1. Not using it? Unplug it.

• Unplugging underutilized appliances in your home can lead to big savings in your electricity usage.
• Remove and recycle your second refrigerator and get money back!
• Chargers for mobile phones still use electricity even when the phone is unplugged.
• Your home entertainment electronics pull a great deal of electricity if they remain plugged in. Plug TVs, stereos, and DVD players into a power strip and shut them off using the power strip's On/Off button.

2. Take Advantage of your Computer's Energy Saving Features.

• If you have an ENERGY STAR qualified computer, enable its shut-down features.
• The sleep mode reduces electricity usage by up to 70 percent during inactive periods.
• The hibernate mode shuts the computer down after a specified time, allowing you to restart using less electricity.
• Shut off the computer if you're going to be away more than 2 hours.

3. Control the Temperature.

• In the winter, set your thermostat to a maximum of 68 degrees when you're at home and before going to bed; set it to 55 degrees at night or when you're away.
• In the summer, set the thermostat to a minimum of 78 degrees; circulate cool air using box fans and ceiling fans.
• Open shades in the winter to let sunlight in. Close them in the summer to keep your home cooler.

4. Use appliances wisely.

• Set your water heater to between 120 and 130 degrees.
• Wash full loads of laundry in cold water.
• Clean your dryer's lint filter after each use.
• When possible, dry clothes on a clothesline outside.
• Wash full loads of dishes in the dishwasher; use shorter wash/rinse cycles; dry with the air dry setting.

5. Turn off the lights.

• Turn off the lights when you leave a room, both at home and in the office.
• Incandescent bulbs are inefficient, so turn them off when you don't need them.
• Turn off fluorescent lights if you're going to be gone 15 minutes or more.

6. Weatherize Those Nasty Leaks.

• Caulk, weatherstrip, and insulate your windows, doors and plumbing wherever you find air leaks.

7. Install Compact Fluorescent Bulbs.

• Swapping five incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescents can save you about $60 a year.
• CFLs cost 3-10 times more than incandescents, but last 6-15 times longer.

8. Conserve Water Heat.

• Wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket.

9. Change Filters.

• Replace filters on your air conditioner. Clean filters can lower the air conditioner's energy consumption 5-15%.
• Replace furnace filters monthly or as needed.

10. Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures.

• Install low-flow shower heads; investing $10 on a low-flow shower head can yield hot water savings of 25-60%.
• Install faucet aerators (the screw-on portion of the faucet) that have a flow rate of no more than 1 gallon per minute.