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.
    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
    A key denotes a renter-friendly action.
    Use clothes lines & racks to dry at least half of your laundry
    You need to be signed in to add and complete actions.
    Add to my challenge Already completed Not applicable

    Clothes 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.
    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
    A key denotes a renter-friendly action.
    Attend a Powerware Party
    You need to be signed in to add and complete actions.
    Add to my challenge Already completed Not applicable

    At these small group gatherings, you will become more “power-aware” through activities, demonstrations of energy saving devices, and discussions about how to save energy and money at home. Contact us at greenhomes@frederickcountymd.gov for more information. 

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  • 3
    Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
    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
    A key denotes a renter-friendly action.
    Host a Powerware Party
    You need to be signed in to add and complete actions.
    Add to my challenge Already completed Not applicable

    Host a Powerware Party in your workplace, neighborhood, place of worship, or community organization. All that is involved is inviting 10-15 people to attend, providing refreshments, and doing a little follow-up with your guests. Green Homes Challenge staff or volunteers will lead the activities and share resources. Complete the Powerware Party Host Form or contact us to express interest in hosting a Powerware Party.

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  • 1
    Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
    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
    A key denotes a renter-friendly action.
    Read your power meter monthly and submit kWh (kilowatt-hour) usage to your utility
    You need to be signed in to add and complete actions.
    Add to my challenge Already completed Not applicable

    You’ve probably noticed that your electric meter is not read every month; for those months between meter readings, an estimate is calculated. Not having actual monthly readings will make it hard to determine whether or not you are saving energy compared to the previous month or year. You will have a more accurate picture for tracking your energy usage and savings when you have actual, not estimated, data.

    You can read your own meter each month and use the phone (call 1.800.255.3443 and say “meter reading”) or visit the Potomac Edison website to submit your information. Instructions for reading and reporting your electricity usage appear on your monthly billing statement.

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  • 1
    Green leaves denote the number of Green Points earned by completing the action and its relative environmental benefit.
    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
    A key denotes a renter-friendly action.
    Try out an online home energy analyzer
    You need to be signed in to add and complete actions.
    Add to my challenge Already completed Not applicable

    Try one of these tools to help you estimate how your household uses energy:

    Potomac Edison’s Home Energy Center Online Analyzer: This web-based self-service option presents you with home efficiency and conservation recommendations for managing your energy costs. Upon completion, you have the option of receiving a reward of four CFLs!

    The Energy Guide: provides a Fast Track and an In Depth Analysis of your energy use, providing you with pinpointed recommendations on what to do to begin saving energy now. You can also calculate how much money you can save by replacing appliances.

    ENERGY STAR® Yardstick: If you have five minutes and your last 12 months of utility bills, use the ENERGY STAR® Home Energy Yardstick to compare your home’s energy efficiency to similar homes across the country and get recommendations for energy-saving home improvements from ENERGY STAR®. You will also need to enter some basic information about your home (such as zip code, age, square footage, and number of occupants). If you don’t have your bills, contact your utility for a 12-month summary.

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