Helpful Energy and Water Efficiency Resources

How much energy am I using?
Check out The Home Energy Saver  at www.hes.lbl.gov,  an online tool developed at Lawrence Berkeley Labs. It will give you a sense of where energy is being used in your home.

How much water am I using?
The best local resource is a free water audit by the Santa Clara Water Authority. They’ll identify the big water users in your home. Call (800) 548-1882 to sign up.

Where can I find energy-efficient products?
The Energy Foundation has a good online catalog.  www.ef.org. 

What is a good source of information on energy-efficient appliances?
California’s Flex Your Power website is rich with information. www.fypower.org.  Also check out the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. www.aceee.org for useful advice and calculators.

I’d like some suggestions on home improvements, such as weatherization and insulation.
The Energy Star™ brand is being extended to residential housing. Check out their improvement tips at www.energystar.gov, the home improvement tab.

Any good books I can read?
These two are our favorites:                                  
The Home Energy Diet (Paul Schekel, 2005)
The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings (aceee.org, 2007)

Will general advice be right for my home?
Learning about energy and water efficiency can save you money right away, as you become more aware of wasteful habits in your home. But, the one-size-fits-all advice can miss the mark; sometimes an upgrade will be cost-effective for you, but not for your neighbors.

If I can get all of this information for free, why do I need GreenNow?
We thought you’d never ask!  How many times have you forgotten to take your cloth shopping bags into the store?  We know that good habits are hard to maintain. Our job is to make energy and water efficiency easy, sustainable --- and fun.   Call us today!