Living Like Ed - (Page 51) system to your desired temperature or turn off the system completely. When you return home, you flip on the GreenSwitch and your wall outlets and heating/cooling system are reenergized. (You’ll still have to walk through your home and turn on lights as you need them, since this allows you to continue the energy savings.) This technology is completely wireless, so it can be retrofitted easily to any home, apartment, or condo. You can even operate it via a remote control, if you happen to use more than one entrance to your home. We also offer a split receptacle, so some things plugged into a wall outlet can remain on, while others are turned off. This is great if you have your TV and video or DVD recording device plugged into the same electrical outlet, for example; this way, the recorder can stay on while the TV gets turned off. Another terrific use for the GreenSwitch is to “clear” your home before you go to bed, so you can save energy all night long. A GreenSwitch should deliver a 30 to 45 percent reduction in energy use. Since the average American home uses more than 12,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, a reduction in energy use of 40 percent would save 6,336 pounds of CO2 emissions, which are created in the production of electricity. —Gregory Hood Home Is Where the Savings Are So far, we’ve come up with dozens of ways you can save energy—and save money—in your home. Some are really simple, like closing your curtains at night, turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth, and waiting to run the dishwasher or the clothes washer until you’ve got a full load. Others require more of an up-front expense, like upgrading to Energy Star–qualified appliances and changing to double-pane windows. But you definitely will notice the difference as soon as you make these changes. And in a few years, you’ll recoup all that money you invested. Your home will be quieter, more comfortable, more energy efficient, and more environmentally sound.
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