Efficiency Program to Save Energy

Due to the mass amount of wasted energy in this country, the consulting firm McKinsey is proposing a program to cut down energy usage. Proceeding with this project will not only help the environment but will save trillions of dollars. This hopefully efficient goal requires simple improvements such as sealing ducts and getting rid of appliances that no longer work. The study projectd that by the year 2020, the country's energy usage will be cut down by 23%.

Undoubtedly, this program will save money. It requires an investment of approximately $520 billion but could cut down people's energy bills by an estimated value of $1.2 trillion. Some money for the investment will be taken from the economic stimulus package. However, they approximate a mere $10 billion to $15 billion from this. To fund the rest relies on homes and businesses, many of which who don't have the money to make these improvements.

At the same time, energy efficiency will contribute to the environment. It will definitely control climate change, having to do with global warming. This could potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Peter Lehner, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council says, "Even if we don't get a climate bill this year, it's extremely conservative to think there will not be a price on carbon in the next decade."


I think this program is an extremely innovative, useful and effective idea. We, as Americans, do not realize the amount of energy we waste on a day-to-day basis. Simple acts such as turning lights off could help dramatically. Personally, at my home I know that our energy bill is way higher than it needs to be. It could be decreased by simple steps within this program. However, people must act and follow through. For this to be a success, homes and businesses need to cooperate and change behavior. It might seem like a huge waste of money and effort but in my opinion, it will pay off. After reading this article, I know my lifestyle will change and hope others will do as well.

Galbraith, Kate. (2009, July 29) Efficiency Drive Could Cut Energy Use 23% by 2020. The New York Times. Retrived from http://www.nytimes.com./