WHAT IS AN 'ENERGY ACTION DAY?'

Today is an 'Energy Action Day' as announced by Xcel Energy. What exactly is an 'Energy Action Day?'  Let me explain.

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Today is a cold day here in Minnesota. Whenever we experience super cold weather, people, of course, end up using more energy to heat their homes. So when you see that it's an 'Energy Action Day,' it means it's a day to really think about your usage, and reduce usage as much as possible to make sure everyone can stay warm and cozy.

WHAT TO DO ON 'ENERGY ACTION DAY'

Some examples of things you can do on 'Energy Action Days' include the following:

  • If you MUST do laundry on an Energy Action Day like today, you should use only cold water as most of the electricity, up to 90%, to operate your washing machine, is expended by using hot water.
  • On all 'Energy Action Days,' try to reduce energy use between 6 am to 9 am
  • Turn off and unplug big energy suckers in your home you can. Obviously, that's not going to be your freezer or refrigerator. However; those gaming consoles that are just sitting there while your kids are in school should be turned off and/or unplugged, as you can save a lot of energy just by disconnecting them.
  • If you don't have to do laundry today, try not to. If you can wait a day to run your dishwasher, clothes washer, clothes dryer, your oven. Maybe make supper tonight using your air fryer.

DAILY ENERGY-SAVING TIPS

Xcel Energy had lots of other great tips for saving energy that you might not think of on a daily basis.

  • Did you know that drawing your shades in the winter can keep your rooms warmer? It's not just a summer thing. In the summer, drawing your shades and blinds can keep your room cooler.
  • Check the direction of your ceiling fan. It should run clockwise in the winter to push warm air down into the room, and counter-clockwise in the summer to circulate cool air.
  • What type of light bulbs do you use in your home? Switching to LEDs will help you use 70-90% less energy AND they last about 15 times longer than those old traditional bulbs.
  • Turn off those lights! Our parents shouted this at us as kids, and they were right. Keep the lights off if you aren't using those rooms, and they say you should shut off the lights even if you're just leaving the room for a few minutes.
  • When you're in the kitchen rinse dishes in cool water so you don't waste hot water. Put a lid on your pots and pans when cooking to heat up the food faster and save more energy, and if you are using your oven, try to look through the glass to check your food instead of opening the oven door, which can lower your cooking temp by as much as 25 degrees.

For these and more tips click HERE now.

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