Five Ways California Small Businesses Can Be the Boss of Energy Use
October 2 is National Energy Efficiency Day but there are actions small business owners can take all year round to take control of their energy use. By acting to save and use energy more efficiently, small business owners can help more than just their bottom line. Being energy efficient in places of work will increase productivity and help keep California golden for generations to come.
Being energy efficient doesn’t mean making big workplace investments either. Small actions taken at work can add up to yield big results.
Energy Upgrade California, the statewide initiative inspiring residents and small business owners to use energy better, has tips on how small businesses across the state can be more energy efficient:
• Get an energy audit. Requesting an energy assessment from your local energy provider can help identify any opportunities to save energy and money.
• Start unplugging. Even when your office equipment is turned off, it is still using electricity when plugged in, which can be up to 20% of your energy bill. Consider unplugging decorative signage, window displays and video displays when not in use.
• Take the power back. Use a power strip for your office equipment such as computer monitors and printers. This will help reduce phantom loads when you are away– and save you up to $100 year. Don’t forget to turn the strip off when you’re headed home for the day.
• Banish the workplace-shivers. You can save an extra 10% on annual heating and cooling costs by installing programmable thermostats that will regulate the temperature of your building or space, so you don’t have to. Even setting it one degree lower than you normally would will help to save energy.
• Keep everyone breathing easy. While the lifespan of an air filter can vary from product to product, it’s important to regularly check your air filters. A dirty air filter makes the HVAC system work harder and reduces air flow. Help your HVAC system run more efficiently by simply swapping your air filters.
To learn more about the business of saving energy and to join the growing number of California small businesses working to use energy better, visit https://www.energyupgradeca.org/smallbusiness/.
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