Need help finding energy savings in your home? Step into the House of Savings and reduce your energy bill.

The House of Savings is a new interactive feature on Chelan County PUD’s Conservation Web page. Place your mouse over a feature in the house and a pop-up box provides tips on saving energy and money. Hover over the thermostat, for example, and you’ll learn that for every degree you set your thermostat lower (or higher for summer cooling) you can reduce your power bill by 2 percent. The items also contain links to related information.

The house is a collaborative effort of  technology, graphics and conservation staff at the PUD. Come on in!

… And CFLs are not. Here’s why the bulbs generate less heat than your standard incandescents.

We’ve been warning customers not to place compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in recessed fixtures unless the bulbs are rated for that use. We’ve also been telling customers that CFLs generate less heat than their incandescent cousins. Those two seemingly contradictory statements prompted a question from a customer about why the recessed-fixture warning is necessary if CFLs generate less heat.  

Here’s the answer: CFLs do generate some heat, just not nearly as much as an incandescent bulb. So putting a CFL in an enclosed fixture is not recommended . The build-up of heat in an enclosed space can cause CFLs to burn out early.  

The GE Lighting Web site offers a good explanation of the difference between incandescent and CFLs in heat generation: 

“Regular light bulbs, known as incandescent bulbs, create light by heating a filament inside the bulb; the heat makes the filament white-hot, producing the light that you see. Halogen light bulbs create light through the same method. Because incandescent and halogen bulbs create light through heat, about 90% of the energy they emit is in the form of heat (also called infrared radiation). To reduce the heat emitted by regular incandescent and halogen light bulbs, use a lower watt bulb (like 60 watts instead of 100). 

“Fluorescent light bulbs use an entirely different method to create light. Both compact fluorescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes contain a gas that, when excited by electricity, hits a coating inside the fluorescent bulb and emits light. (This makes them far more energy-efficient than regular incandescent bulbs.) The fluorescent bulbs used in your home emit only around 30% of the heat of their equivalent incandescent bulb, making them far cooler.” 

Pretty cool, all right.

CFLs that are approved for use in enclosed fixtures are available in most stores that sell bulbs and fixtures.

The incandescent light bulb will soon become a thing of the past. But surprisingly few people seem to be familiar with its likely replacement, the CFL.

Chelan County PUD has provided free compact fluorescent light bulbs — CFLs — to customers at public events including the county fair in Cashmere last September and a Wenatchee Wild hockey game in January. The idea is that by providing samples, customers will get used to the curlicue bulbs and learn more about them.

PUD employees say they’re surprised that many people have never heard of CFLs. Then again, others tell us they’ve been using CFLs in at least some of their fixtures.

The federal energy bill signed in 2007 called for eliminating incandescent bulbs beginning three years from now. Compact fluorescent bulbs will be phased in starting with 100-watt bulbs in January 2012 and ending with 40-watt bulbs in January 2014. By 2020, all bulbs must be 70 percent more efficient.

Compact fluorescent bulbs already meet the 70 percent efficiency standard. They cost more — a compact fluorescent goes for about $2, compared to about 50 cents for an incandescent. But the payoff comes in reduced energy costs and longer life. The new rules will save consumers $40 billion in energy and other costs from 2012 to 2030, avoid construction of 14 coal-fired power plants, and cut global-warming emissions by at least 51 million tons of carbon annually, according to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

Chelan County residents enjoy electric rates much lower than most of the nation, so realizing a return on investment takes a little longer here. At today’s costs, using a CFL saves about $11 in energy costs over one bulb’s lifetime. But there are other advantages: All of the electricity used with a CFL goes to lighting; with an incandescent, most of the electricity is used to produce heat. And you won’t have to replace bulbs nearly as often, which is especially useful in hard-to-reach areas.

Read more about compact fluorescent light bulbs on the Energy Star Web site.

David McIntye holds one of his new 12-watt recessed LED (light-emitting diode) units

David McIntyre of Leavenworth sees a light at the end of the tunnel – and it’s illuminated with LEDs.

McIntyre purchased several 12-watt recessed LED (light-emitting diode) units for trial in the ceiling of the home he’s remodeling. The LEDs cost a whopping $90 each, which includes trim parts for the ceiling cans, but McIntyre believes the quality of light, durability of the units and miserly energy use will justify the investment. He calculates that over 10 years, using 65-watt incandescent floods would be more expensive than the total cost of the LEDs.

According to manufacturer Cree LED Lighting Solutions, the LED units use 85 percent less energy than a comparable incandescent bulb and will last 20 years.

Due to the cost, LED lighting is not yet popular in homes but is commonly seen in flashlights, stop lights and holiday lighting; the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, for example, is decorated with 30,000 energy-efficient LED lights.

Here are some tips, compiled by PUD staff, to help reduce your impact on the environment while at work:

1. Use both sides of a piece of paper
Print double-sided. Some printers have this feature installed, which you can check by clicking the Properties button next to the printer you select. Click here for instructions from Hewlett Packard on setting up double-sided printing. On simpler printers (such as ones used at home), just turn the paper over and re-insert it in the paper tray.

2. No more staples
Making staples leaves a huge carbon footprint while creating a product that is used once. For small stacks of paper, use a paperclip or staple-free stapler such as these from amazon.com. Binder clips work for longer documents.

3. Unplug electronics not in use
Even when it’s not connected to your cell phone, the charger draws electricity. Conserve energy by unplugging chargers and electronic equipment when they are not in use. Power strips make it easy to control energy flow to multiple items.

4. Minimize waste
Instead of bringing bottled water, drink the filtered water available at office coolers. Or bring a bottle of tap water; our water is clean and tastes good. Avoid using foam cups and plastic flatware; bring your own dishes and silverware from home.

5. Recycle CDs
Plastic just piles up in landfills. For the cost of a stamp, you can send old CDs or DVDs to a recycling center where the plastic can be reclaimed.

6. Improve air quality
Bring in a small houseplant to brighten your workspace and absorb some indoor pollution.

1. Recycle old electronics
Starting Jan. 1, 2009, manufacturers of computers, monitors and televisions are required by state law to provide free electronic recycling services. Check out the Department of Ecology for an easy way to find recycling centers in your area.

2. Stop junk mail
Eliminating the junk mail you receive will save in both production and resources. Register at the Direct Marketing Association to have your address removed.

3. Keep unwanted items out of the landfill
Instead of throwing away the toys your kids don’t play with anymore, donate them to a second-hand store like Goodwill or Salvation Army. Or check out Freecycle and join the Wenatchee group to give away your items or find a free treasure.

4. Reduce meat-centered meals
While going vegetarian isn’t for everyone, try eating meat-free for one meal a week. Meat production creates more greenhouse gas than transportation, according to the United Nations.

5. Start composting
Create your own fertilizer from banana peels and egg shells in a homemade compost pile. For more information on making compost, check out this guide.

Brenda Harn, Chelan County Solid Waste Coordinator

Public interest in recycling has created an avalanche of business for Chelan County Solid Waste Coordinator Brenda Harn   – more, in fact, than she’s been prepared to deal with.

“We’re looking at a landslide of materials that need to be diverted into proper recycling,” said Harn (pictured at right), who is the only employee in the solid waste department.

The county stages a household hazardous waste collection once a year. Fluorescent tubes are among the wastes that can be brought in for recycling or disposal. This is the only site in the county that accepts fluorescent tubes, which contain a small amount of mercury. (The Home Depot is now recycling the compact fluorescent lights, but not the larger fluorescent tubes. However, larger fluorescent lights can be recycled by mail; one option is EcoLights Northwest.)

This year’s hazardous waste collection is Saturday, Oct. 4, at four locations. The service is free, but a $5 donation per vehicle is encouraged to cover costs. Locations and hours are as follows:

Wenatchee – Chelan County Shop, 210 Easy Street, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chelan – Chelan County Fire Station, 232 E. Wapato, 8 to 10:30 a.m.
Entiat – Chelan County Fire Station, Entiat River Road, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Peshastin – Peshastin Elementary, 1001 School Road, 2:30 to 5 p.m.

Residents can bring in fluorescent tubes, motor oil, brake fluid, gasoline, auto flushes and additives, solvents, paints, glues, cements, roof coatings, sealants, caulking, epoxy resins, thinners, spot removers, polishes, waxes, oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, drain cleaners, deck and chimney cleaners, pool chemicals, inks, dyes, batteries and charcoal fluid. Wastes should be left in original containers. Not permitted are agricultural or commercial wastes, explosives, biological waste, laboratory chemicals, and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). The county will not accept containers larger than 5 gallons.

The Oct. 4 collection is only for households, but businesses can register for a separate event. To register, call (509) 667-6415 by Sept. 19.

Harn said product manufacturers and distributors are beginning to take responsibility for recycling, relieving some pressure on the county. Automotive shops, for example, have been recycling motor oil for several years. Starting Jan. 1, 2009, manufacturers of computers, monitors and televisions are required by state law to provide free electronic recycling services. Major computer manufacturers such as Dell and Apple already offer disposal, Harn said. There is a movement for pharmacies to take back pharmaceuticals, she noted, and for paint manufacturers to recycle paints.

“I commend Office Depot, Staples and Home Depot (for their recycling efforts),” she said. “It’s good business, and I think we’ll see more of that trend.”

The county contracts with Total Reclaim Environmental Services to recycle the hazardous wastes that are collected.

Harn has applied for a state grant that would help pay for a permanent hazardous waste facility.

About 750 households bring their wastes to the county’s once-a-year-event.

“People want to do the right thing,” she said. “These are just average folks with average homes, going out of their way to be good citizens.”

Related links:
Recycling paint (Earth 911 Web site)
Would you pay to recycle your CFL bulbs? (Wall Street Journal)
Environmental Protection Agency - CFL/Mercury Fact Sheet

Home Depot offers free service to public
National retailer The Home Depot filled a big gap in Chelan County when it announced in June that it would begin recycling compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

CFL recycling is available at all 1,973 The Home Depot locations. According to the company, the free service is the first to be made widely available by a retailer in the United States.

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Calvin Wheeler, manager of the Wenatchee store at 1405 Maiden Lane, said residents can bring their used CFLs to a receptacle at the store’s returns desk. The lamps are collected and sent to Environmental Services in Seattle for recycling. The company follows all environmental and government guidelines for the disposal and recycling, Wheeler said. The bulbs are broken down into their respective parts of glass, phosphor powder and mercury. He said the glass and mercury are then sold by a third-party company as commodities.

The Home Depot will not accept broken bulbs, Wheeler said. (See EPA guidelines for handling broken CFLs). The company also is not recycling the larger fluorescent tubes used primarily in business and industrial settings.

In addition to the CFL recycling program, The Home Depot also has launched an in-store
energy conservation program to switch light fixture showrooms in stores from incandescent bulbs to CFLs, saving $16 million a year in energy costs.

CFL recycling is part of The Home Depot’s Eco Options program, designed to identify products that have a smaller impact on the environment.

According to the company, 75 percent of households in the U.S. are located within 10 miles of a Home Depot store. In a news release, the company states it is the largest retailer of light bulbs in the country, selling more than 75 million in 2007, which saved Americans approximately $4.8 billion in energy costs and 51.8 billon pounds in CO2 greenhouse gases over the life of the bulbs.

Other environmental measures initiated by The Home Depot include:

• A store recycling program in the U.S. of shrink wrap and mixed plastics, projected to divert 50 million pounds of waste from landfills each year.
• An internal recycling initiative at corporate headquarters designed to increase the amount of recycled materials from 30 percent to at least 65 percent.
• A commitment to use transportation partners registered in the SmartWay program, reducing carbon emissions linked to The Home Depot distribution centers and stores.

More information is available on the The Home Depot Web site.

Related links
ThinkGreenFromHome.com: Waste Management offers recycling by mail