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This Week’s Reason for Hope

Group of states and some nonprofits sue U.S. Postal Service over decision to invest in new fleet of gas-powered trucks

Three separate lawsuits filed

Lawsuits seek a more thorough environmental review of decision

Goal of driving post office to replace its fleet with electric vehicles

Post office has total fleet of 190,000 delivery vehicles

Was planning to have 20% of first 50,000 vehicles be electric

Sources

States sue the U.S. Postal Service over its decision to buy gas-powered trucks | Iowa Public Radio

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Home Energy Efficiency

Intro

According to National Resources Defense Council, over past 40 years, efficiency has done more to meet our growing energy needs than oil, gas, and nuclear combined and at a fraction of the cost

Consumption stats

U.S. and E.U. energy consumption per capita on downward trend

2020 energy usage per person including electricity, heating, transportation

• U.S. ~ 74,000 kWh
• Japan ~ 37,000 kWh
• Germany ~ 40,000 kWh

Home energy consumption by source

U.S. households

• Space heating – 43%
• Air conditioning – 8%
• Water heating – 19%
• Lighting – 5%
• Other – 24%

E.U. households

• Space heating – 63.7%
• Air conditioning - 0.4%
• Water heating – 15%

Device Efficiency

• Air conditioning versus heat pumps - similar
• Furnace versus heat pump – heat pump 2 - 3 times more efficient

LED Lights

• Double lifespan of compact fluorescents (CFL)
• 15 – 20 times longer lifespan than incandescent
• No mercury and reach brightness sooner than CFL

Biden accelerating phase out of incandescent bulbs (summer 2023)

Projected to save $3 billion / year on utility bills

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Sources

NRDC and Energy Efficiency: Building the Clean Energy Future (PDF)

Use of energy in homes - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)

Energy consumption in households - Statistics Explained (europa.eu)

Energy Production and Consumption - Our World in Data

Energy Consumption and Energy Efficiency Trends in the EU-28 2000-2015 (europa.eu)

LED vs Fluorescent: Which is better? - WattLogic

U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - Independent Statistics and Analysis

Comparing LED vs CFL vs Incandescent Light Bulbs (viribright.com)

U.S. speeds up phaseout of incandescent light bulbs : NPR

Is a Heat Pump More Efficient Than a Furnace? - GreenBuildingAdvisor

Home Insulation | Savings | Value of Insulating Your Home (insulationinstitute.org)

ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022— Central Air Conditioners and Air Source Heat Pumps | ENERGY STAR

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