From the Editor’s Desk A Smart Way of Reaching Something Better

I’m honored to be the first-ever editor of The Efficient Home. Now, that title is more than a little ironic. Truth be told, my home could be more efficient. My life could be much more efficient, but I guess that’s why we’re all here.

We began creating the pages in this issue with one very pointed mindset: Let’s get people from a good place to a better place. Eventually it evolved into the shorter, “Let’s get people from good to better.” You don’t have to be perfect. You can and should be grateful for where you are, and that positive viewpoint can be the launchpad for discovering new ways, both small and not-so-small, that get you to “better.”

And the best way to be better is by being smarter. I have chosen to discover more and more smart ways of living. Yes, these options do involve a smart thermostat and smart power strips. But I’m not going to limit my smart choices to tactics that have “smart” in their names. The truth is, the road to energy efficiency is less expressway and more country road. And there is more than one way to get there. What works for me might not work for you. And that’s OK.

Because, after all, living a smarter life is more journey than destination. It’s a lifestyle. One that uses less energy, yes. But it’s so much more than that, too. It saves you money. It makes every room more comfortable season after season. It provides much-needed relief to a warming planet. And it brings people together. (What else unites the frugal, the techies and environmentalists so harmoniously?)

So, get going and get reading.

I hope you’ll find inspiration in these pages to seek out opportunities here and there in your own home to make the changes that make sense to you and how you live. I hope these smart changes lead to a smarter life—and that they bring you moments of empowerment in our wonderful, beautiful, continually changing world.

Kara L. Jonas

Senior Manager, Energy Efficiency Programs

Commonwealth Edison Company