Join the NBA Green Energy All-Star Team!
NEEF was proud to partner with NBA Green on the NBA Green Energy All-Star engagement campaign.
The goal of the NBA Green Energy All-Star campaign was to promote greater fan engagement around saving money by saving energy, motivating fans to take action in their daily lives. In addition, the campaign aimed to show collective environmental actions—even small steps—when taken together as a team can create large-scale impact.
The campaign featured video animation with NBA Hall of Famers Bill Walton and Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Legends Jason Collins and Felipe Lopez, and WNBA Legends Swin Cash and Ruth Riley coming to life as animated bobbleheads to share energy saving tips during a timeout in a pick-up game.
View the Timeout Tips below to learn more about how you can save money and energy every day.
Timeout Tips to Save Energy and Money
Unplugging unused electronics can save you as much as 10% on your electricity bill.
What is an energy vampire?
Phantom loads, also called energy vampires, refer to the energy that appliances draw when they are in standby mode. Phantom loads can cost the average US household around $100 per year. Make phantom loads disappear by unplugging electronics and battery chargers when not in use.
Setting your computer to sleep mode when not in use can save you up to $50 annually on your electricity bill.
How to set your computer to sleep mode (for Windows 10)
- Click on the Windows 10 icon in the taskbar, located in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.
- Click on "Settings," which can be found directly above the Windows 10 icon.
- Next, click on "System."
- Select "Power & Sleep."
- On notebook computers, be sure to change the settings for “When plugged in.” EPA recommends setting monitors to turn off after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity, and computers to enter sleep after 15 to 60 minutes of inactivity. The lower the setting, the more energy you save.
Using cold water instead of warm water can save you at least $60 annually on utilities.
Laundry tips
- Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
- Wash and dry full loads. If you are washing a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.
- Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
- Clean the lint screen in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation and prevent fire hazards.
- Periodically, use the long nozzle tip on your vacuum cleaner to remove the lint that collects below the lint screen in the lint screen slot of your dryer.
ENERGY STAR LED light bulbs will use at least 75% less energy and last 25x longer than old incandescent bulbs.
LED = light-emitting diodes
Use ENERGY STAR's cool Choose a Light Guide to find the right LED bulbs for you.
You choose:
- Shape
- Color
- Brightness
And ENERGY STAR does the rest.
Enjoy the additional comfort and cost savings that come from weatherizing your home. You can save up to 11% on your energy bill.
Weatherizing your home?
Start with a home energy audit. Then, you can move on to air sealing, insulation, and more.
By properly setting and maintaining a programmable thermostat, you can save up to $180 per year.
Three types of programmable thermostats
Find the one that’s right for you by considering how often you are away from home for regular periods of time—for work, school, or other activities.
7-Day – Most flexible. Set different programs for different days. Best for daily schedules that tend to change.
5+2 Day – This model lets you use the same scheduled for the weekday and another for weekends.
5-1-1 Day – This is the choice if you have one schedule Monday through Friday and another on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ready to take the next step?
Check out these resources to help you increase your home energy performance to save even more energy and money.
Whether you are a DIY kind of family or looking to hire a local contractor to do the work, starting with the right information is essential:
- There are helpful tips and resources at ENERGY STAR’s online “Home Energy Knowledge Center”, where you can match your biggest concerns with the best home energy improvement project. Or, check out the best recommendations by zip code provided by the US Department of Energy.
- Consider a home energy audit where a certified Home Energy Rating System (HERS), Home Energy Solutions (HES), or Building Performance Institute (BPI) professional can identify the right improvements to save energy and money in your home.
- Going the DIY route? The DOE’s DIY energy saver guide includes project tips, material guides, and more.
- See what financing options you may quality for, with the Database of State incentives, your local electric utility, or options from traditional lending institutions.
- Is solar for you? The US Department of Energy’s Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar helps to simplify the process with tips on determine how suitable your rooftop is for panels, how you start the process, calculating how much money you can save, and where you can find tax breaks or local incentives and financing mechanisms.