G.R.E.EN. Tip of the Month – May 2013

Curious how much energy your electronic devices use? Here are some basic electricity concepts:
• Watt: A unit of electric power measured at a given point in time.
• Kilowatt-hour: A unit of electric energy measured as the product of power and time.

Example: Imagine a 24-watt compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). The CFL draws 24 watts of power whenever it is turned on. If the CFL is on for 100 hours, the energy used equals 24 watts times 100 hours, or 2,400 watt-hours. Divide by 1,000 to get 2.4 kilowatt-hours.

As a rule of thumb, remember that one kilowatt saved is roughly equivalent to one pound of carbon dioxide emissions avoided. Visit the EPA eGrid website for state-by-state emissions factors.