Channel 4 Action News anchor Kelly Frey is showing you easy ways to save money, reduce waste and help the environment at the same time in three easy steps.
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She recently met with the the Allaire family. They are an all-American household that goes through a lot of stuff. Robert, Amy, Kendall, Colton and Caden recycle and try to conserve, but Amy wants to do more to limit her family’s carbon footprint and save money.

WTAE’s cameras followed Amy through her morning routine. Then energy specialist, Garret Fabian, along with conservation consultants, and a nonprofit group dedicated to going green, weighed in on her morning schedule.

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Step 1:
While the Allaries reuse water glasses and run the dishwasher only when it is full, Fabian said the Allaries still use too much water.

“Wash by hand more and that means also using a ton of water so that you don’t have the water continuously pouring out,” said Fabian.

But if Amy has to run the dishwasher Fabian said she will save money by not using the heated dry option. Instead, Amy should crack the door to the dishwasher to dry her dishes.

Fabian also said it costs more than double to run an older model of dishwasher compared to the energy saver models currently on the market.

When doing laundry Amy uses earth-friendly detergents and washes only full loads on cold. For extra energy savings, Fabian suggests using the automatic dry setting when running the dryer. The automatic dry setting has a moisture sensor that eliminates running the dryer for longer than it needs to.

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Step 2:
Fabian recommends the Allaries buy locally produced food and cook in bulk. Cooking in bulk only a few days a week, and reheating food in the microwave saves a lot of money. A microwave on high 30 minutes a day, every day, only costs $2 a month.

The Allaries were also told to replace their refrigerator. Anything older than the mid-80s is using three times as much energy as today’s models.

Amy is starting a compost pile to limit her trash, and recycles snack boxes, including the plastic bags inside.

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Step 3:
The Allaries already use a programmable thermostat, but Fabian had more ideas to save on their electric bill. All of their lamps have incandescent bulbs. Fabian said each bulb is like having a tiny heater in your home.

“That’s why if you grab a bulb that’s been on for more than 30 seconds you are going to get a blister,” said Fabian.

He said that by replacing old bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs the Allaries will save more than $120 a year. Fabian says the compact fluorescent bulbs use a quarter of the electricity and last 10 times a long.

Fabian said the Allaries are off to a great start while trying to live eco-friendly, and he said they are teaching their children how to grow up carbon footprint free.

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