A central part of the Chanukah story is the miracle of the light – while enough oil was in the temple to provide light for one night, it lasted for eight. This forms the basis for the most tangible aspect of the experience. To enhance the meaning of this story and connect to key issues we face in today’s world, for the eight days of Chanukah, reduce your energy use as much as possible. Our individual actions have a direct impact on the amount of fossil fuels are burned each day. Reducing this impact has far ranging benefits – from conserving precious natural resources to slowing affects of climate change to altering US foreign policy. As a way to help repair the world, can you shrink your fuel consumption over the course of the eight days and nights all the way back to what you would typically use in just one day? Make it fun by finding the most ways to lower your “energy footprint.”
Here
are some ideas to try, but you can think of other ways that work for
you or your family. It would be great if we could all commit to the
first goal (heating) for Chanukah, but doing even more would be awesome!
Turn down the heat
Lowering
the temperature on your thermostat by just one degree can save 3% of
the energy it takes to heat your home. If you have a programmable
thermostat, you can automatically lower the heat when you are asleep or
not at home and have the heat come back up before you wake or return
home.
Drive less
There
are many ways to reduce the amount of gas we burn each year in our
cars. Try carpools or public transportation. Walk or bike short
distances. Combine errands and avoid lots of little trips around town,
since starting a cold engine is the most inefficient part of operating a
car. If your family is looking to buy a new car, consider a model with a
high fuel efficiency rating.
Use low wattage lighting
If
you are using lots of incandescent light bulbs around your home, this
is an easy place to find energy savings. All bulbs have a printed
wattage on them. If they are 40W or above, then they are probably
incandescent. A better choice is compact fluorescent, abbreviated as
CFL. Many are sold with a screw in base that makes them interchangeable
with incandescent. For exterior or garage lights, “cool” or “warm” white
is fine, but I suggest only “warm” white for an interior light – buy
one and test it before you change a whole bunch. New LED lights are
coming out that are even more energy efficient. Both CFL and LED will be
more expensive at the store, but they last from 5 to 20 times as long
depending on the type.
Cut down on viper loads
Many
electronic devices can use significant amounts of energy even when
turned off. The biggest culprits are computers, modems/routers, TVs and
cable boxes. The best way to eliminate these vipers is to connect the
power cords to a plug strip with a switch. Then, when you turn your
computer or TV off, flip the plug strip switch off as well.
There
are many other ways to save energy. Some are more ambitious like adding
insulation to your walls or installing solar panels. Circulate your
ideas to family and friends. By reducing your fuel consumption, not
only will you be doing your part as a citizen of Planet Earth, but you
will be saving money that you would rather spend on other things.
Chag Sameach! Happy Chanukah!