Citizens Action Coalition Education Fund

The Central Indiana Environmental Education Program (CIEEP) is designed to teach individuals, households and communities cost-effective ways to lower their energy bills by using energy more efficiently and reducing their overall energy consumption.

Simple changes in our daily routines not only save us money on our gas and utility bills – they also improve the health of individuals, communities, and our environment by reducing toxins in our air and greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming.

Thanks to grants from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Efroymson Family Fund, a CICF fund, and Normandie Foundation, Citizens Action Coalition Education Fund was able to establish the Central Indiana Environmental Education Program (CIEEP). The goals of this program are as follows:

• Establish a financially sustained program to educate the general public about energy consumption, conservation and environmental issues in Indiana.
• Reduce overall household energy costs for program participants through measures that reduce energy consumption.

"The findings of the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change], the consensus estimate of the world’s scientists, couldn’t be any clearer: human activities are altering our atmosphere, and the planet is warming. Unless we act now, with great urgency, costly and disruptive impacts all over the world are inevitable. We have no choice but to act.

Did you know:

• Homes are huge energy consumers, accounting for one-fifth of the U.S.’s total annual energy demand?
• Heating and cooling costs account for about one-half of a typical home’s total energy bill?
• The average household will spend almost $2100 on home energy costs in 2007?

Almost half of all homes in the U.S. have inefficient, single-pane windows. Inefficient windows can account for up to 25% of your heating bill in the winter, and can make your air conditioner work up to three times harder in the summer. Although high performance windows may cost more initially, they save you money in the long run. In addition, they increase the value of your home.

Our Living Lean & Green workshop introduces you to the impact of global warming on our community, and to a set of simple tools to reduce your energy consumption and save you money. The five-session workshop is designed to help you reduce your household carbon dioxide “footprint” by at least 5,000 pounds by going on a “low carbon” diet.

More energy dollars go towards your heating and cooling system than any other system in your home. "Typically, 56% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What’s more, heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit over a half billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global warming.

After household heating and cooling, water heating is the largest energy user in your home, representing over 13% of your annual energy bill, and a significant contributor to household CO2 emissions. "If your water heater is more than 10 years old it is likely running at less than 50 percent efficiency—wasting energy and money—but most people don’t replace their water heater until it fails.

A common misconception is that washing dishes by hand saves hot water. In reality, washing dishes by hand several times a day can be more expensive than operating an energy-efficient dishwasher, especially if you only operate it with full loads.

Reducing the amount of hot water you use can result in significant reductions in energy usage, saving you money and further reducing your CO2 footprint. "A family of four each showering five minutes a day can use about 700 gallons per week—a three-year drinking water supply for one person!

Lighting is the third largest energy user in your home, representing approximately 10% of your annual energy bill. "Making improvements to your lighting is one of the fastest ways to cut your energy bills. . . . Using new lighting technologies can reduce lighting energy use in your home by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time lights are on but not being used."

Appliances such as your refrigerator, clothes washer and dryer, dishwasher and electronics (TV, computer, audio and video systems, etc.) account for about 20% of your household’s annual energy bill. "Together, these items account for nearly eight tons of heat-trapping emissions per household per year."

"Heat naturally flows from warmer spaces to cooler ones until the temperatures both in and between the two spaces are equal. Inside the home, warm air rises and leaks out the attic and roof while drawing cold air in through the basement.

The first step to taking a whole-house energy efficiency approach is to find out which parts of your house or apartment use the most energy. A home energy audit will identify those areas, and through your own efforts, your local utility, or the assistance of a qualified professional, you can take cost-effective measures to reduce your energy costs and hence, your CO2 footprint.

The average household will spend almost $2,100 on home energy costs in 2007. Of a typical residence's total energy consumption, heating accounts for the largest portion, representing almost 50% of a household's annual energy bill.

About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. Using less water and using cooler water are two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes. Typical electric clothes washers and dryers generate 5 pounds of CO2 per washer/dryer cycle.