First, consumers and businesses must be told the true impacts of generating energy and the benefits of conservation and efficiency. The Pacific Northwest has some of the lowest electric bills in the nation, partly because they don't reflect the expense of the salmon restoration effort. The nation as a whole picks up these costs each April at tax time. Sources of energy that do not deplete natural resources or are constantly replenished, and produce little or no pollution, such as wind, heat and light from the sun, and warmth stored in the earth. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute , the United States has gotten more than four times as much new energy from such savings as from all net expansions of domestic energy supplies since the Arab oil embargo of 1973.
Rapid gains are still possible when energy efficiency is pursued on an institutional scale.
By taking simple steps, each household can make a significant difference and do its part for a healthy environment. Buying an Energy Star appliance instead of standard equipment could prevent the release of 70,000 pounds of carbon dioxide over the lifetime of the product. An Energy Star equipped household can also cut the release of nitrogen oxides, the primary contributors of smog and acid rain. Energy Star products also reduce energy bills by up to 40 percent. Use energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs .