One of the great things about summer is the opportunity for fresh, homegrown food, whether it's from the local farmers' market or from the abundance of garden tomatoes shared by a neighbor. It's amazing how just a few seeds, some fertilizer and water can turn into a bounty.

When we think about energy efficiency, we think about that bounty of food, and how with just a few simple actions, you can use less electricity and reap the rewards of energy savings.

You don’t need to be a farmer or botanist to know that plants need water––just like you don’t have to be a lineworker or engineer to know that adjusting the thermostat or turning off lights can reduce your monthly electric bill. In fact, if you read Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative’s publications regularly and follow us on Facebook, you know there are a lot of things you can do at home to save electricity and money.

Summer months bring some of the highest energy bills of the year. But why? Cooling your home accounts for a large portion of your monthly energy use, and the hotter it gets, the harder (and longer) your air conditioner works to keep you cool.

There are several ways you can manage energy use at home, and in the accompanying graphic, we provide a few tips that can help grow your summer energy savings.

But we’d also like to share a few ways we’re here to help you save––not only during the dog days of summer but throughout the year.  

One of the great things about being part of CWEC is that we’re locally owned by you, our members. So instead of making profits, we can focus on helping our community. That’s why we’ve developed incentives and programs to help you keep your money in your wallet.

Save money with these easy incentives:

• Rebates – CWEC offers a variety of Energy Conservation Rewards in the form of rebates to give you money back for efficient equipment you purchase, like heat pumps and water heaters. Our rebates can be claimed by contacting CWEC Energy Specialist John LaValley, by calling our office at 715-677-2211. Find a list of all our rebates at: www.cwecoop.com
• Recycle – If you have an old refrigerator or freezer that’s running but is not used much, it’s costing you. Receive up to $25 if you properly recycle it.
• Energy Audits – CWEC offers two different types of energy audits – a Basic Home Energy Audit and a Professional Audit. These audits can help determine the overall efficiency of your home and help you with ways to improve it. For more information about the energy audits, visit: www.cwecoop.com/energy-audits
• Ways to Pay – If you’re having a difficult time paying the higher bills that come with increased use in the summer, contact us to learn about our budget billing program.

Most people don’t know everything about electricity, and that’s why we’re here to help you. There are no investors making profits here. Just knowledgeable people with local jobs, working for our neighbors to ensure there is electricity available when you need it. Contact us, and we can work with you to find more ways to save energy––and money.