Energy & Water Efficiency

January through March are the three months with the highest energy consumption in Residential and Dining Services. Conserving energy can be simple, and is a way to save money and reduce carbon emissions at the same time. Try practicing the suggestions below!

Energy & Water Conservation Tips

• Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc
• Activate “sleep” features on computers and ofice equipment; turn them off during longer periods of non-use to cut nergy costs and improve longevity
• Keep lids on pots when cooking
• Dress appropriately for the weather
• Set your thermostat to 55 at night & when you’re not home, 65-68 when you are home.
• Put an extra blanket on the bed and your thermostat down.
• Only heat or cool the rooms you need—close vents and doors of unused rooms.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when shopping for products such as TVs, cell phones, microwaves, & more.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer. 
• Tell RAD Maintenance about your problems: you have a leaky faucet or a toilet that keeps on running? thermostat won’t adjust on your baseboard heater? Put in a request for it to be fixed.
• Use a toaster oven (or microwave) instead of a conventional oven for smaller items.
  Cook as much food in the oven at one time as possible.
• Avoid opening the oven door: every time it’s opened, 25-50° F is lost.
• Be conscious of hot water use: about 15 percent of an average home energy bill goes to heating water.
• Take five-minute showers.
• Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher.
• Use cold water for laundry—detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.
• Report all dripping faucets to RAD Facilities by calling 867-6764. 

Resources

On Campus

Green Cleaning

Clean Energy Committee

Regional

City of Olympia Water Utility

LOTT Alliance

National

H2O Conserve

Food and Water Watch

Network for New Energy Choices

Renewable Energy Access: Trusted source for the latest news

Shop Green Irene

US Department of Energy: Conservation Tips

Cornell Scientific Inquiry: Links to information about Watersheds

EPA: Surf Your Watershed

Books & Videos

"Our Stolen Future" by Theo Colborn, Dianne Dumanoski and John Myers