Smallest Users in the News

Nice coverage of our Smallest User competition in today's Commercial Appeal

MLGW pits Midtown Memphis neighborhoods in 'Smallest User' conservation contest

A little bit of effort can make a big difference. That's the lesson from a contest that pitted two Midtown neighborhoods against each other in a friendly competition to see which would become "The Smallest User."

Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division challenged the Cooper-Young Historic District and Evergreen Historic District -- two neighborhoods with about 1,500 homes each -- to see which could reduce its energy consumption more over a one-year period.

Cooper-Young took the honors having reduced its 2010 energy consumption by $21 per house for the year (compared with consumption in 2009). Evergreen lowered its bills by $4 per house.

Joan Foley, who has lived in Cooper-Young for the past five years, said she participated not because she was worried about reducing her energy bills, but because she wanted to help win one for the home team.

"I moved here from another state, and although people here complain about their electric bills, I think it's wonderful," said Foley, who is retired.

She picked up two easy tips that seemed to make a difference in her household. First, at a meeting of the Cooper-Young Community Association (CYCA), she learned that appliances still draw electricity when not in use.

Like most homes, her house was filled with small appliances -- a coffee pot, toaster oven, blender, lamps, spare televisions, radios, heaters -- none of which was used more than occasionally. She unplugged them all.

Foley learned that using her appliances at odd hours of the morning and night reduces stress on the local power infrastructure.

"I set my dishwasher to wash in the middle of the night rather than during the high-use hours," said Foley. "Also, less electricity is used before 9 in the morning, so I try to do my laundry at that time. Being retired, I can do all this."

Foley also started drip-drying some of her clothes, rather than using the dryer.

Kristan Huntley, community director for CYCA, also examined her household energy habits and found that a lot could be changed easily.

She learned a few tricks when MLGW filmed TV promos in her home highlighting "The Smallest User."

And she was ready to save some money.

"We were definitely trying to save some money because our MLGW bill is probably one of our largest bills each month on average," said Huntley.

Huntley took advantage of a kilowatt reader loaned to the CYCA at the beginning of the contest. Appliances are plugged into the reader, which is then plugged into an outlet. The gadget then gives a reading on energy used.

She was shocked by what she found.

For years, Huntley had been heating a downstairs bathroom with a space heater because the walls had little insulation.

"That was really eye-opening, because we found out that the heater was pulling between seven and 10 times as much electricity as our television," said Huntley.

Off went the space heater. To make things more comfortable, Huntley bought more rugs to cover the tile floor, and she set a new house rule: The heater stays off unless someone is taking a shower.

"You become a little more tolerant of saying, OK, it's a cold bathroom, but it doesn't need to be 72 degrees in there -- the pipes just don't need to freeze," said Huntley.

Now the bathroom's insulation is a top priority for future home renovations. Second on the list is replacing the original single-pane windows.

But the heater issue begs the real question for those concerned about energy consumption: Does it make life inconvenient to adjust to energy-saving habits.

Foley and Huntley both said no.

"To us it was worth it, and it's not really inconvenient," said Huntley. "Some of the things were just changing habits. Once you get used to the new habit, it's not at all inconvenient."

"I had to think about it for a while to form the new habits," said Foley. "But if you do it a few times, you start doing it automatically."

Huntley said she has reduced her bill by a small amount, but that will add up in the long term. Twenty-one dollars for one household over a year isn't all that much, after all, but in terms of the entire neighborhood, it represents more than $30,000 in savings.

Saving energy at your Home

Energy-Saving Tips from TVA (energyright.com)

Seal gaps in floors and walls around pipes and electrical wiring.

Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents, which use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer.

Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.

Fix any leaky faucets -- one drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month.

Tune up your heating and cooling system annually to keep it running as efficiently as possible.

Have your ductwork inspected, and repair any leaks.

Add insulation to your attic, crawl space and any accessible exterior walls.

Wrap your water heater with insulation, or install an insulating blanket.

Look for the Energy Star label when replacing large or small appliances.

Use power strips for home electronics, and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use..

Replace worn-out seals on your refrigerator and freezer.

Reduce hot water use by taking shorter showers and using cold water for the rinse cycle in your washer.

Clean refrigerator coils regularly to keep compressor running efficiently.

Set the refrigerator temperature at 36 degrees to 39 degrees and freezer at zero degrees to 5 degrees.

Use the microwave when possible -- it cooks faster and doesn't create as much heat as a stove burner.

Air-dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher's heat-drying option.

Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when full.

Make sure your dryer's outside vent is clear, and clean the lint filter after every load.

Install foam gaskets behind electric-outlet and switch-plate covers.

Dry one load of clothes immediately after another to minimize heat loss.

Turn off outdoor lighting during the day. Try timer switches or photoelectric controls if the finger method is a bother.

Keep your freezer full, so less cold air is lost when the door is opened.

In the summer:

Turn up your cooling system's thermostat to 78 degrees or higher if no one is home for several days.

Keep curtains closed on the south, east and west sides of the house during the day to help keep cool.

Plant a tree. Shade trees can help keep a home cooler in the summer.

Winter Tips from MLGW

Set your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower when you're home. Every degree below 68 can save 4 percent on your heating bills.

At bedtime, lower your thermostat and add blankets.

Lower or turn off thermostat when leaving your home for four hours or more.

Keep curtains and blinds closed at night and on cloudy days; open curtains on sunny days for warmth.

Low cost:

Buy a programmable thermostat and program in lower temps when needed.

Make sure central heating air filters are replaced every 30-90 days.

Caulk cracks around windows and doors.

Costly, but with greater savings:

Install storm windows and doors.

Add more insulation in your attic.

Install a new energy-efficient furnace or water heater with Energy Star endorsement.

For the kids:

Turn off the lights when leaving a room.

Turn off water when brushing teeth.

Unplug electronics (like laptops and video games) when you aren't using them.

When hungry, don't stand staring at an open fridge. Grab a snack from the pantry -- or ask an adult to help.

Help clean up by washing your dishes in sudsy water in the sink, instead of using energy-consuming dishwasher.

Recycle paper, glass, plastic and other items at your home and school.

-- From smallestuser.com