Common phrases from many people's childhoods probably include, "Turn off the lights when no one is in the room," and "Do you think we live in a barn? Shut the door!" My father's favorite phrase took it one step further: "You're cold? Show me your thermal underwear, then we'll talk." Saving energy was in vogue for many parents. Now that I'm older, I find myself turning the thermostat down in the winter and putting on more clothes or blankets. I've already shifted all my lights to energy-efficient options. And I take advantage of home insulation, updated windows, natural shading in the summer, energy-saving kitchen appliances, on-demand hot water and a high-efficiency HVAC system. But does this really do enough? Are my efforts making a dent in the world's energy use? In the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook, households consume about 21 of energy in the United States.
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