We can each do our part to make a difference!

Your vehicle:

1. Keep your tires properly inflated.  Underflated tires can decrease fuel efficiency as much as 1 mile per gallon.
2. Tune your car up regularly.  An engine tune-up can save you up to 1 mile per gallon.
3. Change air filters.  Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
4. Avoid jackrabbit starts.  Abrupt starts can use two times as much fuel as gradual starts.
5. Pace your driving.  Quick starts and heavy acceleration can decrease fuel economy up to 2 miles per gallon.
6. Combine trips and errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip when the engine is warm.
7. Reduce your speed.  Driving 62 mph versus 75 mph will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

Your home:

Heating/Cooling:    Did you know air leaks are the biggest energy wasters and account for approximately 39% of the energy loss in a home?  What can you do?

1. Caulk around windows, doors and other cracks to eliminate air escape.
2. Secure weather stripping (available at home stores) at the foot of your door to stop drafts.  
3. Hire a professional to inspect and clean your chimney to avoid poor ventilation.
4. Turn down your thermostat! It's the easiest way to save money and energy. Lower the temperature to the lowest comfortable level during the day. You can save up to 3% in energy costs per degree! Consider investing in programmable thermostats. They only cost $50 to $100 and they can cut your heating/cooling costs considerably.  
5. An un-insulated basement can account for up to 33% of the total energy loss in the house per the Department of Energy. Your house should have adequate insulation in your ceiling. An attic with at least 6" of insulation is efficient or at least 2" over the top of the ceiling joists.
6.  Keep blinds and drapes open during the day to capture sunlight.
7. Have your furnace inspected before the heating season begins-for optimal efficiency.
8. Clean/replace your furnace air filter to help avoid clogging.
9. A high-efficiency furnace can cost more to install, but could save you around 15% of the heating bill. If your furnace was made prior to 1990, you should consider a newer model for long-term savings.
10. Make sure your furnace is sized properly. Larger than necessary furnaces lose efficiency and cost more to run.

Lighting and other power:

1. Change out incandescent light bulbs as they burn out for the new florescent bulbs. They're affordable, just as bright and they'll save you a lot of money. Consider that the average U.S. household has 45 light bulbs - replacing that number of 75-watt incandescent bulbs with florescent bulbs would save $180 per year.
2. Shut off lights, computers and other electronic appliances when you’re not using them.

Dishwasher and Laundry:

1. Run your dishwasher with a full load for optimal efficiency.
2. Avoid using heat dry and pre-rinse features and instead use your dishwasher's air-dry option.
3. Switch your wash temperature from hot to cold to cut your energy use in half and reduce your bill.
4. Wash and dry full loads for optimal efficiency.
5. Dry towels and heavy-weight articles in separate loads.
6. Don't overload the dryer or over-dry clothes.
7. Clean the dryer's lint trap after every load to improve circulation.  
8. Do your laundry all at once to take advantage of a warm dryer.
9. Lower the thermostat on your water heater by setting it to 120°F which provides comfortable hot water for most uses. For every 10°F you lower your water heater's temperature, you save up to 11% of your water heating costs.