Heating Heat and air conditioning are the largest home-energy hogs. The U.S. Department of Energy says that for each 24-hour period, you’ll save about 3% on your energy bill for every 1 degree that you lower the thermostat setting.

Lighting

Switch to “U.S. Energy Star-approved” light bulbs and save up to $60 a year. Most people spend about $110 per year on lighting using incandescent bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs cost more, between $4-$8, but pay off quickly. They also burn less fossil fuels. If every American home replaced one bulb with a fluorescent one, that would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.

And More…

• Turn off the TV when nobody’s watching it. Having a 32-inch TV on for background noise for 12 hours/day for 7 days/week costs approximately $108/year. Watching it 4 hours/day costs $36/year.
• Washing clothes in cold water saves another $60/year.
• Powering down your computer at night saves $70/year.
• Don’t let your ice box be an Icebreaker! A full freezer will help it run more efficiently. If you have empty areas, place plastic bottles filled with water. The bottles work double-duty. You’ll be more prepared for electrical outages because the ice will keep things frozen longer and you’ll have a safe emergency water supply.
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