Tag Archive for 'Wall Street Journal'

Our next money-saving tip comes from none other than The Wall Street Journal. They have a great article in today’s energy section, entitled How to Go Green in Hard Times.

We all know the cost benefits of living a sustainable green lifestyle. However, some of those benefits might not be seen until years later. The WSJ throws down ten maneuvers you can pull that will not only help the green in the trees, but also the green in your wallet.

Take a peek at my favorite tip:

Lighting Motion Sensors

Although they’re more common in commercial buildings, motion sensors that automatically turn off lights when a room isn’t occupied can offer big energy savings in a home. They’re particularly useful when installed on outdoor lights, which are often left on all night.

COST: Many porch lights have built-in sensors and cost about $50 to $60.

PAYBACK: Under a year. Assuming the light would have been left on for 12 hours through the night and is now off all that time — except for brief moments when someone approaches the door — a sensor will save about 1.8 kilowatt-hours over the 12-hour period and 54 kilowatt-hours in a month. In an expensive state like New York, that would come to about $10 a month in electricity costs, making the payback time a little over five months. In a cheaper state like Nebraska, the motion sensor would save about $5 a month, making the payback time just over 11 months.

Motion sensors for your home! Not only would you be saving money, but it would feel like walking about some futuristic starship at the same time! I can see it now…

Walking into a room

“Computer, lights on.”

Vrooooom

An ideal place for indoor motion sensors would be a bathroom or a walk-in closet. People forget to switch those energy-suckers off all the time.

(Photos courtesy of Serge Bloch)

Check out the full article here for more energy-saving ideas that won’t empty your wallet.

Have a great weekend!

And for you lovebirds out there, have a Happy Valentines Day!

Love,
Spoon