Everything Matters

Everything Matters. Some Things Matter More

Do I really need to unplug my phone charger?

Should I heat my water on the stove or in the microwave? Should I use hot water from my tap or start with cold water?

Everything matters, but some things matter more.

A quick look at residential energy use suggests that space heating, water heating, and space cooling are the top three energy users. This means that if we want to reduce our energy/emissions, we need to focus on those three. Changing your thermostat settings just a couple of degrees for a few hours a day can make a difference. (See Measure It).

But you will notice that things like iPhones and TVs don't even make the list. Most of our electricity use falls into the "Other" category.

This means that Everything Matters - we need to pay attention to small things as well as big things, but our focus should first be on the big things.

As per our 10% reduction commitment, the low hanging fruit is likely changing your thermostat setting. Unplugging your refrigerator to get you a 5% reduction is not an option. But, what about unplugging the garage refrigerator that is not being fully utilized?