MA Ranked 5th Most Energy Efficient State in U.S.
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Wednesday, October 17, 2018
GoLocalWorcester News Team
MA ranked 5th most energy efficient state in U.S.
Massachusetts is one of the most energy-efficient states in the country.
According to a recent study completed by WalletHub, Massachusetts is the 5th most energy efficient state in the U.S.
MA is also the third most energy efficient state in New England behind Vermont.
“Energy is expensive. In fact, it’s one of the biggest household expenses for American consumers. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average U.S. family spends at least $2,000 per year on utilities, with heating and cooling of spaces alone accounting for more than half the bill. In 2018, the average consumer spent another $1,968 on motor fuel and oil, up $59 from last year,” said WalletHub.
MA’s Rankings
- 8th– Home Energy Efficiency
- 4th– Auto Energy Efficiency
The Rankings
The top five most energy efficient states are:
1. New York
2. Vermont
3. Utah
4. Rhode Island
5. Massachusetts
48 - South Carolina
* Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from list.
See the full rankings in the map below:
The Method
In order to determine which states are doing more with less energy, WalletHub compared 48 states across two key dimensions, “Home Energy Efficiency” and “Auto Energy Efficiency.” We obtained the former by calculating the ratio of total residential energy consumption to annual degree days. For the latter, we divided the annual vehicle miles driven by gallons of gasoline consumed to determine vehicle-fuel efficiency and measured annual vehicle miles driven per capita to determine transportation efficiency.
Each dimension was weighted proportionally to reflect national consumption patterns and graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing optimal energy efficiency.
Finally, we calculated the total score for each state and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Due to data limitations, we were unable to include Alaska and Hawaii in our analysis.
Home Energy Efficiency – Total Points: 50
- Home Energy Efficiency = Total Residential Energy Consumption per Capita / Annual Degree Days
Auto Energy Efficiency – Total Points: 50
- Vehicle-Fuel Efficiency = Annual Vehicle Miles Driven / Gallons of Gasoline Consumed
- Transportation Efficiency = Annual Vehicle Miles Driven per Capita
Related Slideshow: 24 Ways to Go Green This Fall - 2018
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Donate Old Clothes
With the changing of the seasons comes the changing over of the closet from summer clothes to warmer clothes.
If you come across clothes that you don't wear, donate them to a local shelter or thrift store, instead of just holding onto them.
"Donate unwanted clothes to a thrift store so these unused garments can have a new life somewhere else," writes Itzler.
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Take Shorter Showers
Who doesn't love the feeling of a nice hot shower after spending some time outdoors in the brisk fall air?
Only one problem—those long showers waste lots of water. Try taking shorter showers in order to go green this fall.
Along with taking shorter showers, World Watch suggests Installing a low-flow showerhead.
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Opt-Out of Junk Mail
Junk mail is the worst. No one likes it, and it only serves to clutter up our homes, trash cans and landfills. But, did you know there is a way to "opt-out" of junk mail?
You can get off most unsolicited mail lists simply by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).
Also, instead of browsing through catalogs, look at products online—most catalog companies publish online versions of their products, perfect for saving paper and going green.
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Car Pool
During the holiday season, there is plenty of energy to be saved on the highway by sharing rides with family members or friends headed to the same place.
Before you’re going somewhere, start thinking about who you might be able to carpool with and make arrangements so one car instead of two or three are on the road for the trip. Even if it’s just for a few miles, this adds up and can reduce gridlock and air pollution.
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Ditch Bottled Water
Everyone knows that water is the healthiest beverage option, but next time, instead of grabbing for a bottle of water, drink tap water out of a reusable cup or bottle.
World Watch says "use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it generates large amounts of container waste."
You can buy reusable water bottles at nearly any department or home goods store, and you'll save money by not constantly paying for bottled water.
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Open The Shades to Let Natural Light in
Few things can warm a room as well as the sun. Those warm rays of the sun can heat homes, even when temperatures outside begin to dip.
"Before you go to work, open your blinds or curtains in your home where the sun shines most. When you get home, don't forget to close them to lock in your free heat. In areas where your home doesn't get much sun, especially in areas shaded from trees, keep your curtains and blinds closed," writes Save on Energy's Craven.
In order to save energy and reduce heating costs, open your shades during sunny days, even on colder days. The sun's radiation will do the work so your home heating system doesn't have to.
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Recycle Batteries
Changing the batteries to your smoke detector when you switch your clocks this Sunday? Make sure to recycle your batteries rather than throwing them away.
Recycling your batteries keeps them out of the landfill, where heavy metals may leak into the ground when the battery casing corrodes, causing soil and water pollution. If batteries are incinerated with household waste, the heavy metals in them may cause air pollution.
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Use Pinecones as Natural Bird Feeder
Are you an ornithology enthusiast? Do you love the sights and sounds of songbirds outside your window?
Keep your feathered friends returning to your yard by using a pinecone as a natural bird feeder. Recycle pinecones found in your yard by adding birdseed and peanut butter to your pinecone.
Find more instructions here.
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Reusable Lunch Boxes
Do you send your kids off every day with their lunch in a brown paper bag? Try using a reusable lunch box instead to cut down on waste.
Even after middle and high schoolers have grown out of using their favorite superhero lunch box, there are plenty of subtle and understated designs to complement their style.
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Don't Dry, Clean Only
Dry cleaning is far more harmful to the environment than your standard load of laundry done in a conventional washing machine.
If you have clothes that can be machined washed rather than dry cleaning, try giving them a run through the washer. And, if you're in the market for a new wardrobe, don't buy clothes with the "dry-clean only" label on them.
"Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heating the water.
Use a drying rack or clothesline to save the energy otherwise used during machine drying," says World Watch.
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Visit a Pick-Your-Own Farm
Visit a pick-your-own farm and grab some of the freshest food that you can find.
Save on Energy writes, "visit a pick-your-own farm for fresh produce such as apples, pumpkins, and root vegetables. You may even find locations that let you pick fresh nuts such as pecans or walnuts."
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Eat Less Meat
Unbeknownst to most people, meat requires a far larger ecological footprint to produce than fruits and vegetables.
World Watch suggest adding one extra meatless meal per week.
Next time you plan a family dinner, try cooking with more vegetables and less meat.
You'll save the environment and cook a healthier meal.
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Reverse the Spin of Ceiling Fans
If you have a ceiling fan in your home, reverse the spin of it.
According to Save on Energy, "If you reverse the direction to clockwise, your ceiling fans will push warm air back down. It will also redistribute the warm air from your heating system, making sure pockets of cold air don't settle in the corners of each room."
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Turn Down the Thermostat
In order to save some energy (and some money) turn down your house's thermostat a few degrees this fall. You may not notice the difference, but the environment sure will.
Save on Energy's Gabi Itzler says to keep the thermostat at 68 degrees.
If you're still a little cold, throw on a sweatshirt. For even more savings, turn your heat down even lower when your family leaves for work school or a vacation.
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Put Down The Leaf Blower
When it comes time to get all the fallen leaves off of your lawn, don't reach for your electric or gas-powered leaf blower. Appliances like those can release pollutants into the atmosphere, and that is definitely not going green.
Instead, use manual lawn tools like a rake to save energy.
"Once you're done, reuse the leaves by transforming them into mulch for your plants or compost them to enrich your soil," wrote Itzler.
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Plant Some Bulbs
Think fall is for harvesting, not for planting? Think again!
Fall is the perfect time to plant spring-flowering plants like tulips to make sure you have gorgeous flowers when warmer weather rolls around again next year.
For more tips on fall planting, click here.
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Make Fewer Trips to Grocery Store
If you're headed to the grocery store to pick up food and supplies for your next party try to make as few trips as possible. You'll save money on gas, and have to drive less, making this a perfect way to go green.
If you can, try to get all your items at one store. This way, you'll use even less gas when shopping.
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Schedule a Home Energy Audit
Want to know exactly how much energy you could be saving? Then schedule a home energy audit.
You can learn about opportunities for making your home more energy efficient and affordable.
For more on home energy audits, visit National Grid's website.
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Reusable Lunch Boxes
Do you send your kids off every day with their lunch in a brown paper bag? Try using a reusable lunch box instead to cut down on waste.
Even after middle and high schoolers have grown out of using their favorite superhero lunch box, there are plenty of subtle and understated designs to complement their style.
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Seal Drafts
To keep the cold fall wind out of your home, and keep your warm air inside, be sure to seal up any drafts around windows or doors in your house or apartment.
"If your air conditioning was running non-stop all summer, then you might have unnoticed leaks in your home. Before it gets too cold, check all your doors and windows for drafty chills that could keep your heater running non-stop too," writes Save on Energy's Jordan Craven.
Drafts can do serious damage to your heating bill, and will be a major drain on energy usage, so make sure to seal them up soon.
For more information on how to seal them, click here.
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Insulate Your Home
Insulation is one of the best ways to save money and energy in your home. Insulation will keep the cold air out of your home, and, better yet, keep the warm toasty air right inside your house where you want it.
If you better the insulation in your home, not only will your home be warmer, you'll go green and save money on your heating costs.
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