(NOAA)
Build a basic disaster supply kit
Make sure you and your family are prepared in the case of emergency by building a basic disaster supplies kit. Include at least a three-day supply of food and water per person, as well as a flashlight and a NOAA radio.(FEMA ready.gov)
Hurricane Season
95% of all intense hurricane activity occurs from August to October. Are you prepared? Take our free course, Extreme Weather 101, to learn more about how to prepare yourself and your family. (The Weather Channel)
Go with the flow in winter
During times of severe cold, try to continuously drip faucets in your home, including the bathroom, kitchen, and shower and tub faucets. Keeping the water moving can help prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.(The Weather Channel)
On the road to a safer winter
The next time a winter storm strikes, you may be in your vehicle—are you prepared? Build a car emergency kit with sand, an ice scraper, food, water, a flashlight, jump cables, and warm clothes and blankets to help you stay safe this winter. (Ready Wisconsin)
Make a family communication plan
In chaotic times of emergency, it can be difficult to contact your family. Make sure you’re prepared by having a family communication plan in place before disaster strikes.(FEMA ready.gov)
Conserve Water and Protect Our Waterways
Tips to help keep this precious resource clean and protected.
Don't feed the algae
When excess nutrients leak into streams and rivers, they can feed dangerous algal blooms, threatening water quality. Avoid feeding the algae by not over-sudsing your laundry—too much detergent won’t make your clothes cleaner and can contribute to phosphates in the water system. (EPA)
Keeping the economy afloat
Rivers are good for the economy: people participating in outdoor recreation spend about $86 billion each year on watersports like kayaking, canoeing, rafting, and boating. Help keep the economy afloat by protecting water quality at home; picking up after your pet and preventing household waste from going down storm drains are both great places to start. (American Rivers)
Protect your liquid assets
If 100 million Americans fixed a leaky faucet that drips at a rate of one drip per second, over 320 billion gallons of water would be saved every year, saving consumers nearly $3 billion in energy costs annually. That would equal enough water to meet the annual water needs for the entire state of Arizona. (EPA WaterSense)
A minute to spare for water conservation
If 100 million Americans reduced their shower time by one minute, 55 billion gallons of water would be saved every year, saving consumers over $500 million in water costs annually. That’s equal to the annual water needs of the entire states of Maine and Rhode Island combined.(EPA WaterSense)
Saving water smile
If 100 million Americans turned off the faucet when they were brushing their teeth, 292 billion gallons of water would be saved every year, saving consumers $2.7 billion in water costs annually. That would equal enough water to meet the annual water needs of the entire state of Ohio. (EPA WaterSense)
Scrape don't rinse
Modern dishwashers and detergents are designed to work without pre-rinsing dishes. Scrape your dishes instead of rinsing to save up to 20 gallons of water per load.(EPA WaterSense)
Shower yourself savings
If 100 million Americans showered daily with WaterSense labeled showerheads, over 146 billion gallons of water would be saved every year, saving consumers $1.35 billion in water costs annually. That’s equal to the water needs of Wisconsin and Wyoming combined. (EPA WaterSense)
From stream to sink
In the United States, about 65% of our drinking water comes from rivers and streams. Help keep this water clean of trash and pollution by participating in a river cleanup. Find a cleanup near you on this map.(American Rivers)
Fix those leaks!
When it comes to household water use, the average American uses about 82 gallons of water per day. To cut back on your water use around the house, an easy first step starts with fixing any leaks. (They can drip away gallons a day—in extreme cases, up to 90 gallons/day!)
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