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Easy ways renters can save money and reduce their carbon footprint this winter

Renters can’t install many new, low energy appliances to save electricity, but they can keep out drafts.

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) With winter on the way, Salt Lake City residents should start thinking about how to save energy during the cold months.

  | Nov. 18, 2021, 1:50 p.m.
| Updated: 7:14 p.m.

Many suggestions for conserving energy in your home come in the form of high-tech gadgets and appliances. Those may be great for some people, but not everyone owns the home they live in -- a renter likely doesn’t have the opportunity to install a smart thermostat.

But there are options for renters looking to save some money or reduce their carbon footprints, which homeowners could obviously use as well.

“Look at the low-hanging fruit,” said David Wilson, Utah Energy Conservation Coalition. “Look at what’s best for you, and go out and do it.”

Private residents can’t solve the climate crisis alone, but they can have a local effect -- any reduction in power use could improve air quality.

“We have our inversions, we have our bad air quality days that everyone contributes to,” Wilson said.

With winter chills coming in and daylight hours already shrinking, here are some options for reducing your carbon footprint this winter.

Conserve heat

Whether you pay your heating bill or not, taking some steps to insulate your apartment helps reduce fossil fuel energy use.

The simplest way to reduce your heat use is to lower the thermostat and wear warm clothing in your home. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends keeping the temperature at about 68 degrees in the winter when you’re at home during the day. When out of the home or asleep under heavy blankets, you can drop the thermostat a few more degrees.

Weather stripping your windows can also keep in the heat better. Weather stripping kits -- which cost about $20 for 5 windows -- cover windows with clear plastic film.

Another no-cost option: roll up some towels and put them at the bottom of particularly drafty windows or exterior doors.

Clothes a source of energy saving

Try washing all your clothes with cold water. The Department of Energy estimates that only 10% of a washing machine’s energy is used to power the wash cycle -- heating the water takes up the other 90%.

While we’re talking laundry, don’t overdry your clothes either. And your lint trap isn’t just a fire hazard when left uncleaned -- it also prevents hot air from getting into the dryer. So clean your lint trap before each load of clothes.