Use this page to find actions that your household has completed or plans to complete. Browse the categories on the left to find actions for the Power Saver, Green Leader, or Renewable Star Challenge.
Once you have signed in, you can click Add to My Challenge to add an action to your To Do List, Already Completed to mark an action as complete, or Not Applicable if the action does not apply to you.
Once signed in, you can rate each of the actions you have completed.
The highest rated action appear under the Most Popular Actions category.
ACTIONS
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Install energy efficient windowsBefore making a large financial investment in new windows, explore all options for increasing the energy efficiency of your existing windows, and overall home, with your home performance auditor or contractor. You may be able to achieve comparable or even greater energy savings for far less cost.
If you do determine that you need to replace your windows, consider all aspects of a window: the frame, glass or glazing, and operation. There are many energy efficient options and performance measures to take into account: insulated double/triple glazing, Low-E (emissivity) coatings, air leakage rate, and more. Windows are rated using a variety of energy performance characteristics: U-factors, Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), Sunlight transmittance, and more. Learn more about selecting energy efficient windows and check out these tips on window-related energy savings from EnergySavers.gov.
Watch this video on the benefits of Low-E windows or this video that demos Low-E windows.
HISTORIC CONSIDERATIONS: If you live in the City of Frederick’s Historic District, all window repairs and replacements must be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. If your home has early or original windows, the Commission is likely to recommend repair or storm windows over replacement. If your property is on the National Register of Historic Places, read this Preservation Brief for more information about repairing and replacing historic windows.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Use energy-efficient lighting in at least 75% of your lighting fixturesFluorescent lights use up to 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs, and can last up to 10 times as long. If you replace 20 bulbs with more energy-efficient lights, you can save up to $600 over the lifetimes of the bulbs. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) now come in all shapes and sizes. There are dimmable models, and models for recessed or outdoor lighting. Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting is even more efficient than CFL lighting, but with a greater up-front cost.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR® light bulb options.
If you need help selecting the right bulb replacements, smart phone apps like Light Bulb Finder can help you to choose the right bulbs to upgrade.
Save on upfront costs by taking advantage of Potomac Edison’s lighting rebates.
If you tried a CFL and didn’t like it, it may be because you didn’t select the right wattage, color, brightness, or size. When purchasing CFLs, use these equivalencies to get the brightness you are looking for (or roughly divide by 4):
Incandescent CLF 60 Watt 13 Watt 75 Watt 18 Watt 100 Watt 23 Watt Apr 07 Jesse Speak
I am concerned about mercury so we do not use these. But, I am interested in LED lights if they are affordable.
Jul 25 Donald Frank-Rice
I have installed LED lights in all of the main rooms of the house. All that is left is the basement and bathroom.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
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Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Use clothes lines & racks to dry at least half of your laundryClothes dryers use 5-10% of a household’s daily energy use and are one of the most expensive home appliances to operate ($100-$200/year). They are also one of the most dangerous causing more than 15,000 home fires annually. If you would like to know how much energy and money it takes to launder your household’s clothes, try out this calculator.
Instead, line-dry your clothes inside or outside. Explore clothesline and rack options on urbanclotheslines.com. If you think that your homeowner’s association or condominium prohibits the use of clotheslines, here’s some good news! Maryland’s “Right-to-Dry” legislation (SB 224) went into effect on October 1, 2010 and requires condominium associations, homeowner associations, and cooperatives to allow homeowners to install clotheslines on their property. Learn more about the benefits of air-drying clothes.
TIP: Using hangers can really reduce the length of clothes line you need. (You’ll need a rod or taut wire for this approach). Use each hanger as a mini-clothes line for socks, dish towels, and the like. Install a rod over your washer dryer or use your shower rod for hangers during rainy or winter weather.
If you have severe allergies to pollen, check the weather and the Air Quality Index before you hang your clothes outside.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
5
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action. Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Eliminate the use of a large applianceEliminating the use of a large appliance can be one way to reduce the overall energy consumption of household appliances. When appliances reach the end of their useful life, consider if a replacement is really necessary. Also remember to recycle or properly dispose of old appliances when you purchase a replacement. Continuing to run an inefficient appliance, such as an extra refrigerator in the garage, can be costly. Not only will the old unit be less efficient than its replacement, but it may even use more energy by being operated in an unconditioned space.
May 01 Susan Kraus
I no longer use my dishwasher. And before I used to only run it to the setting prior to dry & then stop it & open it to air dry.
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Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
5
Hammers denote the relative amount of effort needed to implement the action.
A key denotes a renter-friendly action.Dollar signs denote the relative cost of implementing the action. Free < $100 $100-$500 $501-$2000 > $2000 Wash clothes in cold water at least 75% of the timeWhen you wash your clothes in hot water, only 10% of the required energy goes to running the machine; 90% goes to heating the water. In most cases, cold water cleans clothing just as well as warm water. Cold water washing results in the biggest energy savings, but even switching temperature settings from hot to warm can cut the energy used to heat a machine load of water in half. Learn more about the benefits of washing in cold water and other energy-saving laundry tips.
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