According to the National Resources Defense Council, there are many ways in which residents can conserve energy.
- Unplug little-used appliances and battery chargers when the items are not in use.
- Use power strips to switch off TVs and other home theater equipment. Even when these items are in stand-by mode, they still consume energy.
- Set computers to sleep or hibernate when they are not in use and shut them down at the end of the day.
- Watch your thermostat! The NRDC suggests setting thermostats to 68 (or 55 at night or when the house is unoccupied) during the winter and 78 degrees or more during the summer.
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
- Don't open the oven to peek inside while cooking, this lets heat out and increases cooking time.
- Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows to seal the house from the weather outside. According the NRDC, in the average American home, gaps around windows and doors are equivalent to a three by three foot hole in the wall.
- Keep heating and air system filters maintained and changed.
- Buy energy-efficient appliances. When browsing appliances, look for the Energy Star
label. The units marked with this label normally use between 20 and 40 percent less energy. In some areas, electric companies and and state governments will offer a rebate on Energy Star-rated appliances.
* For more helpful hints, visit the NRDC's Web site.
