PennEnvironment, PA Legislative Black Caucus release new guide of energy savings tips

April Ashe, Executive Director, PA Legislative Black Caucus, (717) 772-6955, [email protected]

New tool shows 10 home energy tips for  local residents to reduce carbon footprint while saving money on utility bills 

Philadelphia, PA – The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center announced a partnership with the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) to distribute their new toolkit for reducing global warming pollution and saving money to the caucus members’ constituents. Through ten simple tips to reduce home energy use, the recommendations could save homeowners and rate payers more than $500 each year and reduce carbon emissions by up to 5 tons annually. The groups expect to distribute this educational tool to more than 100,000 Pennsylvanians, through hard copy materials, digital ads, and electronic versions.  

“Simple things like washing your clothes in cold water, checking the temperature setting of your water heater, and unplugging energy guzzling appliances can really add up,” remarked David Masur, Executive Director of PennEnvironment. “These tips can reduce your carbon footprint equal to taking a car off the road for a year and save rate payers more than $500 on their energy bills annually.”

Rep. Greg Scott, ED David Masur, and Field Director Flora Cardoni show off energy saving magnets at the PLBC K Leroy Irvis Days of ActionPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

With the state’s energy conservation programs to flounder, the groups’ guide helps consumers and rate payers take things into their own hands and make significant energy and cost savings in their daily lives.

“In this time when extra funds are hard to come by and climate change is having outsized impact on black and brown communities, partnering with PennEnvironment to distribute these very useful tips to households is the least the PA Legislative Black Caucus can do,” noted Chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, State Representative Napoleon Nelson. “These tips can help folks save a few bucks and, collectively, help to save our environment.”

PA State Reps Gina Curry and Darisha Parker join PennEnvironment’s Field Director Flora Cardoni to talk energy efficiency during the PA Legislative Black Caucus (PLBC) celebrated it’s annual K. Leroy Irvis Day of ActionPhoto by TPIN | TPIN

In the state capitol, there are two pieces of legislation (HB 1615 and SB 755) that would enact efficiency standards for appliances, light bulbs, and commonly-used household products. Adopting these energy efficiency standards would have a significant impact on Pennsylvania’s energy and water use, in turn reducing air, water and climate pollution. While the guide helps individual consumers, HB 1615 and SB 755 would help all Pennsylvanians, and has an expected cost savings of $300 million annually by 2030 and reducing climate pollution by over 384,000 metric tons annually over the same time period. 

###

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is dedicated to protecting our air, water and open spaces. We work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment. For more information, visit www.pennenvironmentcenter.org. 

The Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus includes more than 30 members, representing urban, suburban and rural districts across the Commonwealth. The PLBC works to advance an anti-racist, equitable, restorative, and reform-minded approach to legislation. For more information, visit www.pahouse.com/PLBC.