1. Set your hot-water heater to 118 degrees farenheit.

2. Get a low flow shower head at your local hardware or home improvement store.

3. But a digital shower timer. These can range from inexpensive to expensive models which shut off the water after a certain period of time. Make sure you buy one that you will be able to see through the steam of the shower and doesn’t wake up the household!

The 5 Percent website has some good tips!

Hoboken Mayor David Roberts signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in March 2008. The document was unanimously supported by the City Council. The Climate Agreement dedicates the city administration to make every effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2020. The Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition introduced the agreement to the city and was assisted in its efforts to gain acceptance by the support of Councilpersons Terry La Bruno, Beth Mason, Michael Russo and Dawn Zimmer.

Mayor David Roberts accepts a Certificate of Appreciation from the Sierra Club upon signing the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. Left to right: front row Councilwoman Terry La Bruno, Mayor David Roberts and Quality of Life Coalition Coordinator Helen Manogue. Second row Councilman Michael Russo, Councilman Peter Cunningham, QLC members Joan Abel and JD Capuano.

The QLC was influential in getting the agreement adopted. Gaining enrollment in Climate Protection Agreements by counties and municipalities is the goal of a Sierra Club program called COOLcities. In that effort the Club contacts local groups such as the QLC and asks them to introduce the Agreement and work for and follow up on its passage. The QLC is performing that function in Hoboken. It met with council members in February and the council unanimously passed a resolution supporting the pledge on March 5, 2008. The group was helped in its efforts by the support of Councilpersons Terry La Bruno, Beth Mason, Michael Russo and Dawn Zimmer.

The QLC has created a special committee to work on the implementation of the Climate Protection Agreement. It is known as the Committee for a Green Hoboken. The Green Committee will work closely with the city administration in obtaining an energy audit of municipal buildings and operations from which a CO2 reduction plan will be devised. Simultaneously, the committee will be soliciting local residents to participate in the Change-A-Light Program (change light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent) and the state’s Clean Power Choice effort (homeowners opt for a preferred energy source such as solar, wind, etc. via PSE&G)

Members of the general public are invited to become part of this global improvement effort. Contact us through this website for more information on how to get involved.

The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes funds for home owners who want to make energy efficiency improvements. Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for improvements “placed in service” starting January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010. See EnergyStar.gov for a complete summary of energy efficiency tax credits available to consumers.

If you’re wondering whether wasted Vampire power is really a problem across the United States, then consider these facts: according to the EnergyStar website, televisions waste approximately 25% in Vampire power. VCR’s suck up about 30%, and cordless phones eat up a whopping 66%.

As far as your electric bill is concerned, if you have very many Vampires in your home that are sucking up power even when appliances are turned off, you can be spending approximately 10 – 20 percent more on your monthly bills than you need to. It’s estimated that the electricity that’s lost to Vampires in the United States is somewhere between $1 billion to $3.5 billion every year.

If you need further proof of this energy hog, turn off all of the lights in your home, then walk around and take a quick tour. You’ll see two dots on your microwave’s control panel, maybe an illuminated “on/off” button on your stereo, lit-up clock displays and probably many more tiny lights that use electric. Other energy Vampires are chargers, printers, cordless power tools, power adapters and low voltage transformers.

So, how can you become a Vampire Slayer and cut hidden energy costs in your home? It’s really pretty simple. Unplug electronic devices like microwaves, televisions, stereos and cell phone chargers when they’re not in use.

Computers, especially monitors, contain heavy metals and toxins that are dangerous if not disposed of properly. If you have an old computer that’s still in decent working order, why not donate it to the local Goodwill? You should wipe the hard drive to protect your personal information. For more information on how to protect your information, visit the Goodwill Industries International website.

Donate your old computer locally to Goodwill Industries in Jersey City on any day of the week from 10 AM until 7 PM at 2815 JFK Blvd.