Last week, Florida Power & Light and the Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida provided 200 income-qualified families in Fort Myers with free summer safety kits designed to help them stay cool and cut avoidable energy use at home, according to Gulf Coast News.
Here's what to know
On Aug. 17 at the Stars Complex, FPL teamed up with the food bank, which distributes provisions to around 300,000 individuals each month.
The safety kits included home-efficiency items such as wool dryer balls, an LED nightlight, draft-sealing rope caulk, refrigerator and freezer thermometers, a smart power switch, and a whistle that signals when an air-conditioning filter needs checking.
FPL representatives also shared energy efficiency advice and information about customer programs, and the food bank served food at the event.
More background
Air conditioning typically accounts for the biggest share of household energy demand, but small inefficiencies around the home can add up.
Each item in the safety kit targets a common source of unnecessary energy use, from cooled air escaping through gaps to appliances working harder than they need to.
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Refrigerator and freezer thermometers can help households avoid making the appliances colder than necessary, while LEDs use less electricity than light bulbs.
Wool dryer balls can shorten dryer runtimes, while rope caulk can keep cooled air from leaking out around windows and doors. A smart power switch can curb phantom energy use from electronics that continue drawing power even when they are not being used.
For households already relying on food assistance, getting these tools for free removes the need to spend money upfront, putting energy savings directly into residents' hands.
Even if one item cuts waste by only a small amount, several together can lower a peak-summer electric bill.
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