Is Your City Energy Efficient?

Today an article in USA Today caught my eye. The article includes a top ten list of U.S. cities ranked by their annual energy cost savings in commercial buildings.

The list looks like this:

1. Los Angeles

2. San Francisco

3. Houston

4. Washington, D.C.

5. Dallas/Forth Worth

6. Chicago

7. Denver

8. Minneapolis/St.Paul

9. Atlanta

10. Seattle

The energy efficient buildings in these 10 cities alone are saving a total of $420 million in annual energy costs!

I have to admit that commercial buildings are not the first nor the tenth thing I think of when considering green issues. Clearly many people do, thus the impressive savings, which just goes to show that there are many ways to make a real difference.

To find ways to save yourself some money by making your home more energy efficient, check out the Home Energy Saver or Make Your Home Energy Efficient.

9. Atlanta	$16.4
10. Seattle	$16.3

New Energy Efficiency Standards Set

Yesterday President Obama signed a memorandum that ordered the U.S. Department of Energy to create new, more energy efficient standards for a variety of household appliances. The list includes commonly used items such as dishwashers, refrigerators, lamps, and ovens. The memorandum addresses a series of deadlines first set by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 that have been missed by previous administrations. Read more

Thinking About a Car Purchase?

With the price of gas (and food and energy) continuing to go higher, many people are considering the switch to a more fuel efficient car.

If you’ve wondered whether a new hybrid or a used gas car is more energy efficient overall, visit Slate’s Green Lantern column for more information.