By Andy Farmer
October brings a number of well-known family traditions, like visits to pumpkin patches, Halloween costume shopping and eating a year’s worth of candy in a single day. This year, we’re asking Virginia’s families to add a lesser known, but equally important ritual to the mix: taking action to reduce their energy use. October is Energy Action Month, a good time to take stock of how we use energy, take steps to waste less and help others do the same before winter sets in.
Becoming more energy efficient can be surprisingly simple and inexpensive. This is the perfect time to start. In Virginia, we’ve made a commitment to help our economy and natural resources by setting a goal to reduce the Commonwealth’s electric energy use by 10 percent. It’s a goal we can reach with the support of Virginians across the state, from Arlington to Roanoke to Norfolk.
Nearly all of us recognize the importance of being mindful of our energy consumption. In a 2012 survey of Virginia homeowners, 98 percent said that saving energy is important to them. However, only 27 percent of those same respondents said they were highly knowledgeable on the best strategies to make their homes more energy efficient.
That’s why the Commonwealth created the Virginia Energy Sense program to help close that knowledge gap by providing residents with the resources they need to make their homes, businesses and schools more efficient. As the fall season approaches, there are a number of ways to prepare your home for the colder months.
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