Quick and Easy Ways to Save Energy

Here are a few ways you can cut down on energy costs and help reduce our dependency on foreign oil. - Tune-up your car's engine and keep your tires properly inflated. Getting a regular tune-up, including servicing your engine, using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil and replacing air filters regularly, can improve your car's mileage by up to 16%. Keeping your car's tire properly inflated can improve your mileage by up to 3%. - Install a programmable thermostat in your home. Using a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature by 10 degrees for eight hours every night can lower your heating bills by 10%. - Install more attic insulation. Upgrading from three inches to 12 inches of attic insulation can cut heating costs by 20%, and cooling costs by 10%. - Install a water-saving showerhead. A family of four, each taking a five-minute shower a day, can save $250 a year in water heating costs by switching to a low-flow showerhead. - Take showers, not baths. Taking a five-minute shower will use about 7.5 gallons of hot water, while filling a bathtub can use up to 20 gallons. - Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy than typical incandescents and they last 10 times longer. - Dust light fixtures regularly. A heavy coat of dust can block up to 50% of the light output. - Consider an electric lawnmower. They're less expensive to operate (about three cents of electricity per use), 75% quieter and they significantly reduce toxic emissions.