HONESDALE -- The flick of a light switch, a running dishwasher or AC unit can all run up your monthly electric bill.
Jocelyn Cramer is the director of a group called "SEEDS" based in Honesdale. Cramer says all though these are small things, we may not think about but they can show up in a big way.
“It all adds up and one of the reasons people don't believe in the energy savings so they are significant, especially if you take a lot of different measures,” says Cramer.
SEEDS or "Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support" offers free at-home recommendations that can save you money.
During the summer, SEEDS trains area high school students on energy and water conservation.
The students show homeowners ways they could save money like LED light bulbs and pipe wrap. The advice is free of charge.
“It's a really great way to interact with people and people pay a little more attention to these students. They are young and enthusiastic. In addition to the great training they get, it's good for future jobs and to be future homeowners,” said Cramer.
The nonprofit organization says they saved already saved families hundreds of dollars in energy costs.
“Now if you multiply that, we have assessed almost 300 homes at this point and the reports of some families who have done a lot based on our recommendations, we are saving families in this area tens of thousands of dollars,” Cramer explained.
Balazs Markos of Honesdale used to work with SEEDS and says he learned a lot of different ways to save energy.
“Your electrical sockets, we offered free little pads behind them and just that little space closed up saved a lot of energy in your house,” said Markos.
SEEDS hopes students take the lessons they learned and show others hope to be more energy-efficient in the future.