Steve has been energy conscious for years now, beginning with his purchase of an ENERGY STAR refrigerator. He now has an energy star dishwasher and washing machine as well as a high efficiency Viessmann oil burner. He drives a Toyota Prius and has replaced all of our bulbs with ENERGY STAR CFLs. Recently he has invested in photovoltaic panels for the roof of the house. He plans on replacing the house’s old windows with energy-efficient ones in the near future. He is serious about energy conservation, and invests much of his time and effort into being as efficient as possible. He will not purchase new appliances unless they have the highest possible ENERGY STAR rating. Because he is so environmentally conscious, I think my father is an ENERGY STAR.
Q: What is the smartest energy decision you have made? The smartest energy decision I ever made was to call my utility company and ask for a free home energy audit. The auditor not only made some very good recommendations on how I could save energy and money, but he also gave me a number of compact fluorescent light bulbs, some of which are still in use today. Since then I have been saving energy and money every chance I get.
Q: How has this decision affected your lifestyle and your wallet for the better? My family and I are now way more sensitive to energy usage. Virtually all our purchases are made with energy savings in mind. Although some energy-efficient appliances cost a little more, we have saved many thousands of dollars on energy costs.
