School is out for the summer and that means more bodies at home during the day, which also means more energy use. To help families conserve energy while kids are home for the summer, Energy Upgrade California, the consumer education initiative to promote smart energy use, has put together helpful energy saving tips to try out this summer.

·         Turn the Lights Off. Turn the light switch off when no one is in a room so you don’t waste energy.

·         Use Power Strips. Use an electronic power strip for your electronic equipment to help reduce phantom loads. Don’t forget to turn the strip off when you’re not using it.

·         Use Fans. More people means more body heat. Using fans and open windows to keep your home at a comfortable temperature can be more effective than you think, and saves energy in the process.

·         Dim the TV, monitor, and phone. Reduce your TV, computer screen, and phone’s brightness. Dialing down the brightness a little can conserve 15% of regularly expended energy.

About Energy Upgrade California

Created by the California Public Utilities Commission in 2011, Energy Upgrade California is a statewide education, advocacy and outreach initiative to promote energy management concepts, energy efficiency actions and clean energy opportunities for the state’s residents and businesses. Energy Upgrade California is uniting the state in a movement to help California thrive through smarter energy use. Funding comes from the investor-owned utility customers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. For more information visit www.energyupgradeca.org.