We are happy to announce that Quinton of Ward 8 won the first random drawing for a $300 credit on his electric bill. These random drawings will occur every other Wednesday. We have more than 20 random drawings, so take the pledge and enter to win.  All DC residents are eligible.

Non-Pepco customers who are winners may either give the “Gift of Energy” and assign the $300 credit to a friend or relative who is a Pepco customer, or choose a nonprofit to receive a $300 donation in the winner’s name.

Chris and Matteo, representing one of the founding organizations Pepco, made the first announcement.

  Lauren, Ward 6 Resident

“I believe it’s important for everyone to do their part to help conserve the planet’s energy resources.”- Lauren

Lauren is a 10-year DC resident and enjoys all that it has to offer, especially her favorite outdoor spot of East Potomac / Haines Point. She is also a strong advocate of protecting its resources. Lauren volunteers with local youth literacy programs and regularly participates in her neighborhood’s environmental protection initiatives.

Thank you to the Washington Spirit for supporting Reduce Energy Use DC! We are grateful to Kaiya McCullough, Tegan McGrady, and Jordan DiBiasi lending their voice to this initiative.  

We couldn’t agree more with Tegan when she said “It is especially important now that DC is at home, that we think about our energy use and try to make some new habits to save more than money.”  Check @ReduceEnergyDC for more videos from Kaiya, Tegan and Jordan.

We look forward to cheering on the Spirit once they return to the field!  #SpiritFam

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect the District of Columbia, residents are staying at home for their collective safety and subsequently are, on average, using more electricity telecommuting for their jobs and to help students achieve distance learning goals.

This increased energy usage may not only be affecting bills, but also contributing to climate change.

“We continue to be grateful to all residents who are saving lives by staying home, and we know that part of that sacrifice is a potentially higher energy bill,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “That’s why we’re working to share ways residents can use energy more efficiently. Together, let’s take the ‘Reduce Energy Use DC’ pledge to save money while helping the environment.”

Read more at The Washington Informer.

 Alissa Huntington, DC Resident

Growing up, my family instilled in me energy saving and climate focused behaviors that have become second nature: separating waste into recycling and compost, turning off lights when I leave a room, taking shorter showers, and picking up trash at the beach. My mom would leave out our energy bill to show how our consumption compared to our neighbors – asking us to reduce our use to shrink our footprint but also save money on our energy bill. Now that I’m a renter myself, I continue to try to conserve energy wherever possible. I’m proud to live in a city that’s striving for a 100% renewable electricity future and understands how we need to change all aspects of our economy and daily lives to address the threat of climate change. Here are a few areas I focus on to decrease my impact:

1. Lighting – As a renter, I try to focus on actions within my control – most major decisions (like converting large appliances) are either in the hands of my landlord or not something I want to invest in if I might move soon. LED lights, while more expensive up front, last longer and save money on your bill over time (according to DOE, replacing five of your most frequently used lights could save you $75 annually). You can find them at hardware or drug stores.
   
   
2. Reducing Energy Consumption – I plug appliances into an extension cord so that I can turn them all off when not in use – including my TV. Now that I am working from home, I unplug my monitor and computer charger every night after work. I also use a drying rack instead of a dryer to dry most of my laundry – after an upfront cost, you never have to pay for that on your electric bill again! In addition to saving energy by not using my dryer, I also try to save water by running my dishwasher and washing machine (on the cold setting) only with full loads.
   
   
3. Food Consumption and Disposal – According to the New York Times, the world’s food system is responsible for a fourth of annual greenhouse gas emissions (Your Questions About Food and Climate Change, Answered). I don’t buy meat to cook at home but will eat it occasionally at a restaurant. On the disposal side, I compost my organic material by dropping it off at the Dupont farmers market weekly. Around DC there are a few places to drop off compost (during COVID-19, some may not be accepting at this time). While there, I try to pick up a few things to support local farmers and make sure to bring reusable bags when shopping. You can even buy reusable produce bags, sandwich bags, or cling wrap (I’ve found on Amazon), which is my next step.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact the District of Columbia, residents are working together to stay at home for our collective safety and, as a result, are on-average using more electricity to power work, school and their daily lives. This increased energy usage may not only be impacting bills, but also contributing to climate change.

As part of a united effort, environmental, business, community groups and the District's leadership have come together to launch a new initiative, "Reduce Energy Use DC," to educate DC residents on ways they can use energy more efficiently, take steps to reduce energy use at home, and save money while helping fight climate change. The new initiative will ask residents to take a pledge and provides those who sign up with tips on easy ways to save and lower their energy bill.

“We continue to be grateful to all residents who are saving lives by staying home, and we know that part of that sacrifice is a potentially higher energy bill,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “That’s why we’re working to share ways residents can use energy more efficiently. Together, let’s take the Reduce Energy Use DC pledge to save money while helping the environment.”