Wiser energy use at home and in the workplace can reduce energy bills and help reduce pollution. Using energy more efficiently, whether by installing compact fluorescent light bulbs, buying more efficient appliances, or better insulating walls and windows, can lead to considerable economic savings and substantial decreases in air pollution. Simple efficiency improvements can save up to 50 per cent on energy bills. Reducing the energy used by the consumer through improved efficiency measures also helps to ease the demand placed on electric utilities for power.
The Council has long been a champion of energy efficiency programs for low-income ratepayers. Clean Air Council recently intervened in the First Energy-Allegheny merger case to gain additional funding for low-income electricity consumers in the Pennsylvania service territory. Furthermore, the Council started the Sustainable Energy Education Program (SEEP) in 2001 to educate the public about saving energy through conservation and energy efficiency. The program has been expanded to assist Pennsylvania utilities with their Act 129 requirements to reduce energy demand by consumers. The Council will continue to work with utilities in the Mid-Atlantic region to promote energy efficiency; likewise the Council will also continue its outreach to the community on the benefits of using energy more efficiently.