Simple things you can do to become more energy efficient

By: Ryan Kermendy

Posted: 12/9/09

We all know we should be more energy efficient because it's good for the earth, but a lot of people don't do anything because it seems like it would be a hassle. Well there are a lot of simple things you can do to play your role in preserving the earth for our future, and most of it will even save you money.

Don't waste water. You don't need bottled water when tap water is available and will do the exact same thing. If you absolutely must drink your water out of a bottle, try refilling it from a tap or a water fountain. And there's no need to run water excessively. Take shorter showers and don't run the water the entire time while you're brushing your teeth.

Reuse paper. Unless the paper is going to be handed in, you don't need a new piece of paper every time you need to write something down. Use both sides of a sheet of paper.
Recycle everything you can. Don't throw paper in the garbage when it can be reused. The same goes for plastics, glass, and anything else recyclable.

Turn off appliances you aren't using. Leaving your computer or monitor running when you're not using it is pointless and just a waste of money. The same goes for light, DVD players, stereos, printers, microwaves, and anything else that is plugged in while you don't need it.
Use more energy efficient products. Use rechargeable batteries wherever you can and switch to compact fluorescent lights, both things that you likely won't notice a difference in performance but you will notice a difference in long-term money saved.

Turn the temperature on your thermostat down 1-3 in the winter degrees and up 1-3 degrees in the summer. The change will hardly be noticeable, if at all, but will make a noticeable difference when your bill arrives.

When doing laundry, wash your clothes with cold water. Up to 85 percent of the energy used when using a washing machine is from heating the water and it doesn't make a difference in cleaning the clothes at all.

If you have somewhere to go, save gas while doing it. That can mean walking or riding a bike if it's close enough, carpooling if there are other people you know also going there, or just taking the bus.

Finally, spread the word. Caring about the earth may not interest most people but talking to others about what they can do to save money is a good way to get them interested.

These are just some of the many simple and effective ways we can all do our part.