Data Sources

The calculations used in these pages are estimates - actual results will depend on your home, your climate, your energy costs, heating fuel used, etc.

Cost Savings:

Fireplace Flue Dampers: The California Energy Commission through its Energy Quest website estimates that leaving the fireplace flue damper open can waste 8% of the average heating bill - which averages $1000 / year. Daliceux and Nicolas found that leaving the flue open can waste 30% of the heating and cooling energy from a well-insulated house. We took the median of these 2 data points and estimate that leaving the fireplace flue open increases heating and cooling costs by 19% or $190 / year.
Game Consoles: NRDC estimates that a PlayStation 3 or xBox 360 draws 120-200 watts (W) and can significantly exceed 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity over the course of a year; NRDC estimates that many users never power down these devices and thus suggests that simply by turning off these game consoles when not in use that you can save $100 / year. Other game consoles such as the Nintendo Wii and older game consoles use less power - turning them off is still a good idea but the resulting savings will be smaller. For more details on energy consumption of game consoles check out this study conducted in Australia (remember to convert costs from Australian dollars).
Programmable Thermostats: ENERGY STAR estimates that using a programmable thermostat saves $180 / year - $120 off the heating bill and $60 off the average air conditioning bill.
Computer Power Management: Climate Savers Computing estimates that the average computer can save $60 / year by deploying power management. Google experts estimate that the range is $20-$60 in part because desktop computers consume more power than laptops. So we've taken the median and estimated $40 of potential energy savings by deploying power management settings.
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs): ENERGY STAR estimates that CFLs save $30 over their lifetime. We assume an average life span of 5 years delivering energy savings of $6 / year / bulb.

Carbon Savings and Equivalencies:

CFLs, game consoles and computer power management all save electricity. We converted our financial savings into kilowatt-hours (using a conversion rate of $0.104 / kWh) and then used this EPA calculator to convert kilowatt-hours into pounds of CO₂ equivalent.
- Replacing 1 incandescent with a CFLs saves 500 pounds of CO₂ equivalent or 100 pounds / year
- Turning off 1 high energy consuming game console saves 1,700 pounds of CO₂ equivalent / year
- Using computer power management settings saves 650 pounds of CO₂ equivalent / year
Programmable Thermostat: ENERGY STAR estimates that using a programmable thermostat set to 70^oF when at home and 62^oF when asleep or away will save 9.4 MBTUs (or 94 therms). Using the EPA calculator, that provides 1,036 pounds of CO₂. In addition, $60 lost in cooling costs divided by $0.104 / kwh yields 561 kWh for an additional 960 pounds of CO₂. Added together, the impact is 1,996 (which we round to 2,000). The heating calculation is based in Washington DC which ENERGY STAR uses as a reference case for heating in the US.
Fireplace flue savings on heating are estimated at $190 (we ignore the effect on cooling but they may increase the impact). Dividing by $12.69 / MBTUs (average price of natural gas according to EIA) yields 15.0 MBTUs (or 150 therms) and 1642 pounds of CO₂ saved (which we round to 1650).
We also use the EPA calculator to equate pounds of CO₂ into taking a car off the road for a certain number of days using the average driving patterns in the United States. The average car emits 33 pounds of CO₂ equivalent per day. So an individual who replaced 5 light bulbs and took each of the other actions would save 6500 pounds of CO₂ which is equivalent to not driving a car for 197 days (over half the year)!