RESOURCE GUIDE: Tips to help households save energy and stay warm this winter

Expert advice includes simple solutions alongside larger home investments; Oct. 7 is national Energy Efficiency Day

DENVER — To mark the 10th annual Energy Efficiency Day, and with winter approaching, experts at U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Environment America Research & Policy Center have compiled a resource guide to help Americans cut energy waste, reduce pollution and keep utility bills down. Our experts listed below are available for interviews as well.

Energy Efficiency Day provides an opportunity for advocates, companies, government agencies, utilities and others to showcase the environmental, health and financial benefits of energy efficiency. It comes this year as the Trump administration moves to weaken successful fuel economy standards for vehicles.

Nearly half of Americans live in areas that have unhealthy levels of air pollution. Maximizing efficiency is an effective way to reduce that pollution while also reducing energy bills.

The resource guide contains the following handy, “news you can use”materials:

Citizen’s guide to reducing energy waste – link HERE

This guide offers a comprehensive, room-by-room overview for reducing energy waste and becoming more energy-efficient in your home, from low-tech solutions such as caulking windows to high-tech, high-efficiency appliances. 

Tips and pitfalls to avoid when insulating your home – link HERE

This guide takes the guesswork out of home insulation, providing DIY project tips, suggestions for getting started on bigger projects, and important information about utility weatherization programs and how to take advantage of them. This guide also tackles common mistakes and pitfalls to avoid with home insulation upgrades.

Saving energy in your home this winter – link HERE

This guide includes basic, practical tips for weatherization, including: 

• How to get a home energy assessment.
• Finding air leaks and sealing them up.
• Adjusting the settings of energy-intensive appliances such as water heaters.
• How to think about larger investments like installing storm windows and buying energy-efficient appliances.

LED light bulb purchasing guide – link HERE

LED light bulbs are much more efficient than other bulbs. But to get the right efficient lighting for your home, you’ll need to know how to pick the right brightness, color and bulb type from among the many LED options available. This guide helps people pick the right option for them.

What is a heat pump and should you get one? – links HERE and HERE

These guides explain in a beginner-friendly way what a heat pump is, the different types available, what their benefits are and help people determine if a heat pump is right for them.

The following advocates are available to interview either over the phone or on camera:

National 

Abe Scarr, [email protected], is U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s Energy and Utilities Program Director. He is a renowned and experienced advocate for stronger consumer protections and utility accountability. He has appeared in numerous news outlets including CBS Chicago, the Chicago Tribune and Grist. He also serves as a board member for the Consumer Federation of America. Abe lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Johanna Neumann, [email protected], is the senior director of Environment America Research and Policy Center’s Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy. She works to promote the benefits that clean energy and conservation such as rooftop solar, energy efficiency, and heat pumps can bring to households and communities. Neumann has appeared on MSNBC, in the Associated Press and Washington Post. 

State

Advocates from U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s and Environment America Research & Policy Center’s state groups are also available for interview in the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Virginia.

Please contact [email protected] to arrange interviews with state advocates.

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U.S. PIRG Education Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization, conducts research, policy analysis and public education projects. We spotlight the problems that affect consumers’ health, safety and well-being, advance practical solutions, and promote dialogue about how to elevate the quality of our lives over the quantity of “stuff” we consume.

Environment America Research & Policy Center, a 501(c)(3) organization, conducts research, policy analysis and public education. We illuminate the problems facing our natural world, advance solutions, and inspire intelligent debate about how to put our country and our planet on a greener, healthier path.

Environment America Research & Policy Center and U.S. PIRG Education Fund are both part of The Public Interest Network, which runs organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.