Siesta Key Association energized

At its Feb. 4 meeting, the Siesta Key Association learned how to fend off vampires – vampire loads, that is. They also got free tools for the fight.

Sarasota County’s new sustainability director, Lee Hayes, led a group outreach session with the association to cut energy drain from inefficient systems in their homes, including vampire loads, or energy drain from appliances that consume power even when turned off.

Those appliances, along with all others in the home, including lights, use 42% percent of the energy consumed in an average Florida household.

One of the solution to vampire loads, which account for 75% of power used by appliances and electronics, is a “smart” power strip, which cuts off power to appliances when a master device is turned off. Energy saving kits distributed at the meeting each contained a smart power-strip, along with approximately 10 free, similar products.

Those kits included approximately $30 worth of materials that could save $160 in energy costs during a year.The kits and workshops are part of an energized effort by the sustainability department.

“We are really ramping up outreach now,” said Hayes in an email. “We have just recently scheduled more classes for the general public at facilities around the county and are actively reaching out to local Homeowner Associations, civic and faith groups to offer the classes (and free energy saving kits) to them in the coming months.”

Other energy- and cost-saving tips included cleaning refrigerator coils yearly and applying for tax credits available for certain energy-efficient home improvements.

Hayes said Sarasota County Sustainability wants to get its energy workshop presentation in front of more groups like SKA.

They also scheduled to classes, open to the public, later this year, on May 18 and Sept. 17.

Hayes said her department is actively seeking new groups to address on the subject. For more information, please contact Hayes at [email protected]