A New Year’s Resolution That Works All Year Long: Save Energy With Simple Steps

New Orleans, La. – Tired of the same old New Year’s resolutions that are too much trouble to keep, like trying to lose weight? Well, try committing to something real simple like energy efficiency. You can shed kilowatt hours and make your wallet fatter.

“By taking a few simple steps to make your home more energy efficient you can make easy lifestyle changes that really work and save you money,” said Melonie Hall, customer service director, Entergy New Orleans, Inc. “These changes take just a short-term commitment. In as little as a weekend, you can make improvements that last for years.”

Entergy New Orleans says that customers can make small adjustments that can bring a sizable impact on their bill, such as:

• Keep thermostats set at 68 degrees in winter and 78 degrees during the summer.

• Use appliances such as the clothes dryer in the cooler evening hours.

• Use ceiling or box fans to circulate cool air.

• Visit ENsight on www.entergy-neworleans.com and make use of a home energy calculator to analyze your home’s energy use.

• Seal leaky windows and doors with caulk and/or weather stripping.

• Conserve hot water by installing a timer that turns the heater off when no one is home.

• Turn off electronic equipment when not in use.

• Use energy-efficient bulbs when replacing light bulbs. Entergy New Orleans recommends Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs that use 70 percent less electricity and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.