Reset your thermostat.
Lowering it can reduce heating energy costs by 3% per degree during winter. It saves energy and money yet still allows you to take hot showers. In the summer, raise the temperature to a 'cool' level, just enough to lower humidity and not make you sweat and you can reduce your electric bill by 2% for each degree raised.
Let the sunshine in.
On cold sunny days, open your window curtains to let the sun warm your home.
Conserve energy.
Purchase major appliances with an Energy Star rating.
Put your computer to sleep.
Change your computer's power management so they go into sleep mode when idle for a long time.
Control the flow.
Install low-flow showerheads, faucets and toilets to reduce water consumption and cost of heating water.
Don't throw your used things away.
Remember to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Change your scenery a bit.
Simple gardening or planting trees can cool your home and give added privacy.
Check and bury your compost.
Food waste produces methane that's 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide, which is harmful to the environment. Put it in your composting bin or bury it so your plants can absorb the nutrient-rich compost.
Wipe your traces.
Using entryway mats can reduce the amount of dust that enters your home. Remove your shoes at the door since it reduces indoor dust by up to 10 times.
Wash them away.
Wash and rinse your clothes with cold water to lessen the water heating costs. This also allows less wear on your clothing. Wash your clothes in full loads instead of partial loads.
Time to clean it green.
Switch to eco-friendlier detergents, fabric softeners and bleaches in doing your laundry. Standard products contain chemicals harmful to your family and to the environment.
Eliminate the \"phantom\".
Appliances that are turned off but left plugged still consumes electricity. We call this 'phantom load'. Save energy by unplugging appliances and electronics when you aren't using them.
Have meals in a snap.
Cooking and reheating with a microwave oven is faster and more energy efficient than electric stovetop or oven.
Dry clothes the old fashion way.
Hang your clothes on a laundry line rather than putting them in the dryer. Clothes dryer is the third highest energy user at home.
Say adieu to incandescent bulbs.
Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs since it consumes less energy and last up to 10 times longer. Choose the warm white color if you prefer the color and glow of incandescent bulbs.
Stop that drip.
Fix leaky faucets, toilets or water pipes. A small drip can accumulate a lot of water over time.
Buy local products.
It is good for the local economy and it conserves energy since product doesn't need to travel across the globe to get you. Local produce is fresher and more healthful.
Paint it greener.
Paint your house with water-based latex paint over solvent-based paints. Never used lead-based paints since it harmful to you and the environment.
Don't let it in.
Make sure the door between the garage and house closes tightly and is thoroughly sealed. Fumes for car exhaust and store chemicals can enter your house through minor gaps or cracks.
Keep them out.
To keep mold at bay, use your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans. The fans need to vent to the outdoors.
Paperless bills and statements.
Check which of your bills may be paid via auto debit to your account. This saves writing checks and a trip to the bank for each payment. Also many banks, credit card and utility companies offer paperless options so you may view bills and statements online. This prevents fraud via mail theft, saves you from filing countless papers and just simplifies your life.
Eco bath.
Use environmentally friendly shampoo, soap and other bath products. They're gentler to your skin and hair as well as to the air and sewage system.
Shorten bath time.
Minimize taking long baths as this consumes a lot of water. Turn off the shower when applying shampoo, soap or bath gel. Use it purely for washing and rinsing.
Shorten sink time.
As with showers, turn off the tap when brushing teeth and shaving. Use running water purely for washing and rinsing.
Purify your tap.
Invest in a good quality water filter/purifier attached to your faucet. Dispense with the plastic water bottles and jugs, which consume a lot of space in landfills.
Dish it out.
Handwash dishes when you can. It lengthens the useful life of your china and glassware. If you must use the dishwasher, fill up the racks before you run the machine.
Abstain from meat.
Minimize consumption of red meat and poultry. It's healthier for your body and minimizes overall waste.
Say no to fast food.
Minimize eating fast food. Aside from the packaging waste, it contains unhealthy calories.
Separate but equal.
Segregate your trash. Convert biodegradable waste to compost. Send newspapers, beverage cans, plastic, bottles, metal, other paper, cell phones, printer cartridges, batteries, other electronics to the appropriate recycling centers. Check with your local community for free pick up services.
Recharge.
Used batteries make for dangerous waste. Use rechargable batteries whenever possible to reduce cost and landfill build up.
Foiled again.
The shiny side of the aluminum foil is a better reflector of heat. To cook food faster or to keep things warm, face the shiny side inward toward the food to reflect the heat that is trying to escape, back into the food. This reduces cooking time significantly and your energy bill.
Li'l Green Patch.
Is your garage too big? Do you have empty spaces on your yard? Transform .
