Is Your Home An Energy Vampire? Find Out With the DIY Sustainability Toolkit

October 1, 2019 3:00 PM
by Casey Cambridge

Monsters underneath the bed. Ghouls hiding in the dark. Loud noises. Bad dreams. As adults, we can write off most childhood frights as either irrational or designs of our imagination. But that doesn't mean adulthood isn't without its own share of fears. Take the utility bill, for example. Did the last one make you go screaming into the night? Maybe there really is a monster hiding under the bed, leaving all the lights on during a leisurely shower, with a habit of setting the thermostat down to freezing degrees Fahrenheit while you’re at work.

While you can't run and hide from your bills forever, fear not. The Santa Monica Public Library and the Office of Sustainability are here to help. Simply head over to smpl.bibliocommons.com to put a treat on hold for your home: the DIY Sustainability Toolkit.

What’s inside? Let’s find out…

• LED lightbulbs
• Faucet aerators
• A low-flow showerhead
• A water flow rate bag
• Water leak detection dye tablets

…and they’re all yours to keep!

We’ll also let you borrow:

• An infrared thermometer to help identify where the hot (or cold) air is creeping in
• A Kill-A-Watt ® meter to measure the energy demand of devices, even when they’re not in use
• A refrigerator thermometer to ensure the temperature is set to just right

With the DIY Sustainability Toolkit, there’s no reason for your utility bill to become a horror show. Not only will you get to keep a little more green in your wallet, you’ll be helping out the environment, too -and that’s a treat the whole world can enjoy.

Q: The DIY Sustainability Toolkit is just what my home needs! How can I borrow one?

A: With your Santa Monica Public Library card, visit smpl.bibliocommons.com to place a hold on a kit. When it’s ready, pick it up at the Customer Services desk at the Main Library – 601 Santa Monica Blvd.

Q: Does it come with instructions?

A: Yes! With the included handbook and instruction manuals, you’ll be slaying bucks from your bill in no time.

Q: How do I return the kit? It won't fit in the book drop!

A: Bring the kit back to the Customer Services desk at the Main Library, and we’ll take care of the rest.

Q: I’ve used everything in the DIY Sustainability Toolkit, but my utility bill is still too scary. Now what?

A: Perhaps it’s time to sit down and have a chat with a certain monster (or housemate), and let them know how they can improve on their habits. After all, you’re the resident expert now.

Authored By

Casey Cambridge
Library Assistant II