Time to Put Your House on a Diet
A new book, THE HOME ENERGY DIET by Paul Scheckel (New Society Publishers, 2005), tells how to trim the fat from energy bills.
(PRWEB) October 28, 2005
"I’ll start tomorrow." How many times have you said that about a diet? We know we should do it, we know it’s good for us, but we simply don’t like change, especially when we think it will hurt. Don’t lose another opportunity to save today by waiting until tomorrow!
Paul Scheckel's new book, The Home Energy Diet, helps readers take control of their personal energy use and costs so they can save money, live more comfortably, and help the environment. An experienced energy auditor who has surveyed thousands of homes Scheckel explains what he calls “energy literacy,” and then describes how your home uses - and loses - costly energy via electricity, hot water, heating and air conditioning, and windows, walls and insulation.
“If I had to choose only one message,” says Scheckel, “it would be that energy efficiency is an investment, not a hardship. The cheapest kilowatt is one you don’t have to buy.” As energy prices go up, so do the benefits of conservation.
The Home Energy Diet involves readers in learning about their own homes by measuring, metering, investigating, and considering habits related to household energy use, then learning how to quantify energy consumption and costs to make informed decisions. The book provides the reader with the tools to compare fuel costs and to make intelligent appliance choices. The author provides a convenient "Triple-A" reminder to ensure dietary success: Awareness of how your home uses and loses energy, Assessment of your home’s energy requirements, and Action to reduce energy consumption.
Scheckel makes liberal use of personal anecdotes and humorous "tales-from-the-basement" misadventures to keep his subject from becoming overly technical. “As with any diet,” he says, “if it’s no fun, people just won’t do it, no matter how much money it saves.”
And a home energy diet does save money, offering returns greater than Wall Street. Readers can earn hundreds of dollars by putting their homes on a diet, plus receive additional dividends of improved indoor air quality and healthier, more comfortable homes.
Scheckel has honed his advice from years of experience as an energy auditor and educator. With a personal passion for efficiency and renewables, he walks the talk by living in a solar-powered house and driving a car powered by vegetable oil, in his home state of Vermont.
The Home Energy Diet is available through independent book stores and internet booksellers such as Amazon. com.
Paul Scheckel is available for interviews, presentations, and personal appearances.
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