October is the designated national month for energy efficiency. In 1981, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) initiated American Energy Week to raise energy awareness. Five years later, in 1986, DOE turned the Energy Week into a month-long observance to address the growing concerns regarding energy scarcity and climate change. Since then, October has been declared as the month to raise awareness and promote energy efficiency by two presidents: President George H.W. Bush declared October as National Energy Awareness Month in 1991, and President Barack Obama declared October National Energy Action Month in 2009. As President Obama states in his 2012 proclamation, we must “recognize this month by working together to achieve greater energy security, a more robust economy, and a healthier environment for our children.”
Energy efficiency is considered to be the US’s greatest energy resource, and it is never too late to take action on energy efficiency. There are plenty of materials that can help you celebrate October in an efficient way. From easy energy efficiency tips for homes to full-blown campaign materials for the Federal government employees, here are a few items to start your energy conscious month: