SAVE ENERGY
Save energy in the kitchen
*Use your microwave whenever possible. A microwave uses about 70%-80% less electricity than your conventional oven does.
*When preparing meals, prepare foods that can be cooked at the same temperature so you can cook them together in the oven.
*Try not to keep opening the oven door to check on your meals. Each time you open the door the oven temperature can lower by 25 degrees.
*You don't have to preheat the oven for foods that will be cooking for more than an hour.
*Remember to turn off your oven as soon as you're done cooking (how many busy moms forget to do this!).
*Make sure your refrigerator door closes all the way when you close it (how many times have you gone back to the refrigerator only to see it remaining partly open?).
*Each time you open the refrigerator door energy is wasted. Make sure to keep your refrigerator visits brief.
*Try to keep your freezer as full as possible to increase it's capacity to cool.
*Vacuum your refrigerator's condenser coils occasionally so your refrigerator doesn't have to work harder to keep its items cooler.
*Make sure your refrigerator is not near other appliances that generate heat (like your oven or dishwasher).


Save energy in the summers & winters
*Make sure to clean or replace your air conditioning filter each month (or when dirty) to increase ability to cool.
*Use ceiling fans to help keep cool air circulating around the room.
*Close all windows while your air conditioner is on (ok, how many of you have kept windows open while running the air conditioner?).
*Make sure you get the correct size air conditioner for the space that it will need to keep cool...no need to use more energy unnecessarily!
*If you have a central air conditioner, set it at about 76 degrees during the day if no one will be home. If you have a window air conditioner, use a timer to turn it on just before you arrive home. This way you save energy and money!
*Keep blinds closed to keep out the hot sun, which can raise the room temperature.
*In the winter, make sure you keep the thermostat at the lowest temperature that is comfortable. Every degree over 70 uses 3% more heating fuel.
*Close up all cracks in walls and cover windows that don't properly close to keep hot air from escaping the room. Cover windows with plastic when necessary.
*If you have a central air system, make sure to clean or replace the filter at least once a month.


Save energy while you do laundry
*Use warm water to clean dirty clothes (save hot water for hard stains); cold water for slightly dirty. Rinse with cold water instead of hot.
*Make sure you fill up the washing machine with each load (saves water and energy!).
*Clean the washer and dryer's lint filters right after each load. Besides saving energy it's a fire hazard!
*If your dryer has a setting to stop when clothes are dry, make sure you use it. Overdrying wastes energy and damages clothes.
*Save energy with your hot water
*Make sure to lower your hot water heater to about 110 degrees (130 degrees if you have a dishwasher). This is a big reduction in savings and energy!


Instead of taking baths, take showers from energy-saving shower heads.
Use cool water to rinse dishes in the dishwasher, and open door to let dishes dry instead of using the drying cycle. When you're hand-washing dishes, make sure to turn water off while you're scrubbing a group of dishes. Then rinse them all at the same time.


Save energy with light bulbs
*Turn off all incandescent lights when you leave a room. Leave fluorescent bulbs on only if you'll be gone for more than 15 minutes (it takes more energy to turn them on again).
*Lower wattage wherever possible (in closets or hallways).
*Buy energy-saving light bulbs.