Energy conservation is the low-hanging fruit of climate action.

In celebration of Earth Day, the California Energy Commission (CEC) is launching Watt’s Up, a video series that educates and entertains households about all things energy – from energy saving tips to programs.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, residential energy use has increased by 20 percent as more people in California are working and learning from home. Our first episode outlines what you can do to reduce your energy consumption. The tips are small tweaks that can save you big bucks on your energy bill.



Here are some simple steps you can take right now:

At the California Energy Commission, we’re nothing if not misers on energy use.

The energy efficiency standards we’ve adopted for buildings and appliances over the past 45 years have saved Californians billions of dollars. This nationally recognized leadership has helped keep the state’s per capita electricity use relatively flat during that time so that today California residents use 31% less energy than the average Americans.

Now, the CEC, which is the state’s primary energy policy and planning agency, can boast about another kind of energy savings. Our 2020 California Clean Energy Almanac makes it easy to find key facts and figures.

We’ve completely transformed a series of regular reports from detailed compendiums to a handy reference of easy-to-read graphics and factoids about California energy.

Here’s a sampling:

• • The state’s appliance and building energy efficiency standards have resulted in $100 billion in consumer savings over the past 40 years.  

• • The electricity sector is leading the state’s greenhouse gas reductions — emissions from power generation have dropped 43 percent since 1990.

• • California arrived three years early in meeting its 2020 goal of having 33 percent of its electricity coming from solar, wind, and other renewable sources.

• • Twenty-two energy innovation startups that received CEC’s Electric Program Investment Charge Program grants tripled their total private investment.

• • About 65 percent of CEC-funded demonstration projects are in low-income or disadvantaged communities, more than double the required proportion.

CEC Chair David Hochschild said the makeover helps to tell the story of California’s commitment to energy efficiency and progress toward 100 percent clean energy.

“It shows statistics and examples of how far we’ve come — and need to go — on the road toward a more resilient, affordable, equitable, and environmentally sustainable energy system,” Hochschild said in the almanac’s introduction. “Transforming California’s energy requires accurate and timely information for decision-makers, consumers and businesses.”

The statistical milestones and examples cover nine areas:  

The winter holiday season is underway and with it comes the frenzy of decorating, holiday gatherings, gift buying, and traveling to visit family and friends. Don’t let your energy-saving efforts fall by the wayside during the holidays.



The tips below will help you save energy and money:

1. Lower your holiday lighting costs by using light-emitting diode -- or "LED" -- holiday light strings to reduce the cost of decorating your home for the winter holidays.
2. It can be tricky to drive safely during the holidays when more drivers are on the road, some unaccustomed to driving in the dark or during wet or snowy weather, and some who are under the influence of drugs, alcohol or smart phones. Studies show you can avoid accidents and save energy by driving no faster than 65 miles per hour and can stay even safer by slowing to 55 miles per hour.
3. Use appliances efficiently doing only full loads when using your dishwasher and clothes washer.
4. Don’t open the oven door to take a peek at what's cooking inside. Instead, turn on the oven light and check the cooking status through the oven window. Opening the oven door lowers the temperature inside - by as much as 25 degrees - which increases cooking time and wastes energy.
5. Look for ENERGY STAR appliances, fans and electronics if you’re taking advantage of holiday deals. Using ENERGY STAR products that incorporate advanced technologies that use 10 to 15 percent less energy and water than standard models throughout your home could save nearly $750 over the lifetime of the products.
6. Use an electronic power strip for your electronic equipment. Many electronic devices and equipment consume unnecessary energy even when not in use. Often called energy vampires, these devices cost families about $100 a year. Use a power strip for electronic devices and turn it off when not in use to. Remember to unplug your chargers since they draw energy even when they aren’t connected to a device.
7. Plug your home's leaks. Install weather-stripping or caulk leaky doors and windows and install gaskets behind outlet covers. Doing so can save up to 10 percent on energy costs.

More tips can be found here.