Ideas & Inspiration

Tip:Turn off your lights and dine only by candlelight. OR - switch to CFL bulbs. A little pricier upfront - but they last longer and are kinder to the environment. A standard 60W bulb can be replaced by a 15W to 18W CFL, while a 100W bulb can be replaced by a 20W to 25W CFL.

Tip: Turn off your lights and dine only by candlelight. OR - switch to CFL bulbs. A little pricier upfront - but they last longer and are kinder to the environment. A standard 60W bulb can be replaced by a 15W to 18W CFL, while a 100W bulb can be replaced by a 20W to 25W CFL. A CFL bulb uses 75 percent less energy and lasts up to 10 times longer than a regular, incandescent bulb.

Tip:If your house is dry in the winter – this may sound weird, but rather than dealing with a loud and annoying humidifier, just leave your tub full. You are saving water that you would have used to fill the humidifier, and dispersing much more moisture into your air. And – you're stretching the dollars it cost to heat the tub water originally. Win-win!

Tip:If your house is dry in the winter – this may sound weird, but rather than dealing with a loud and annoying humidifier, just leave your tub full. You are saving water that you would have used to fill the humidifier, and dispersing much more moisture into your air. And – you're stretching the dollars it cost to heat the tub water originally. Win-win!

Tip:Automatically switching monitors to sleep mode or manually turning monitors off saves energy, but using screen savers doesn't reduce energy use. For energy savings and convenience, consider turning off both the CPU and the monitor if you're not going to use your PC for more than two hours. Roughly 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.

Tip:The energy performance ratings of windows, doors and skylights can tell you their potential for gaining and losing heat, as well as for transmitting sunlight into your home. When purchasing replacement products, be sure to look for the NFRC label. The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a non-profit organization created by the Department of Energy and the window and door industry. The NFRC provides consistent ratings on windows and doors relating to the energy performance of that product. The NFRC label on a window or door informs consumers about a product's U-factor, which takes into account a product's ability to block warming caused by sunlight, light transmittance and air leakage through cracks in the product's assembly.

Tip:Add up home appliances, heating and lighting, and you've got nearly one-third of U.S. carbon emissions (28%) – significantly more than transportation. That shows how important it is to reduce home energy use through smart home improvements and energy efficient products.

Tip:The average U.S. household spends $1,900 on utility bills for heating, hot water and electricity. Most can cut energy consumption – and cost – by as much as 25% by caulking, adding insulation and taking other simple conservation measures. And just imagine how much you could save by adding energy-efficient replacement windows and doors – even better siding can help!

Tip:Energy Star is a label on energy efficient products – appliances, electronics, building products, heating & cooling equipment, lighting and fans, and plumbing supplies – that meet government standards for energy efficiency. These products use significantly less electricity than similar products, meaning they cost less to run.

Tip:Whether it requires an investment or not, going green can lower energy costs. Making your home a little warmer in the summer and a little cooler in the winter can cut heating costs significantly, without costing a dime. Lighting consumes a lot of electricity, so choosing more efficient bulbs, even if they're more expensive, will pay for themselves, typically in a year or so. And the biggest potential is in your windows and doors. If you have single-pane windows, upgrading to efficient double- or triple-pane windows with low-e coating will result in savings on your energy bills of up to 30%. Thompson Creek's double-pane vinyl windows are 78.57% more efficient than a single pane wood window.