Soon you’ll be able to see how much juice each of your appliances is using by simply checking out a meter as if it were a book.
But act fast – these things should prove popular.
All the deets:
“San Francisco Public Library to Offer Home Metering Devices - To Measure Home Appliance Energy Use - Adds to list of services for city residents
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 16, 2013 – The San Francisco Public Library today launched a new program to offer library patrons What’s Your Watt home electric metering devices as a tool to measure energy usage in home electronic appliances.
Sponsored by Wells Fargo and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), What’s Your Watt is a collaborative effort by the San Francisco Public Library’s Green Stacks program, the Department of the Environment (SF Environment), and the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3). Wells Fargo presented the idea for the program and a seed grant to purchase meters, which are now available for check out at all 28 San Francisco public libraries. PG&E provided the home metering devices. Borrowers may take the devices home to determine wattage, associated costs and C02 emissions information for all electrical appliances, including computers, refrigerators and hair dryers.
“Thanks to the generous support of Wells Fargo and PG&E, San Francisco library users can now check out a home energy metering device along with their books,” said Melanie Nutter, director of SF Environment. “We are delighted that our libraries and local businesses are so committed to helping San Franciscans reduce their energy use, save money and lower their carbon emissions.”
Standard library borrowing rules apply for the home metering devices, which can be checked out for three weeks. Each branch library and the SFPL Green Bookmobile will have two devices and the Main Library will have six devices.
The What’s Your Watt home metering devices are simple to use and come with instructions in English, Spanish, Chinese and Russian. Additional information can be found at: www.sfenvironment.org/whatsyourwatt.
“It is our hope that San Franciscans will take advantage of this program so they can reduce their energy consumption to lower their energy bills, while benefitting the environment as well—both great goals to start in the new year,” said Tracy Curtis, president of Wells Fargo’s San Francisco market.
About SFPL Green Stacks
San Francisco Public Library’s Green Stacks is dedicated to helping the City go green. Libraries have always been dedicated to free, renewable resources and this new, citywide program highlights the environmental initiatives, programs, exhibitions and information created and supported by today’s library system. In partnership with SF Environment and Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, Green Stacks empowers all library users to live a more eco-friendly life.
About SF Environment
The San Francisco Department of the Environment (SF Environment) creates visionary policies and innovative programs that promote social equity, protect human health, and lead the way toward a sustainable future. We put our mission into action by mobilizing communities and providing the resources needed to safeguard our homes, our city, and ultimately our planet. For more information on SF Environment, visit: www.sfenvironment.org
About the Business Council on Climate Change
The Business Council on Climate Change (BC3) is a public-private partnership between local government and the business community that works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in San Francisco through collaboration and direct action. For more information on BC3, visit: www.bc3sfbay.org
About Wells Fargo
In April 2012, Wells Fargo released a set of environmental commitments to be achieved by 2020; including reducing the company’s environmental impact, financing the transition to a greener economy and encouraging stronger and more sustainable communities. A leader in reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions and building sustainably, Wells Fargo has been recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project and the U.S. Green Building Council. Since 2006, Wells Fargo has provided more than $11.7 billion in environmental finance, supporting sustainable buildings and renewable energy projects nationwide. This includes investments in more than 260 solar projects and 34 wind projects that generate enough clean renewable energy to power hundreds of thousands of American homes each year. For more information, please visit: www.wellsfargo.com/environment.
Wells Fargo & Company is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.4 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, it provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in more than 35 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the US.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the US. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California.
Funding for What’s Your Watt was provided through a partnership with the City and County of San Francisco. Through the partnership, PG&E offers comprehensive energy efficiency services and technical assistance to residential, small commercial, large commercial and municipal customers. This program is funded in part by California utility customers and administered by PG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.
