Issue Date: September 28, 2008
GreenSmart |
NATALIE ERMANN RUSSELL |
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Cut your electric bill
Some power companies use "smart meters" that charge based on when you're using the electricity -- peak periods cost more, says Phillip F. Schewe, author of "The Grid: A Journey Through the Heart of Our Electrified World." Even without the smart meter, avoiding electricity usage during peak times makes sense to reduce blackouts and brownouts.
3 More energy-saving tips:
Using compact fluorescent light bulbs will help cut your power costs.
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Run the dishwasher as you're going to bed, not at a peak time, like 5 p.m.
Replace every incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, or CFL. You can save 10% on your power bill.
Figure out how much electricity your older appliances are drawing (buy a little meter for around $20).
For example, a new refrigerator uses one-third of the electricity of an older model of the same size.
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