Ben Hellerstein
Former State Director, Environment Massachusetts
New guide: How to take charge of energy use on Energy Efficiency Day
Media Contacts
Environment Massachusetts and MASSPIRG
Boston – Environment Massachusetts and MASSPIRG released a new guide today to help Bay Staters conserve energy and reduce wasted energy in their homes and businesses.
Published on Energy Efficiency Day, with colder autumn and winter months looming, the energy-saving measures included in It’s Time to Take Charge: A Citizens’ Guide to Reducing Energy Waste can help tackle our national energy waste problem.
“The way we live has changed dramatically in the last decade. But we still produce and consume energy the same way we did almost a hundred years ago, putting our health, our environment, and our climate at risk,” said Ben Hellerstein, State Director for Environment Massachusetts. “We must do more to conserve energy, right now. This guide will help people adopt energy-saving measures and tap into new technologies and appliances that increase home energy efficiency.”
Experts estimate that the United States can reduce its overall energy consumption by 40 to 60 percent by mid-century by using better technologies and eliminating waste. Much of the energy that is wasted today is due to inadequate insulation, inefficient heating and cooling systems, and out-of-date appliances and technologies. But our individual, everyday actions — such as forgetting to shut off the lights, overheating our water heaters, or running the washing machine with only half a load — also add up.
“We can have better health and a more sustainable environment, while also paying less for utility bills,” said Janet Domenitz, Executive Director of MASSPIRG. “Efficiency improvements pay for themselves. This guide is designed to help families cut through the clutter of information and pick the improvements that will help them minimize energy waste.”
“Across the country, people are shifting to cleaner, less risky energy sources such as solar and wind. Energy efficiency is another way we can reduce our environmental footprint,” concluded Hellerstein. “Creating a clean, healthy future for our kids and grandkids will require not just replacing fossil fuels with solar and wind, but also making the best use of the energy we get from those renewable resources.”
