Although it might be too late to buy Hanukkah presents, there’s still plenty of time before Christmas (says the guy who hasn't started shopping yet...) Anyway, we’d like to make a humble suggestion that this year you think about buying a gift or two that, while still being fun, will also do some good. Cool stuff, that saves energy too.
With buildings representing close to 40% of our nation’s carbon emissions, we think that some of the best gifts for the planet (and for humanity) are those that will reduce energy consumption in the home. Accordingly, we’ve compiled a list of energy saving gifts for every budget, and for every taste:
1) A Home Energy Audit.
A good home energy audit by certified home performance professional is the most important first step in addressing your home’s energy use. With 46% of the typical home’s energy bills going towards heating and cooling, your home’s thermal envelope is the area of your home ripest for improvement. An energy audit uses a blower door and infrared diagnostics to pinpoint where your home is wasting energy, and gives you a prioritized list of improvements based on their return on investment (ROI). It can cost anywhere from $100-400, and may be eligible for tax incentives in your area. Talk to your local home performance contractor for information about special deals or rebates.
2) A Home Energy Monitor.
We firmly believe that one of the most important steps toward getting your home’s energy consumption under control is to measure it. Home energy monitors range from simple whole-house monitors in the $100 range (the Blue Line Powercost Monitor is one of our favorites) to state of the art, full service, circuit by circuit monitors like the Powerhouse Dynamics eMonitor, available exclusively at Energy Circle, which is $829 with an extended service plan included.
3) Energy Efficient Lighting.
Energy efficient lighting covers a broad swathe of products. While we probably wouldn’t recommend giving a CFL light bulb to your fiance, there are a bunch of very cool energy saving lamps and other alternative lighting products that are as classy (or as fun) as anything you’d buy at the home design store (or the fun store). The MaxLite Ellegra LED Desk Lamp represents the pinnacle of lighting technology today, with adjustable output and light color temperature, and would be a perfect gift for the college student or the professional on your list. Crank powered flashlights are great for the kids, and this portable LED book light is perfect for the reader-nomad (or the wife).
4) Energy Saving Tools.
A carpenter I worked with in college once said “He who dies with the most tools wins.” While that may or may not be the case (it is), there are a bunch of cool tools that can help your loved one save money in his or her house. Then when they’re done, they can come over to your house and help you save energy, too. Our favorites: thermal leak detectors (fascinating) and spray foam guns (fun... and useful.)
5) Switches, Timers and Other Energy Saving Gadgets.
Like giving a gadget and money at the same time, motion sensing light switches, light timers and appliance timers and smart power strips are all great ways to reduce a home’s electricity consumption. They may not be for your 10-year-old niece, but they’re actually pretty cool: smart power strips allow each of your peripheral devices (printers, DVD players, etc) to be turned on/off automatically according to the on/off status of a central device (computer, TV). Light timers are increasingly sophisticated, too, allowing you to program random on/off settings for lights while you’re on vacation. The Kill a Watt timer even allows you to view an electronic device’s energy consumption in real time.
Best of all, you can grab any of this stuff right now, without even leaving your seat. That's both efficient and convenient.
Happy holidays!
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