Of all of the changes we’ve endured as a society during this year of uncertainty, one of the most surprising aspects to examine are all of the “guarantees” before, that suddenly became nonexistent.
For the first time in its almost 50 year history, the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, FL closed its doors for almost 90 days. Prior to COVID-19, they had only been closed a total of 72 hours in 49 years.
Sports. Sports! One of the most consistent things about a calendar year are the sports and events that define our seasons. And considering it was an Olympic year, it was even more noticeable that for the first time, we had no athletic endeavors to entertain us.
Coronavirus also brought the unprecedented closure of offices and work buildings. Had you told us all at the beginning of the year that we would no longer travel to and from work everyday, I hardly think the American workforce would believe it.
Because of such changes, we’ve found ourselves as a society moving in sync in more ways than ever. We’ve adjusted our lifestyles, amended our travel plans, and taken each new modification in stride, including almost the entire professional workforce in the country moving to a work from home model.
It’s an exciting change, and one that’s quickly becoming more of the norm than its predecessor. We’ve installed our Zoom apps, found the best and least distracting spaces in our houses, and conveniently stocked our refrigerator with all the fun snacks our cubicles and corner offices didn’t offer.
But with all this time at home comes the concern of greater energy use. The lull hours your property once enjoyed while you and your family were out at work and at school have transitioned to become just as electricity-heavy, if not more so, than the evenings where the television, stove, and refrigerator were the primary users.
According to a CBS News report, residential properties in California were utilizing 15-20% more energy than the same time the previous year, while in New York City energy providers warned consumers of escalating energy bills and even a potential impending blackout.
The concept of energy impact is especially significant for Nantucket locals. For years the island has been flirting with the necessity of a third energy cable from the Cape, something we all can agree would be a great success if avoided. We all enjoy so many obvious benefits and positives in living here, it’s important that we always consider the impact we’re having on Nantucket, and to frequently assess what we could be doing in return.
With no end in sight for the at-home working model, an adjustment to more sensible energy consumption is the next step in your lifestyle modifications. Installing a solar array with ACK Smart Energy will alleviate the energy production your singular home and family are creating. Having the SenseApp paired with your new solar installation, you can monitor your family’s energy output and see just how much energy independence you are enjoying.
Regardless of how many Zooms calls are going or how many trips to the refrigerator you make between them, you can take comfort in knowing that regardless of how long we continue to live an adapted lifestyle, your home, checkbook, and community won’t feel the impact.
Contact ACK Smart Energy today to learn more about starting your own solar array project this fall, and as always, make the Grey Lady a little bit greener.
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