Tips: Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Twelve simple things to check around the house

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) with the ENERGY STAR® label provide bright, warm light and use about 75% less energy than standard lighting. Each bulb produces 75% less heat, lasts up to 10 times longer, and can save you $30 or more per bulb over the bulb's lifetime. There are CFLs for both indoor and outdoor use.
Read about other ways to save energy with efficient lighting.

Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
Find more ways to make your home electronics more energy efficient.

Check the thermostat on your water heater. Water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
Find out additional strategies for energy efficient water heating.

To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0°F.
Find more energy saving tips for refrigerators and freezers.

Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment, the seal may need replacing, or you might consider buying a new unit.
Find more energy saving tips for refrigerators and freezers.

Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your room air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Learn additional tips for operating a room air conditioner efficiently.

Keeping window coverings closed during the day will reduce solar gain. In particular, white window shades, drapes, or blinds will help reflect heat away from the house.
Learn about window treatments and coverings that improve energy efficiency.

If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort.
Learn more about using a ceiling fan and other ways to increase cooling efficiency.

Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible. About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes in a conventional top-load washer is for heating the water. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half. Learn more about efficient laundry.

Let your dishes air dry. If you don't have an automatic air-dry switch, turn off the control knob after the final rinse and prop the door open slightly so the dishes will dry faster. Learn more about efficient dishwashing.

You can install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer. You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours, for example by turning down air conditioning when you are at work.
Find more information on how to operate your thermostat for maximum energy savings. Watch ENERGY STAR's June 5, 2008, podcast for video instructions on operating your programmable thermostat.

Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Make sure to check the major appliance shopping guide.

Visit http://energysavers.gov/seasonal/ for more ways to save energy this summer.
Download this simple do-it-yourself Energy Savers booklet and find more tips at http://energysavers.gov such as how to find and seal air leaks.
Calculate your home energy use, by using the Home Energy Saver tool.