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Community Corner

Westwood Library Now Offering 'Kill A Watt' Meters

Westwood has joined NSTAR in a program that offers Kill A Watt meters to local residents in order to monitor energy consumption at home.

So, you want to watch your energy consumption at home but don't feel like buying a meter. Have no fear, because the main branch of the Westwood Public Library now has a "Kill A Watt" meter that can be checked out as easy as a book.

According to Adult Services Librarian Margaret Reucroft, the meter can be checked out for a week and brought back for the next library patron to take advantage of the program, which is sponsored and organized by NSTAR.

The meter helps estimate energy consumption and forecasts costs, and is accurate to within 0.2 percent. It has an LCD display and a cumulative kWh monitor. The meter also displays Volts, Amps, Watts, Hz, Va, kWh and Power Factor.

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The meter itself is stored in a small locked case and includes three booklets with safety instructions and helpful tips.

The goal behind the program is for residents to take the meter home and plug appliances in to gauge how much energy they are using, as well as how much money they are spending.

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NSTAR Media Relations Representative Caroline Allen said that the program is to help customers become more energy savvy. So far, NSTAR has received positive feedback about the program, and that it is a much better alternative in terms of cost, Allen said. Kill A Watt meters, on average, go for around $30.

"Typically customers get high bills that really surprise them," said Allen. "This is a way for you to get pricing information and usage information with ease."

Allen said that NSTAR began distributing the meters to libraries at the end of May and early June. There are currently 40 communities with meters in their libraries.

Allen explained that the meter can show a customer how much energy a household appliance is using at one time. She said it is also a way to see if money and energy can be saved by switching to a more energy efficient appliance.

The meter can be checked out like a book, and the benefit is that you can write down the results before you return it for the rest of the community to use.

"It's a curiosity factor," said Allen. "People like to know what they are spending and how much energy they are using."

Dave Atkins, Westwood resident and author of the local blog Our Westwood, wrote about the Kill A Watt meter and said that residents interested in conserving energy should also look to the Westwood Environmental Action Committee (WEACT).

Through WEACT, residents can learn more about efforts in Westwood to promote sustainability and energy conservation.

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