Because the built environment accounts for 40 percent of global carbon emissions, green building is an important part of the global warming solution. On Thursday, our very own Minnesota chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) held its first Day at the Capitol.

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So far in 2010, some big things have happened in the area of energy efficiency. It bears repeating time and again: the cheapest and cleanest energy is the energy we don't use. Improving energy efficiency in our daily lives--meaning doing lots more with less energy--is 70 percent cheaper than generating new energy. The efficiency highlights so far in 2010...

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Did you know that even though your appliances and electronics are technically turned off, they're still using power and wasting your money? It's called phantom load and it costs you more than you think. According to Cornell University and thedailygreen.com, your TV probably uses more electricity during the 20+ hours per day you're NOT watching it than when you actually have it on.
 
Nowadays, turning your electronics "off" doesn't really mean they're off. It actually means they're on standby and they're still sucking up electricity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, phantom load might be adding an extra $100 to $200 to your electricity bill each year. Add that up for all Americans and that's $10 billion in wasted energy each year, enough to require at least seven power plants! And that's for appliances we're not even using.

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Yesterday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner came to Minnesota to check out our clean energy economy.  He toured Honeywell's Golden Valley facility to see how manufacturing for energy efficiency and clean energy creates jobs and stimulates the economy.  Later, he participated in a roundtable discussion where he highlighted the need for the federal government  to develop policies that will spark increased clean energy jobs and economic development in the states, something we're already benefiting from in Minnesota.  He also announced $5 billion in clean energy manufacturing tax credits in addition to the $100 billion clean energy stimulus dollars.  Read more about his visit in the Star Tribune.

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Energy efficiency means using energy better--through innovative technologies, processes, and equipment that power our daily activities with less energy. It's about smarter systems and streamlined technology that can make the energy we need go a lot further.  Its also about economic recovery and job creation. That's what Senator Klobuchar and Cathy Zoi, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Department of Energy, had to say yesterday at a regional competitiveness and energy efficiency summit at the University of Minnesota.

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This Thursday, Senator Klobuchar will host an energy efficiency summit at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management (in cooperation with the Humphrey Institute).  Read on for more details, an agenda of the summit, and how you can RSVP for the event.

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Representatives and partners of ElectriCharge Mobility visited Fresh Energy yesterday to talk about some exciting developments in the field of electric vehicle transportation. Partner Paul Axt said people often view the development of the industry as a chicken-and-egg problem between the vehicles and their charging stations. What must come first to grow the other? ElectriCharge Mobility and charging-station developer Coulomb Technologies believe we first need to show people charging stations are widespread and accessible, in order for people to purchase electric vehicles.

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It seems pretty simple: we should use energy as efficiently as possible. It saves money and avoids negative environmental consequences and costs next to nothing. Why waste electricity to get the same results?

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Want to learn how energy efficiency can save money, create jobs, and fight global warming in Minnesota? On November 3, why not see for yourself how a local company has reaped the benefits.

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For the fifth year in a row, energy efficiency has again been found to be the cheapest, fastest, and cleanest source of energy. That's the finding of a new report by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), released yesterday in Washington, D.C. It costs far less than new fossil energy, new nuclear energy, or new renewable energy. It stands to reason that if we can save energy more cheaply than we can produce it, that "frees up" the energy saved for other uses. That's an energy "source." From society's perspective, saving energy is the same as producing new energy.

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