Actions Around the Home
The Frog will explore The Climate Action Handbook: A Visual Guide to 100 Climate Solutions by Heidi Roop in the first 100 days of 2024
In the first `100 days of 2024 we will explore 100 climate solutions that may “empower you to evaluate, engage, and act” to address on-going climate change as an individual on your terms.
You might be considering to Go Solar. If you are or if you are not, all of us should should first optimize our houses to be more energy efficient. You might want to consider monitoring your consumption using a home energy monitor. You might be able to spot those elusive phantom loads. You will be surprised how much electricity your appliances and devices use when they are “switched off”. Armed with data and understanding, you can make good choices on how to optimize your electricity usage.
Given that the US Department of Energy estimates that about 15 percent of a home’s electricity use is for lighting. it seems a logical place to take action. The good news is that through a concerted, focused effort (and facing backlash and disinformation) energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) lights are readily available for purchase.
You may take them for granted, but you should marvel at the technology built into an LED lightbulb. The electroluminescence process that is the basis for LEDs can be used to make the brilliant single wavelength lights that we see everywhere on indicators, displays, signs, and decorations.
Making a white light that is suitable for home décor is not trivial – see some of the strategies below. The US DOE is still funding research and development to help get it right. Meanwhile, you can find guidelines for choosing LED lights from the ENERGY STAR program at the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Replacing both incandescent and fluorescent fixtures in your home can mean a big savings “on a per-bulb basis, an LED bulb can save you anywhere from $50 to $100 over its lifetime”. And the cumulative impact of all of us making a concerted switch to LED lighting is significant. Using the EPA’s Carbon Footprint Calculator allows for some interesting math. A household that replaces five incandescent lightbulbs with ENERGY STAR approved LEDs will save 255 lbs of carbon dioxide emissions annually – the equivalent of the emissions from burning 13 gallons of gasoline in the average car.
Rolling that up globally, you can start to glimpse the potential impact. A wholesale global conversion in residences over the next 30 years could result in over 10 gigatons of GHG emissions avoided. Start in your own home and enjoy the savings (but beware the phantom loads!). And consider becoming an advocate: the simple action of us swapping incandescent lightbulbs for LEDs in our homes leads to a a large collective climate change impact.
Next Up: Climate Action in 2024 – Day 59: Go Low-Flow With Your Fixtures
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