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Community News New Hampshire Libraries to Offer Energy-Saving Devices
Community News New Hampshire Libraries to Offer Energy-Saving Devices
| New Hampshire Libraries to Offer Energy-Saving Devices |
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Library card holders in New Hampshire are already saving money, natural resources, and energy by borrowing books instead of buying new. Starting in December, they’ll be able to save even more by checking out their local library’s newest acquisition: a Kill A Watt™ energy monitor. Maine’s Best-Seller Comes to NHIn 2008, many listeners in eastern New Hampshire heard radio advertisements about a program that Maine’s Public Utilities Commission was piloting to help residents save energy. According to the ads, library goers in Maine could borrow an energy monitoring device for free to test the amount of electricity being used by each of the electronic devices in their homes. In short time, the monitors became the most popular item checked out of Maine libraries.“Several of our customers called to see if we had a similar program in New Hampshire,” said Jack Schelling, PSNH conservation department. “It was around that same time that New Hampshire’s CORE electric utilities were putting together an application for funding to expand our efficiency programs, so we decided to check in with the New Hampshire State Library to see if they’d be interested in a partnership.” Janet Eklund, administrator of operations for the NH State Library, immediately issued an online survey to public libraries throughout the Granite State. Their response was overwhelmingly positive, and the CORE utilities (PSNH, Unitil, National Grid NH, and the NH Electric Cooperative) decided to include a Kill A Watt energy monitor program in its application for additional energy-efficiency funding. Approved by Governor Lynch and the Executive Council in August of 2009, the energy monitor program, called “Cut the Carbon,” is one of the first initiatives to be supported by the state’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) fund. Who’s Using What?Starting in December, a total of 760 Kill A Watt energy monitors will be sent to the 235 public libraries throughout the state. Each monitor will come with a kit that includes an instruction sheet and tips on how to save energy. Also included in the kit will be a simple worksheet that allows electricity customers to calculate the energy costs associated with each device in their home.Residents of the 19 communities in New Hampshire that are not presently served by local public libraries will be able to borrow Kill A Watt monitors directly through the NH State Library. “By borrowing one of these meters, you can sample a variety of 120-volt appliances and electronic devices in your home, and find out exactly how much electricity each one is using,” said Schelling. “Then, instead of storing the monitor in your closet, you return it to the library for someone else to use.” Mining for Savings Kill A Watt monitors not only measure the real-world performance of your appliances, they quickly identify the biggest opportunities for savings. For example, if you have an older refrigerator, you may discover that the energy you’d save with a newer model would quickly pay for the up-front investment. You may also discover that several of your electronic devices are drawing electricity even when they’re in the “off” mode. This phenomenon (called “phantom load”) is most prominent with programmable devices such as televisions, computers, and stereos. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75 percent of the electricity used to power electronics in the average home is consumed while the products are turned off. “If you discover a lot of phantom load in your home, you may want to start unplugging certain appliances when you’re not using them,” says Schelling. “Or, you can use a ‘Smart Strip’ energy strip that shuts off power to devices automatically when they’re not in use for a certain amount of time.” The Smart Strip energy strip, as well as other energy-saving devices, is available for sale at a discounted price at www.nhsaves.com. Library goers in New Hampshire who borrow a Kill A Watt energy monitor can find out exactly how much electricity their electronic devices are using. Kill A Watt monitors are plugged into a wall outlet. You can then connect any 120-volt device (e.g. lamp, refrigerator, computer, video game console) to the monitor to see how much energy it uses over a period of time. |
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Energy Tip
More than 90% of electronic gadgets are not recycled. Throwing techno trash in a landfill can cause environmental issues as well as privacy issues. For the past five years, identity theft has been the fastest growing crime in America. Without proper disposal, throwing away electronic devices can be an invitation for trouble. If you have outdated electronics you would like to recycle, please visit www.earth911.com or www.greendisk.com for recycling centers and services in your area.Links
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