Green Needham 10% Energy Challenge

The Green Needham Collaborative is challenging Needham residents to cut their energy use by at least 10% as a way of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and curbing emissions of CO2, the most common greenhouse gas which leads to harmful global warming.

Don’t know where to start? This easy-to-use checklist will give you plenty of ideas on how cut your energy use. Simply read through the list, then check off actions on the “My Plan” section and calculate your energy savings. Your energy savings will be automatically calculated.

Step one: Estimate your current energy use and set your 10% goal!
When we use energy from fossil fuels—such as gasoline, heating oil and electricity generated by burning coal or natural gas—our personal energy use leads to CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere. Calculating your yearly CO2 emissions is a good way to estimate energy use, and to see how certain actions can reduce these emissions.

Option 1: Estimate your yearly carbon footprint as 54000 pounds of CO2, which is the emission rate of the average American household (this is set as the default value).

OR

Option 2: Estimate your carbon footprint based on your actual energy use with the Household CO2 Calculator from the Empowerment Institute. Click Here or visit www.empowermentinstitute.net (click on Low Carbon Diet Climate Change Program, then Household CO2 Calculator)

Enter your carbon footprint (in lbs) here:

Step two: Use the Green Needham MyPlan Calculator to reduce your energy use now!

Please fill out the following energy plan for your household by ticking all the relevant checkboxes and filling in appropriate text boxes. If you have trouble with this website, or if you would rather have a paper copy to work with, please e-mail us at 10percent@greenneedham.org.

Please include only things you are not already doing!

If you've already done some of these things, congratulations!
Tell us about them by checking the appropriate "I've done that" boxes.

If you've already done a lot, you may not be able to reach 10%.
That's OK - taking the Challenge shows your commitment and encourages others.

No Cost/Low Cost Energy Saving Steps	My Plan of New Actions	Yearly pounds of CO2 avoided
1. Schedule a no-cost home energy audit by calling toll-free 866-867-8729 or filling out our web form. It doesn't matter what kind of fuel you use. Energy audits are better than ever. The home energy advisor will advise you on insulation, air sealing, equipment replacement, and tell you about generous rebates (for example, 75% for insulation, up to $2,000). You can receive a no-cost audit even if you have had one previously. If your last audit was more than a year ago and you didn't do any significant work as a result of that audit, take advantage of this improved program and have your home assessed again. CO2 avoided: 200 pounds More Info	I will call to schedule a free energy audit. -or- Please contact me to schedule a free energy audit. I've done this.
2. Turn down the thermostat in winter and turn it up in summer. NStar recommends a winter setting of no more than 68 degrees, health permitting. A 7-10 degree turn back at night and while you are at work can save as much as 10% off your heating bill. For summer, NStar recommends 78 degrees for central air. To make it easy, buy a programmable thermostat ($25 NStar rebate).
CO2 avoided: 1200 pounds for thermostat turn-backs.	I will start to set the thermostat back 7-10 degrees at night & when gone for at least 8 hrs. I've done this.
CO2 avoided: 300 pounds for each thermostat degree turned down from your usual temperature setting. More Info	I will turn down my thermostat degrees lower than its usual setting when I am home. I've done this.
3. Drive smart Drive the speed limit, avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking, and don’t idle. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, aggressive driving can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and 5 percent around town. They recommend idling no more than 30 seconds to warm the engine on winter days. See www.fueleconomy.gov CO2 avoided: 1000 pounds a year per vehicle driven "smart". More Info	I will increase my miles per gallon at least 10% by avoiding idling and fast starts/stops; I will drive the speed limit. Number of vehicles to be driven smart: I've done this.
4. Walk and Bike More Improve your health and carbon footprint by leaving your car at home. According to the 2001 National Household Transportation Survey, 28 percent of all trips are less than one mile, a reasonable distance for walking, and 41 percent of trips are less than two miles, a distance that is reasonable for biking. You can bring emissions down simply by choosing to walk or bike on short trips. CO2 avoided: approximately 1 pound a year for every car mile replaced (based on 20 mpg car). More Info	I will replace car miles per year by walking or biking.
5. Drive less Automotive traffic contributes approximately 20% to the carbon dioxide emitted globally, and U.S. drivers use their cars substantially more than the global average. You can cut your driving miles by taking public transportation to work or school, car pooling, consolidating errands, taking fewer car trips and vacationing closer to home. How many miles do you typically drive each year? Try to set a weekly or monthly mileage reduction goal! CO2 avoided: approximately 1 pound a year for every mile reduced (based on 20 mpg car). More Info	I will reduce my annual mileage by miles.
6. Reduce air travel and try to fly non-stop when you do fly. Air travel is estimated to add about 1/2 to 1 pound of CO2 per mile flown. Reducing your flights can make huge cuts in your carbon footprint. Since most energy is used on take-off and landing, flying non-stop is more energy-wise CO2 avoided: Roughly 1 lb of CO2 for every flight mile you cut from your typical annual air travel.	I will reduce my annual flight miles by miles.
CO2 avoided: Roughly 1 lb of CO2 for every flight mile you offset by buying carbon credits. More Info	I will purchase carbon credits for miles of travel.
7. Replace your most-used incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents, which use 75% less energy and last much longer. (When you do have to dispose of compact fluorescents, remember to take them to the Universal Waste Shed at the Needham Transfer Station since they contain a small amount of mercury.) CO2 avoided: 150 pounds a year for each light bulb changed. More Info	I will replace lightbulbs. I've done this.
8. Unplug or dispose of a little-used second refrigerator or freezer Pre-1993 refrigerators can use twice the energy as new ones and may be costing over $150 a year to run. NStar will pick up your unused second refrigerator or freezer and give you a $50 rebate. Call 877-545-4113 to enroll. (If a second fridge is a must, simply turn it off when it isn’t needed or consider downsizing to a small Energy Star compact fridge.) CO2 avoided: 1700 if no longer used (based on 1990 model); 1000 if used less or downsized. More Info	I will no longer use a second refrigerator. -or- I will unplug a second refrigerator when not in use. -or- None of the above. I've done this.
9. Turn off lights and electronics when no one is in the room, plug electronics into power strips with a switch that can be turned off when devices are not in use. Electronics such as TV’s, stereos, computers, printers, and DVD players use power even when off. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, over half of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. Turning off the power strip switch cuts off this wasted power. CO2 avoided: 600 pounds a year More Info	I will turn off lights and electronics when I am not using them. I will also install and use power strips. I've done this.
10. Don't leave computers and game consoles on. Turn off video game consoles. Even with the TV off, they use almost as much power in idle mode as they do when being played. Use standby (sleep) mode on your computer if you won’t use it for at least 20 minutes (or program the computer to do this automatically), and turn it off if you won’t use it for at least 2 hours. Left on, a single game console or desktop computer could cost more than $125 a year to run. The U.S. Dept. of Energy points out that screen savers may actually use more energy and that it is a myth that you shouldn’t turn off computers. CO2 avoided: 500 pounds yearly for computers and game consoles not left on. More Info	I will use the standby feature on my computer and turn computers and game consoles off when not in use for several hours. I've done this.
11. Reduce Hot Water.Heating water takes more energy than you might think! Take showers of 5 minutes or less, don’t leave water running when you do dishes, and when using the clothes washer, do some loads using cold water for wash and rinse cycles.
CO2 avoided: 300 lbs a year for each person taking shorter showers.	people will take shorter showers. I've done this.
CO2 avoided: 125 lbs for not leaving water running. More Info	When I wash dishes by hand, I won’t let the water run. I've done this.
CO2 avoided: 125 lbs for washing some loads using cold water. More Info	I will wash some laundry loads using cold water. I've done this.
12. Install a low flow shower head. This can reduce shower hot water use by 30%. Early low-flow shower heads simply restricted flow and performed poorly. According to NStar, “A top-quality, low-flow showerhead will cost $10 to $20 and pay for itself in energy saved within 4 months.” CO2 avoided: 300 pounds for each shower head installed. More Info	I will install low flow shower heads. I've done this.
13. Add at least one vegetarian meal each week.The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that raising livestock causes 18% of the greenhouse gas emissions. This is due to the energy intense production of livestock feed and the methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) that is emitted from manure and animal digestion, especially cows. CO2 avoided: 700 pounds a year for each vegetarian meal consistently added to the weekly menu. More Info	I will increase my vegetarian meals by per week. I've done this.
14. Wash full loads and use your dishwasher on the no-heat/air dry or energy saving setting. (If you don't have an automatic air-dry switch, turn off the control knob after the final rinse and prop the door open a little so the dishes will dry faster.) Much of the electricity used by the dishwasher is for heated drying. CO2 avoided: 200 pounds a year. More Info	I will wash full loads and start to use the air dry or energy saver setting on my dishwasher. I've done this.
15. Plug air leaks. Air infiltration substantially raises the cost of heating and cooling. Use caulking, door sweeps, outlet insulators, foam, and weather stripping to seal drafty windows and doors. (It may help to use an incense stick to find leaks.) CO2 avoided: 800 pounds a year. More Info	I will plug air leaks around windows, doors, and foundation. I've done this.
16. Replace an old refrigerator with an Energy Star appliance. EnergyStar refrigerators are twice as efficient as ones made before 1993. (And units with top freezers use less energy than a side-by-side.) Use the NStar energy calculator to see how much you can save each year – it could be about $150. www.nstaronline.com under energy efficiency. Check NStar rebates. CO2 avoided: 800 pounds a year. More Info	In the next 6 months, I will replace my old refrigerator with an Energy Star Model. I've done this.
17. Replace an old furnace with a high efficiency unit. Replacing an old, inefficient furnace can reduce your heating bill by hundreds of dollars a year. Ask your NStar energy auditor about rebates. CO2 avoided: 2400 pounds a year. More Info	In the next 6 months, I will replace my old furnace with a high efficiency unit. I've done this.
18. Add insulation. A priority for reducing heating bills and not as expensive as other measures. If the home energy advisor who does your energy audit determines that you need insulation, the Mass Save program will pay 75% of the cost, up to $2,000. CO2 avoided: up to 2000 pounds of CO2 a year, depending on extent of project. More Info	In the next 6 months, I will add insulation to my home. Give yourself 1000-2000 pounds, depending on extent of project: I've done this.
19. Buy a car with better gas mileage. Hybrids are great, but any mile-per-gallon improvement is significant. Check on tax rebates. CO2 avoided: for each mile per gallon improvement: roughly 400 pounds a year at 12,000 miles per year. More Info	In the next 6 months, I will buy a car with an improvement of miles per gallon. I've done this.
20. Need more ideas? You may be an advanced energy saver who feels you’ve already done it all, or perhaps you just need more actions to make your goal. Click here for more ideas.	I have committed myself to actions from the More Ideas page and will further reduce my CO2 by pounds.

Sources: www.nstaronline.com, U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, www.eere.energy.gov, Low Carbon Diet (David Gershon), www.stopglobalwarming.org
Carbon reductions are rough estimates and vary depending on your particular equipment and usage patterns, as well as which carbon calculator is used.

Your current estimated carbon footprint (lbs):

Your total annual CO2 savings (lbs):

% Reduction you have achieved:

Almost Done!

To complete the Needham 10% Energy Challenge, please fill out the following information, then press the Submit MyPlan button at the bottom of the screen.

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If you are entering as part of a group, please select the ones that apply:

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To keep a copy of this energy plan, please print this page. We recommend that you use Print Preview to make sure it will print correctly. A few computers may need to change the page orientation in the printer settings to "landscape.

Please send me the Green Needham e-newsletter so I can keep up with Needham environmental & energy news and events. (Reducing e-mail clutter is important to us, too, so only rarely we will send more than one a month.)

Thank you for taking part in the Needham 10% Energy Challenge!

Application designed by Oliver Haas | oliverckhaas@gmail.com | www.oliverckhaas.com

Current Carbon Footprint (lbs):		Current C02 Savings (lbs):		% Reduction you have achieved:
If you've already done a lot, you may not be able to reach 10%. That's OK!