Ways to Conserve

At Home

Encourage your parents to conserve energy like you do at Penn State—and share some of these energy-saving tips with them next time you're at home.
  1. Reduce the temperature setting of your water heater to "warm" (120°F).

  2. Add an insulating blanket to your water heater.

  3. Repair leaky faucets.

  4. Purchase a solar-powered or energy-efficient water heater.

  5. Add insulation and seal air leaks.

  6. Set your home thermostat as low as comfortable when the house is occupied. (65°F-68°F is suggested.)

  7. Turn the thermostat back 10°F at night or when the house is unoccupied during the day. (If you have a heat pump, turn the thermostat back 3°F.)

  8. Set the thermostat to 50°F-55°F when the house is unoccupied for more than 24 hours.

  9. Install a programmable thermostat and set it to automatically adjust to the ranges listed above.

  10. Close curtains and shades at night.

  11. Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.

  12. Replace single-pane windows with energy-efficient double-pane windows.

  13. Have certified maintenance personnel check your furnace regularly.

  14. Replace furnace filters once a month during the winter.

Related Links

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Tip of the Month

Unplug iPod, Digital Camera, and Cell Phone Chargers When Not in Use.

Why: Chargers consume a small amount of energy anytime they’re plugged in—even if they’re not charging. It might not seem like a lot, but at a school as big as Penn State, it really adds up.

Get more tips. >>

The Intern Blog
News
Penn State Encourages Conservation with Earth Week Challenge
Penn State is challenging faculty, staff, and students from every department and office across its campuses to reduce resource consumption. During this year’s Earth Week (April 20 to 26), the University community is encouraged to cut down on its consumption by 20 percent. The objective of the challenge is to promote conservation efforts in hopes to create long-term habits. Be sure to check Take Charge! and Green-PSU in the coming months for more information about Earth Week and Penn State’s challenge.

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Take Charge Pen
Take Charge! is proud to present a pen made from completely biodegradable materials. >>

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