In today’s world, climate change has become a major concern for the global community. With rising temperatures, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather events, taking
steps to reduce our carbon footprint is crucial.
There are countless ways technology can help us reduce our carbon footprint. One of the most obvious is enabling us to use renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, but many of these options can be out of reach for many households. A much simpler way that technology can help us lower our carbon footprint is by helping us reduce our energy consumption.
Fortunately, there are several new energy-saving technologies available for homes, including:
SMART THERMOSTATS
Because your thermostat is responsible for 60% of your energy bill, we strongly recommend that every homeowner invest in this smart device. These devices are designed to learn your heating and cooling preferences, and they can automatically adjust the temperature to help you save both energy and money. There are several options available that work well with furnaces or heat pumps, including the Ecobee Smart Thermostat or the popular Google Nest. Amazon’s Smart Thermostat also comes highly recommended by the technology news website CNET (short for Computer Network). For those with electric baseboard heaters, Mysa offers a fantastic smart thermostat.
LED LIGHTING
LED bulbs are a more energy-efficient and durable alternative to traditional incandescent bulbs. Newer Wi-Fi smart LED fixtures can be integrated into your home assistant, such as Google or Alexa. This will allow you to set up schedules and keep your usage to a minimum.
SMART APPLIANCES
Energy-efficient appliances like refrigerators, washing machines and dryers with the ENERGY STAR certification can significantly reduce your energy bills. Additionally, new smart plugs designed for home electronics offer greater connectivity, enabling you to remotely control and monitor your electronics, as well as track your usage.
ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEMS
These systems allow you to monitor your home’s energy usage and identify areas where you can make changes to save energy. Fortunately, for most homeowners in Issaquah Highlands, the PSE Marketplace has many discounts and rebates on the items above. These discounts make saving money and energy even easier. Visit pse-marketplace.com for more information. New HFN Home Support offerings make installation easy as well, as our technicians will visit your home to install these devices for you. Learn more and request a visit here.
Jeremy Fallt is the HFN general manager and a Westridge resident.
