Although water conservation has been a hot topic this summer, it’s also important to look

at home energy use and conservation. With sizzling days and foggy nights, Contra Costa’s

summer weather can quickly take a toll on your energy bill. As hard as it is to admit,

summer is indeed winding down, and now is the perfect time to examine your energy

consumption and give your home an energy upgrade.

The easiest place to start in improving your home’s energy use is upgrading appliances.

Even though it may feel wasteful to get rid of outdated products, old appliances can be a

huge source of energy loss. Plus, rather than simply tossing them into the garbage, you can

look for e-waste recycling or, even better, find someone who could use that product.

When you’re looking into options for new appliances, keep in mind that there are a whole

host of rebate opportunities for taking measures to improve your home’s efficiency in

energy use. In order to keep yourself from getting lost in all the information, head over to

Energy Upgrade California’s rebate and incentive finder. You can narrow the options with

your zipcode, keywords, room type, various appliances, and more!

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PG&E has its own helpful tool in HomeMoney Saver, where you can click on

different rooms in the simulated house

and select certain appliances in order to

see rebate options, other tips and

resources, and videos of other residents

who’ve made switches in their homes.

If you’re looking for a complete overhaul

in your home’s energy efficiency, PG&E

also offers two home upgrade options:

Home Upgrade and Advanced Home Upgrade. Both provide

flexibility in the measures you take to improve efficiency and offer the potential to save

thousands of dollars through rebates.

For a more do-it-yourself approach, don’t miss Sustainable Contra Costa’s guide to

completing a home energy audit, which will help you in your first steps of improving your

home’s energy efficiency.

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