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Stewardship:
Saving Money, Saving Energy Oikonomia is the Greek word translated into English as stewardship. Its roots, oikos, meaning house or household, and nomia, meaning management, are also the roots of the words economy and ecology. There are many simple things to do around the house that save money and save energy and therefore are good management of our households. Here is a simple list of things that cost nothing and save energy: 1) Turn down water heater thermostat to 120° F. 2) Turn off lights when leaving a room. 3) Set thermostats at 68° F in winter when at home and 55° F overnight or when away. Programmable thermostats are an inexpensive option. 4) Use energy saving settings on washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators. 5) Wash clothes in cold water and only in full loads. 6) Don’t waste water, hot or cold, inside or outside the house. Turn off water when brushing teeth or shaving. 7) Clean your refrigerator’s condenser coils once a year. 8) Air-dry your clothes. 9) Close heating vents or turn off radiators in unused rooms. 10) Repair leaky faucets and toilets (5% of water “use” is leakage). 11) Close drapes and windows during sunny summer days and after sunset in winter.
These suggestions are from Homemade Money published by the Rocky Mountain Institute, 1739 Snowmass Creek Road, Snowmass, CO 81654-9199, 970 927-3851 or www.rmi.org. The book is packed with many other energy-saving suggestions.
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