IDT Energy Savings

Winter in New York is always wonderful. However it can be a challenge to stay warm and cozy without breaking the bank. IDT Energy has some helpful tips to maintain a comfortable and affordable New York winter.

When considering how to control heating costs, its best to take the broad view of the entire house:

• •    During the day the sun is in the south. By keeping the south facing curtains and drapes open, the sun will shine in and help keep your house warm. Don’t forget to close the drapes at night to keep out the cold chill that can come into the house through the glass.
• •    Consider turning down your thermostat a bit. Try to maintain comfort at a lower temperature.
• •    Even better than merely turning down your thermostat, install a programmable thermostat. This handy device can raise the temperature in your home when you are there; lower it when you’re not; and maintain another temperature when you are asleep, all completely automatically. You can actually reduce your heating bill by 10% by just lowering the temperature on your thermostat from 72 degrees down to 65 when you are sleeping or out of the house.

The fuel you use to cook with is one concern, as we have been discussing, but there several other issues to consider before firing up the grill in order to increase the green quotient of your meal.

• Stick with food that is locally grown and seasonal. The less distance your fruit and vegetables travel to your table, the more energy (and often money) you can save.
• Use a bowl when washing your fruits and veggies before use. This simple act uses less water, and afterward you can use the water again to water plants around the house.
• With a bit of planning ahead, you can defrost overnight in the fridge rather than immediately in the microwave.
• Are your guests bringing something along? Ask each guest to bring something different to avoid wasteful leftovers.
• If you keep your food covered when its outside you can then save them in the fridge for the next day as delicious leftovers.

IDT Energy wishes you and your family a great “end of summer” Barbecue day!

We are discussing the various fuels to use at your “end of the summer” BBQ. IDT Energy wants you to make an informed choice so you can save money and energy while saving the planet.

An alternative to using charcoal as a fuel for your BBQ you can use LPG, liquefied petroleum gas. Although it does release CO? into the atmosphere when it burns, the other pollutants it releases are less numerous than with charcoal, so it is actually better for air quality than charcoal.

The third possible way to BBQ is with electricity. Since electricity is produced in power stations, a lot of fossil fuels are burned making electricity the BBQ fuel with the highest release of CO? emissions of the three choices. Electricity is also an expensive way to cook.

With summer coming to a close maybe you are planning an “end of the summer” outdoor celebration. A great way to celebrate is with a wonderful backyard barbecue. We usually don’t give much thought about how to make this fun event environmentally friendly, but here are a few tips from IDT Energy that will not only save you money, but will also help save our planet.

• Just because you are eating outdoors doesn’t mean you need to use disposable plates and cutlery. Disposables are expensive and wasteful, and their use should be limited as much as possible.

• Choose charcoal as your fuel for the cleanest way to grill. Made from wood, charcoal releases only as much CO? as it absorbed while it was growing. On the other hand, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that cutting down and transporting the wood, and processing it also uses energy. Burning charcoal also releases soot and other materials into the atmosphere, which is especially problematic in urban areas.

• When choosing charcoal check that it is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. It should also be produced locally and only from sustainable forests.

• Use the lump type of charcoal of you can; briquettes contain chemical additives.