The cheapest and cleanest energy is the energy not used. More than 70% of carbon or greenhouse gas emissions are the result of electric energy use in our homes and commercial buildings. Make your homes and buildings as energy efficient as possible to help reduce your carbon footprint.

Air Conditioner and Heater Credits Set your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower in the winter and 78 degrees or higher in the summer 2 Adjust your air conditioning and heating system temperature to save energy when you're away for the day and when you are sleeping at night 1 Change your air filters every month 1 Look for air filters with a MERV rating of six or higher 1 Tune-up your heating and air conditioning system annually 2 Have your duct work tested for leakage. Austin Energy offers a $50 rebate per air conditioning duct test 2 Use ceiling fans in occupied rooms 1
Appliances and Lighting Credit Use plug strips or unplug appliances like TVs, DVD players, stereos and cell phone chargers when not in use. This "phantom load" accounts for up to 40% of all electricity used for home electronics 1 Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescents in the five fixtures you use the most 1 Use your microwave - they consume 70% less energy than an electric stove or oven 2 Select Energy Star appliances, thermostats and lighting 2
Choose Green Credit Eliminate a major portion of your carbon footprint by switching to Green Choice, Austin Energy's popular, renewable energy program 6

Copies of the Green Neighbor booklet are available at all Austin libraries.
For additional information, call 974-2550.