By Bonnie Washuk,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Real Mainers don’t use air conditioners.

Or they didn’t.

That self-sufficient pride is waning as more homes and most businesses turn on the air as soon as it gets balmy, the chairman of the Maine Public Utilities Commission said Monday.

“When I go out and speak I ask three questions,” Kurt Adams said.

1. How many are from Maine? A lot of hands go up.

2. How many had air conditioners growing up? No one raises a hand.

3. How many have air conditioners now? A lot of embarrassed people raise their hands.

Air conditioners are the top reason electric bills and New England’s power demand surge every summer.

On Monday New England was approaching a peak demand, Adams said. “We’re almost there,” he said, adding that high demand makes electricity more expensive.

It also can do a lot of damage to the environment, he said.

“On these hot, hot days, what happens is the old, less-efficient power plants are turned on, which contributes to air emissions.”

Responding to increased consumer requests looking to cut global warming pollution and electric bills, the PUC is releasing a consumer guide (www.efficiencymaine.com) with tips.

Whether consumers use air conditioners is a personal choice. Adams has two in his home that he does not use. “We sleep with the windows open.”

For air-conditioner consumers, Adams recommends homes, stores and businesses set the temperature at 78 degrees or higher. For every degree higher, you cut the cost by 8 percent, he said.

He also recommends buying Energy Star appliances, which dramatically cut electricity costs.

“If one in every 10 households in the country bought an Energy Star appliance, it would be the equivalent of taking 1.5 million cars off the road.” Appliances without the Energy Star label are cheaper to buy but more costly to run, he said.

Another step is not to crank air conditioners up to cool a room in a hurry. Whether an air conditioner is set is 60 or 78 degrees, it will arrive at 78 degrees at the same time, Adams said. “Cranking it to the max really draws a lot of electricity.”

Cooling a home naturally is another way to save electricity and reduce pollution.

The PUC recommends opening screened windows at night and putting fans in the windows to draw in the cool air. During the day, close windows and shades, keeping the hot air out. Also, grill outside and avoid using the oven, which heats up the house.

You can also replace old incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

“If you replaced every bulb in your house with a CFL, that would reduce your electricity bill by 22 percent,” Adams said. “It’s huge.” If every Maine home put in just three CFLs, Maine would not have to build a new power plant next year, Adams said.

The old bulbs make the room hotter. “Just try to unscrew a hot one.”

Some electronics that stay plugged in while not in use also gobble electricity, he said. Those include VCRs, DVD players, phone chargers, computers on standby, even microwave ovens with flashing clocks. “It’s just money leaking out the door,” Adams said.

He recommends unplugging those appliances.