By Madison Gas and Electric (MGE)
Using energy efficiently is an easy way to reduce your environmental footprint and save energy. By working together with all our customers, we can meet our shared energy goals and achieve net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. Please join us by using these no-cost tips for saving energy at home.
Save energy while cooking: Match the pot size to the burner size for energy-efficient cooking. If using a smaller pot, use the smaller burner. The Department of Energy also recommends using the oven light instead of opening the door to prevent heat loss when checking on a dish’s progress.
Reduce heating costs, increase comfort: Open curtains or shades to let in the sun during the day to reduce heating costs. At night, close shades to improve comfort.
Wash with cold water: A washing machine spends an estimated 90% of its energy to heat water. Consider using cold water instead. In addition, try to wash full loads because the machine uses roughly the same amount of energy regardless of the load size.
Unplug electronics: Unplug your phone chargers, printers, computers and other electronics when you are not using them. These devices can still use energy when not in use and can account for 5% to 10% of your total energy use. Consider using a power strip or smart power strip that further reduces standby energy use without even unplugging.
Set furnace fan to automatic: Set your furnace fan to “auto” instead of “on.” This is one of the biggest steps you can take to be energy efficient at home.
Get more energy-saving tips and information on our energy future at mge.com.
