The arrival of snow and icy winds brings increased energy needs for the homeowner and apartment-renter. Unfortunately, increased energy use also means a need to burn more fossil fuels, which can emit harmful greenhouse gases.

Heating a home is an understandable necessity, but letting heat escape is just plain wasteful. Unfortunately, heating the great outdoors is something that almost everyone does. The amount of energy wasted from poorly insulated windows and doors is about as much energy as the U.S. gets from the Alaskan pipeline each year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Luckily, making energy efficient improvements is becoming easier. Taking steps to reduce the wasted energy can save consumers as much as 10 percent in energy costs per year.

Green Juice

Though consumers can reduce a significant amount of their energy usage with efficiency improvements, they still need some energy to keep their homes running.

Green power is one way to go for those willing to spend a bit more per month to encourage clean, renewable sources of energy. Green power is electricity supplied in whole or in part by renewable sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, landfill gas and various forms of biomass.

“The market for green power started when the California electricity market deregulated back in the 1990s,” said Pam Mendelson, senior program specialist in energy efficiency and renewable energy at the U.S. Department of Energy. Before deregulation, customers who wanted green power basically had to put up their own solar panels. After deregulation, “that’s when the market really began,” Mendelson said.

More than 50 percent of U.S. retail customers now can choose green power, according to federal officials. How to do that depends on each state’s deregulation policies. If retail electricity competition is allowed, customers can purchase green power from an alternative electricity supplier. "Because there’s competition, electric companies often try to entice customers with a green power option,” Mendelson said.

Even if a state doesn’t allow utilities to compete, consumers have two other options. More than 600 regulated utilities in 30 states offer a “green pricing” program, according to federal officials. That’s an optional utility service that allows customers to support renewable energy by paying a premium on their electric bill to cover the costs of acquiring renewable energy sources.

The Lansing Board of Water and Light, an electrical utility in Michigan, offers green pricing through its GreenWise Electric Power program. Recently, the gas utility signed a 21-year agreement to buy electricity generated from gas at a nearby landfill and provide renewable energy to thousands of customers in the coming years.

“The landfill gas will be available for the next 60 years, and it’s right next door,” said Mark Nixon, communications director for the Board. “It makes perfect sense.”

Another option for the eco-conscious consumer is to purchase renewable energy certificates, which give customers a way to support renewable energy projects even if their utility doesn’t offer green pricing. When customers buy certificates, that money goes toward building renewable generation projects such as wind farms.

“Wind turbines may have zero fuel costs, but they still cost a lot to build,” said Mendelson. “By purchasing these certificates, you’re making the statement that renewable energy is important to you.”

Find out what green power options are available in your area at: eere.energy.gov/greenpower

Energy Saving Tips from the Dept. of energy

• Test for leaks. Light a candle next to the suspected source of the air leak. If the smoke travels horizontally, there is a leak that needs caulking, weather-stripping or sealing.
• Close curtains at night to keep cold air out and open them during the day to let heat in.
• Cover the water heater. Water heater blankets cost less than $10 and can save between 10 and 40 percent on heating costs.
• Dial down the thermostat. Each degree it’s turned down saves approximately one percent on the heating bill.
• Use a space heater. These eliminate the need to heat the entire house.
• Invest in a programmable thermostat. These insure that the house is warm upon arrival, cool at night and turned down during the day. They cost around $30.
• One hour before leaving the house, turn the heat off. The house will continue to stay warm during the time that it’s occupied.
• Use the Home Energy Saver. It determines energy consumption and finds ways to reduce it.
• Visit energysavers.gov or call 844-337-3463 for more energy-saving tips.