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A Sierra Club Quiz
Energy Efficiency Saves Money.
But How Much?

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[You can also see answers in the chart below.]

You got 0 out of 5 correct. But you can retake the test. And peek at the answers. We won't tell.

1. You spend $40 to replace 10 incandescent bulbs with CFLs. How much will you save in electricity in one year? In five years?
You didn't answer this question. The answer is:
$92 savings in one year and $582 in five years. You'll also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,431 lbs. a year, and 7,155 lbs. in five years. [One-year savings assumes $0.11/kWh, the current average U.S. electricity price. Five-year savings assumes $0.14/kWh, the projected five-year average.]

2. If all U.S. households in the United States replaced 10 incandescents with CFLs, how much money and CO2 would we save in one year?
You didn't answer this question. The answer is:
If all 113 million households in the United States screwed in 10 CFLs, we'd save $10.4 billion and 81 million tons of CO2. That's like taking 15 million cars off the road. [One-year savings assumes $0.11/kWh, the current average U.S. electricity price.].

3. How much will you save if you hang your clothes to dry in the sun?
You didn't answer this question. The answer is:
A simple clothesline can save you $80 in one year and $508 in five years. You'll also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,247 lbs. a year, and 6,235 lbs. in five years. [Assumes the average use of clothes dryer to be four hours a week.]

4. How much does standby mode ending costing Americans each year?
You didn't answer this question. The answer is:
$4,000,000,000. Standby mode accounts for 5 percent of all energy use in the United States. You can do your part to cut this waste by plugging your electronics into a power strip, and turning it off when you're not using your electronics.

5. How long before you recouped the additional costs of a hybrid?
You didn't answer this question. The answer is:
5.3 years. Of course, this doesn't count any possible tax credit.

 

Spend Now. Save for Years to Come.

activity/purchase cost 1 year dollar savings (at $0.11/kWh1) 5 year dollar savings (at $0.14/kWh2) 1 year CO2 savings3 (lbs) 5 year CO2 savings3 (lbs)
turn down thermostat 1° in winter Free! 3% 3% 3% 3%
dry clothes on line or rack4 Free! $80 $508 1,247 lbs 6,235 lbs
replace 10 incandescents with CFLs5 $40 $92 $582 1,431 lbs 7,155 lbs
walk or ride bike to work twice a week instead of driving6 Free! $4727 $2,3597 2,875 lbs8 14,375 lbs8
purchase EnergyStar refrigerator9 $500-$700 $24 $152 372 lb 1858 lbs
purchase hybrid $23,00010 $70911 $3,54411 4,316 lbs8 21,580 lbs8
Lighting motion sensor for office12 $40 $11.83 $75 185 lbs 925 lbs

notes:

  1. Current U.S. average electricity price. Source: Energy Information Administration (EIA): http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/electricity/epm/epm_sum.html.
  2. Projected 5 year average of U.S. electricity prices. Source: EIA: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/contents.html#Electricity_Markets.
  3. Assumes a US national average emissions rate of 1.72 pounds per kWh. Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/refs.html.
  4. Assumes the average use of clothes dryer to be 4 hours per week.
  5. Assumes changing 10 lightbulbs per household.
  6. Based on average one-way commute of 16 miles. Source: ABC news traffic poll. <
  7. Based on an average fuel economy of 22.5 MPG, and a gas price of $3.19/gallon
  8. Based on numbers from EPA emissions calculator: http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html
  9. While cost is $500-700, savings should be compared to price difference between EnergyStar fridge and non-EnergyStar fridge, so while a payback might not be readily apparent, it does indeed exist.
  10. Like in note #9, savings should be compared to price difference between hybrid and comparable non-hybrid car
  11. Based on an average fuel economy of 22.5 MPG, a hybrid fuel economy of 45 MPG, and a gas price of $3.19/gallon
  12. Assumes motion sensor keeps lights on for 6.5 hours/day, as opposed to 10 hours/day, that onework 240 days/year, that an office has 4 standard 32-watt tube florescent light bulbs.

Thanks for playing. Find out more about efficiency and renewables on the Sierra Club's We Can Do It pages.

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