While “going green” by reducing energy consumption or using renewable generation sources has become popular in recent times as the responsible thing to do to help the environment, let’s not forget it also helps save money.

There are many ways people can go about helping the environment.

Demand response programs are an attractive way to reduce energy consumption in times of critical peak usage, and renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are becoming more common.

Examples of easy ways to reduce usage include turning up the temperature on a thermostat to reduce air conditioning load, turning off certain lights, or shifting the time of use of some energy consuming devices out of the peak demand period.

The load avoided for a single facility may be small, but when many customers participate it creates a meaningful energy demand reduction for the utility.

On top of supporting energy reduction and stabilizing the grid, these actions are simple to participate in and consumers get social gratification for aiding the environment.

Given that the typical U.S. household spends $2,200 per year for home utility bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, energy efficiency incentives could save families hundreds of dollars a year. Imagine what it could do for facilities running electricity all day, too.

When considering energy efficiency and renewable energy options, the amount of savings is often overlooked as a potential win by and for the customer. The motivation to do what is right for the planet is often enough, and more socially acceptable, to the end user. But, why not remind everyone that energy changes that help the environment can also help them save their hard earned dollars, too?