Spring has officially sprung across the Northern Hemisphere! And with Earth Day just around the corner, what better way to show some love for the planet and your home by ensuring your space is prepared for higher electricity demands that come along with the summer heat.

We put together an official spring-cleaning checklist to help you keep the earth and your energy usage in mind:

Clean up bad energy usage habits

One of the easiest ways to reduce the environmental impact of your electricity usage is to use, well…less energy!

  • Turn off the lights. Longer days means more sunlight. Skip the switch and opt for opening your blinds and letting the natural light take its course. Even better, make the switch to energy efficient light bulbs. Switching to LED lighting is a great way to reduce your energy costs. According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), by replacing your home’s most frequently used lighting with models that have earned an ENERGY STAR rating, you can save an average of $225 on energy costs per year!
  • Rethink your thermostat. Spring weather can be unpredictable in some parts of the country, especially here in the New England. And while you may feel tempted to fall back into old habits of turning up the heat or turning on the AC, consider investing in a smart thermostat. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, heating and cooling are one of the biggest energy usage culprits behind a higher utility bill. In fact, heating and cooling accounts for more than half (51%) of your energy consumption. Smart thermostats are more energy efficient, learning your preferred temperatures while defaulting to an energy-savings mode when you’re not at home.
  • Tackle vampire power. Vampire power accounts for 5% -10% of household electricity consumption and accounts for approximately 1% of global carbon emissions. The best way to avoid wasted energy is to unplug anything you aren’t using since devices can still draw small amounts of power even when switched off. But, for many of us still working from home, unplugging your workstation every day can seem a little redundant. An inexpensive and easy solution is to use a power strip. You’ll be able to easily flip the switch to turn your home office station off, all at once.

Save energy with landscaping

Did you know that landscaping can actually save you money on your energy bills? That’s right, the way you arrange your outdoor plants can have an impact on your home’s energy usage. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, one tree planted by your home can provide enough shade to reduce your home’s energy costs by up to 20% – that’s nothing to sneeze at! What’s more, April 28 is Arbor Day, an even better reason to plant some outdoor plants or trees for the planet and for your home.

Clean up your local power grid with community solar

Who said spring cleaning has to stay home? If you’re paying a utility bill and you live near a solar farm, chances are you’re easily able to clean up your local power grid, and it’s as simple as enrolling in our community solar program.

Subscribing to a Nexamp community solar farm costs nothing and allows renters, homeowners, businesses, and non-profits to enjoy all the benefits that solar has to offer without actually installing rooftop panels. Electricity generated from our solar farms feed into your local grid. Subscribers receive energy credits on

their utility bills for the power produced by their share of the solar farm, saving them money on their annual electricity costs, while cleaning up their local energy grid.

If you live in a region that does not offer community solar, there are other alternatives. In deregulated markets, customers can select a third-party provider, also known as an ESCO (Energy Service Company). Some ESCOs offer 100% green energy options that you can buy into. However, not all ESCOs do. That’s why it’s important to do your research on all your options.

So, spring into this checklist to help you make your home more efficient this season and always.