A couple of years ago, I wrote an incredibly nerdy post about videogame consoles and energy. (I'm still stupidly proud of that lame Castlevania reference in the first line. Seriously.)

Why, you might ask, am I bringing up my nerdiness again? Well, it's because I ran into this article on Ars Technica on energy and videogame consoles that cites a Carnegie Mellon study with surprising results: America used nearly 16 terawatt-hours of energy on videogames in 2010, and a good chunk of it was wasted. [More]

Cleaning your home in between winter and summer is a great way to welcome warmer weather and get some fresh air. Speaking of fresh air, Stephanie talked about her challenge in replacing her furnace filter - a project that usually leads to replacing other filters that can make appliances less efficient, and cleaning the surrounding basement area. It's a great example of how doing one thing to save energy can lead to others. [More]

This month, it was all about heat! Are you trying to decide whether or not to use your fireplace, space heater, or your heat at all? Our bloggers posted several articles on the hot topic of heating your home during the cold winter months:

• We learned a little history about fireplaces and some considerations and calculations to keep in mind when using one to heat your home.


• We were urged to read more before using our portable heaters as a primary source of heat for our homes, and were pointed toward a handy guide to performing a home energy assessments to help us save the heat we are using.


• We discussed the benefits of turning down our thermostats while we are away to save money. If you try this energy savings tip, be mindful not to let your pipes freeze when you turn down your heat.

[More]

On Friday, February 17, 2012, the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program closed officially in all U.S. states and territories. Although the program had already closed in most states by this time, there were 11 states and territories that closed last Friday.

The appliance rebate program has been a huge success across the country, and we've been getting results periodically. As of December 31, 2011, a total of 1.7 million consumer rebates, valued at $258 million, have been paid to consumers. The annual energy savings resulting from the purchase of the rebated products is estimated at 1.7 trillion Btu. To learn more, download the results fact sheet for the appliance rebate program. [More]

For many of us, particularly those living east of the Mississippi river, President’s Day weekend is not just a time to honor the birthday of our country’s founding father, it’s also the final escape from dreadfully cold and snowy days. However, those of us with pestering consumerist habits to feed always ensure our return to the metropolis by Monday, as the day is quickly taking on a new reputation: Second best shopping day of the year, after Black Friday.

By now you’re asking, “What does any of this have to do with energy savings?” Well, we’ve talked before about Black Friday savings on ENERGY STAR® appliances, and given tips for finding the best deals on energy efficient products that will also save you in overall energy costs. Now that the runner up of best shopping days in the year is upon us, I’d like to remind you about the benefit of purchasing ENERGY STAR products, especially if they are on sale! [More]

Perhaps you took the bus to dinner instead of driving, kept the television off for the night, or used candles instead of lights? Maybe you bought your sweetheart an ENERGY STAR® rated computer, television, or appliance? [More]