Home » About Farmington » Green Efforts » Green Resources
Town of Farmington Green Initatives
What you can do at home to be Energy Efficient
Reduce your Home Energy Costs
Highway Department Recycling Information
Chart of Items to be Recycled
Sign Up to Support Clean Energy
Land Acquisition Committee
Stormwater Runoff
Useful Web Pages
Information on Choosing a Clean Energy Supplier
Green Newsletter
What can you do at Home to be Energy Efficient?
Here are some website to learn more about energy efficiency at home:
Connecticut Natural Gas: http://www.cngcorp.com/YourHome/EnergyConservation/default.html
Learn how you can improve your home to conserve energy with several efficiency improvement programs.
Connecticut Light & Power:
http://www.cl-p.com/home/saveenergy/goinggreen.aspx
Learn about how CL&P is working towards a cleaner environment as well as programs that will help residents save energy at their homes. This is a very comprehensive web site that is full of useful information.
Other Websites:
www.energystar.gov : ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.
www.ctenergyinfo.com : CTEnergyInfo was developed by the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control, Energy Conservation Management Board and Institute for Sustainable Energy to help consumers navigate the ever increasing number of energy-related resources.
www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips : Energy Savers provides homeowners with tips for saving energy and money at home and on the road. Learn about the latest information on energy-saving, efficient technologies as well as tips for using clean, renewable energy to power your home. Learn about driving and car maintenance tips to save you money on the road.
www.techniart.com : Learn about Energy Saving Lighting Fairs! Energy Saving Lighting Fairs are promotional sales events that educate residential customers about ENERGY STAR® CFLs and fixtures. Customers learn about the features and benefits of energy efficient lighting technologies and can purchase products at deeply discounted prices. Lighting Fairs are created by TechniArt and hosted by commercial businesses, state agencies, public events, home shows, state and town fairs, and fundraisers. They are aimed at residential consumers and deliver a wide selection of quality ENERGY STAR CFLs and fixtures.
www.energyfederation.org/smartliving : Sponsored by CL&P, Smartliving provides access to residential Energy Star products for energy efficiency and saving. This on-line catalog is for purchasing energy efficient light bulbs and light fixtures. To order through this online store you must be a residential customer of Connecticut Light & Power with a delivery address in Connecticut. Eligible customers may order up to 20 light bulbs and 20 light fixtures per program year. You will need your electric utility account number to complete your order.
www.energykinetics.com : Learn how you can upgrade your existing water heater and boiler, furnace or heat pump to a single high efficiency system engineered to deliver high performance and exceptional fuel efficiency and economy.
www.hes.lbl.gov : Based on the zip code you enter, you will be able to quickly calculate your home’s energy use online, and see how much energy you use in heating, cooling and your appliances.
Reduce Your Home Energy Costs
| Energy Usage |
Potential Savings |
| Stove |
Cover pots when boiling water or soup and they will heat up more quickly.
Keeping burner grease plates clean will help reflect heat more evenly.
|
| Kitchen appliances |
Slow cookers, toaster ovens, and microwaves use up to 75 percent less energy than an electric oven. |
| Refrigerator |
Each time you open the refrigerator door, up to 30 percent of the cold air escapes, so minimize the amount of time the doors are open.
Check the seal on your refrigerator door by closing it on a piece of paper. If you can easily remove the paper, the gaskets may need to be replaced.
Don’t overload your refrigerator or freezer, air must circulate to keep foods at proper temperatures.
|
| Dishwasher |
Air dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher’s drying cycle, and wash only full loads. |
| Thermostat |
Install a programmable thermostat. Setting the temperature back by 10 degrees for eight hours every night will lower your heating bills by 10%. A digital thermostat can pay for itself in less than a year.
Set your thermostat at 68 degrees during winter days, and 78 degrees in summer.
|
| Heating and cooling |
In winter, keep curtains and blinds closed at night to keep cold air out but open them during the day to let the sun warm the room. |
| Air conditioning |
Make sure your window air conditioner is the proper size – it is better to have a unit that is too small than one that is too large. A larger unit will cycle on and off more frequently. |
| Fans |
An attic fan draws hot air out of the house, potentially lowering the temperature by five degrees in less than 10 minutes. Attic fans cost less than 25 cents a day to operate. |
| Fireplace |
Keep the flue closed unless you are using the fireplace. Leaving the flue open is like having a six-inch hole in your house. |
| Hot water heater |
Make sure your hot water heater is insulated and set the thermostat at 120 degrees. |
| Insulation |
Upgrading from 3 to 12 inches of attic insulation can cut heating costs by 20 percent, and cooling costs by 10 percent.
If your home has no wall insulation, position heavy furniture along exterior walls to block heat loss.
|
| Lighting |
Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Select a wattage that is 1/3 of the incandescent wattage you previously used. CFL Brouchure. CFL Checklist.
|
| Computers |
Turn off computers and monitors when not in use. Screen savers do not save energy. |
| Home electronics |
Up to 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when the devices are turned off. Plug TVs, DVD players, etc., into power strips and turn off the power strip when not in use. |
| Clothes Washer |
Switching to warm or cold water instead of hot can cut the energy use by half. Wash only full loads.
New front-loading Energy Star appliances cost more when you buy, but will save money and energy in the long run.
|
| Clothes dryer |
Clean the lint filter after every load to improve air circulation. A clogged screen makes your dryer use up to 30 percent more energy, and can also be a fire hazard. |
| Low flow showerheads |
While these devices won’t reduce your water pressure, they can save up to $250/year in water heating costs. |
| Doors and Windows |
Storm doors keep your home sealed so there are fewer drafts. Place weather-stripping around windows and doors. |
| Outdoor lighting |
Replace incandescent floodlights with high-pressure sodium fixtures. They use less energy, last longer, and can better handle temperature extremes. |
| Landscaping |
Use trees and plants to provide shade and act as windbreaks. Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of the energy a house needs for cooling. |
Stormwater Runoff
Stormwater Runoff Pollution: What You Can Do To Help
The Town of Farmington has the benefit of two major rivers that flow through its borders: the Farmington River and the Pequabuck River. These rivers provide a habitat for wildlife and provide many aesthetic and recreational opportunities including enjoyment of wildlife, canoeing, fishing and swimming to name a few. These benefits, however, are ours to enjoy only as long as we are good stewards and protect the water quality of these rivers and all the smaller tributaries that ultimately flow into them (collectively called a watershed). We can all do our part to prevent stormwater runoff from polluting our waters.
To learn about ways to reduce Stormwater runoff click here.
Useful Web Pages
There are many sources for residents and businesses to access for green efforts. Below is a sample of web pages that may be of interest:
Connecticut Natural Gas:
http://www.cngcorp.com/YourHome/EnergyConservation/default.html
Learn how you can improve your home to conserve energy with several efficiency improvement programs.
Connecticut Light & Power:
http://www.cl-p.com/home/saveenergy/goinggreen.aspx
Learn about how CL&P is working towards a cleaner environment as well as programs that will help residents save energy at their homes. This is a very comprehensive web site that is full of useful information.
Other Websites:
www.CTEnergyinfo.com CTEnergyInfo was developed by the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control, Energy Conservation Management Board and Institute for Sustainable Energy to help consumers navigate the ever-increasing number of energy-related resources. The site covers all forms of energy
www.ctcleanenergyoptions.com CTCleanEnergyOptions is a Department of Public Utilities Control (DPUC) approved program that allows any CL&P or UI customer the opportunity to support clean energy made from approved renewable resources such as wind and small hydro. Customers who enroll continue to receive electric delivery service from their utility and pay a small clean energy surcharge.
www.ctcleanenergy.com. The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund promotes, develops, and invests in clean energy sources for sustainable energy for the benefit of Connecticut. The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund offers financial incentives and educational programs to encourage homeowners, companies, municipalities, and other institutions to support renewable energy and lead the nation toward a brighter energy future.
http://ctinnovations.com Connecticut Innovations provides strategic capital and operational insight to push the frontiers of high-tech industries such as energy, biotechnology, information technology, and photonics. In addition, CI is undertaking statewide efforts to provide state residents with clean energy alternatives for their homes and businesses through the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund.
http://www.themdc.com The Metropolitan District (MDC) is a non-profit municipal corporation chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1929 to provide potable water and sewerage services on a regional basis. Information on Household Hazardous Waste Disposal is available as well as a yearly schedule of collection sites for HazWaste disposal.
www.epa.gov/region1 The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment - air, water, and land - upon which life depends. Region 1 covers the 6 New England States and 10 Tribal Nations. Learn about many environmentally friendly ways you can help the environment or just learn about the region’s natural resources.
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