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Here are some ideas which will Save You Money on Utility Bills and Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

Get an Inspection: 
The idea is to keep the outside air from leaking inside, and the inside air from escaping outside!  Inspect your home thoroughly for drafts and other leaks.  You can also have it professionally inspected by a bonded, insured and certified Home Inspector.  Check windows and doors for drafts and caulk where necessary.  Inspect the electrical outlets for drafts.  If you feel a draft, install gaskets behind the outlets.  Also, make sure heating/cooling ducts are wrapped in insulation. 

Heating and Air Conditioning: 
Install a high efficiency furnace and cooling system with a programmable thermostat.  Set the thermostat to 68% in the winter and 78% in the summer.  As gas and electricity prices increase, energy bills keep rising.  The average household spends $615 each year on heating and cooling.  Using an Energy Star qualified programmable thermostat can save up to 33% on heating and cooling per year.  This will prevent enough CO2 emissions to equal removing 600 cars from the road a year.

You don't have to freeze to be “Green”.  But by simply adjusting your thermostat up a few degrees in the Summer and down a few degrees in the Winter, you will save about $114 on your energy bill and will keep 2 1/2 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere (based on a 1500 sq ft home).  During the winter months, for every degree you turn the heat down you'll reduce your energy bill by 5%!   According to the Department of Energy, lowering your thermostat in the Winter by just one degree, you can save up to $40 a year.  And in the Summer, save 3% off your bill for every degree you turn the thermostat up.  If you install a programmable thermostat, you can set it to turn your home temperature up or down when you're at work or sleeping, saving around $150 a year while keeping more than 2 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.

Ceiling Fans:
By rotating ceiling fans clockwise in summer and counterclockwise in winter, warm air is pushed down in cool months and pulled up in warm ones.

Low-E Windows:
New Energy Star qualified windows can help reduce your energy bill dramatically.  You can save $125 - $450 a year when replacing single pane windows, or a $25 - $110 a year when replacing double paned clear glass windows.  These windows contain low-emissive (low-E) glass.  Low-E glass is made with a metallic coating on the inside of the insulated glass unit which lowers the window’s ability to transfer heat and saves energy.  Without compromising visibility, the low-E coating reduces fading by up to 75% by reflecting the long-wave light rays that carry heat and UV.

Insulated Curtains:
Insulate your windows from heat & cold with Insulated Curtain Liners.  No need to go out and buy new curtains.  A liner can be put behind any existing curtain to make them energy-smart .  This will help you save on heating & air conditioning bills by keeping your room warmer in winter & cooler in summer.  This “look” also adds "heft" to your existing curtains which can make them look more expensive.  Check out Thermalsuede Liners.

USE ENERGY-SAVING WINDOW SHADES
Believe it or not, bamboo shades are thermal and help insulate your windows from heat and cold.  They are also a “rapidly renewable" material as opposed  to wood (bamboo grows almost as fast as you can cut it).   Using any products made of bamboo rather than wood will help reduce our carbon footprint by saving energy & trees.

How Big is Your CARBON FOOTPRINT?
Personal Emissions Calculator --  Use this online calculator to obtain an estimate of your personal greenhouse gas emissions:
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html

 

Here are some ideas which will Save You Money on Utility Bills and Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

OCCUPANCY SENSOR LIGHT SWITCH
OK, who left the lights on?
You’ll never have to ask that question again after you install wall-mounted motion-sensing switches!  Simply walk into a room and your motion signals the lights to turn on automatically.  And more importantly, the lights automatically go off when the sensor detects no movement for a set period of time that you choose (from 15 seconds to 15 minutes).  It is easy to install and easily connects to your existing wiring, just like a regular light switch.

SOLAR-POWERED ATTIC FAN
Attics can reach temperatures of up to 160 degrees Fahrenheit during a hot summer day in Colorado, so ventilation of your attic is an important factor in keeping your home cool.  The heat in the attic acts like a giant radiator, passing heat back into your living spaces and your cooling bill through the roof.  (No pun intended!)  Also, heat in the attic draws the moisture from your home up into the attic causing insulation & construction materials to deteriorate and mold.  A Solar Attic Fan easily attaches to your roof and actually gives you a double savings as it will lower your air conditioning bill and is powered completely by free solar energy.  They are easy to install, have no electrical wiring, so there is no cost for an electrician and no permits to pull.  They are extremely powerful - a single unit can fully vent up to 1200 square feet.  Place it wherever you need improved circulation: attic, lofts, workshops, storage sheds, garages and even barns.

POWER GAUGES
A product called Kill A Watt and Kill A Watt EZ are gadgets that tell you how much power is consumed by anything plugged into it.  The EZ version lets you enter your cost per kilowatt hour and it will monitor the plugged in device and give you a cost per week, month or year.

WATT STOPPER AND SMART STRIP
A Watt Stopper Power Strip and the Smart Strip automatically shut down outlets if not in use. 

CONTROL LIGHTS
Intermatic Home Settings Lighting Control Starter Kit costs approximately $100 and comes with 2 lamp modules for controlling lights and a master control. This Z-Wave product can be expanded for security and other controls relatively inexpensively.

SOLAR CHARGERS
There are many Solar Chargers available for free and convenient charging of your cell phones, home phones, PDAs, digital cameras or other 5V devices, MP3 Players and iPods. 

- The battery-less Reware Juice Bag Beach Tote, the Voltaic Backpack with 11 adapters and a built-in battery for storing power made from recycled soda bottles.
- The Solio H-1000 Hybrid solar charger with a wide variety of adapters and a storage battery so you can charge your device without the sun shining (one full phone charge; one hour of sun = 15 minutes of talk; 40 minutes of music).
- The Solio Magnesium Edition with a built-in storage battery (two full phone charges; one hour of sun = 20 minutes talk; 50 minutes of music).
- The Solar and Wind: HYmini is a handheld universal charger/adapter device that harnesses renewable wind power and has solar power option and an adapter for conventional wall plug power to recharge almost all your 5V digital gadgets and energy stored in its internal battery can be used to recharge your cell phone, MP3 player, iPod®, PDA, digital camera or other 5V devices.

LED ITEMS
- Black & Decker 3 LED Hand-Crank Rechargeable Flashlight  with 10,000 hour bulbs (crank for one minute, get about 15 minutes of light).
- Princeton Tec Torrent LED is extremely bright, durable, and water proof to 100 meters and can use lithium ion rechargeables.
- Black & Decker Weather Radio Flashlight/Cell Phone Charger with 10,000 hour bulbs, AM/FM, and weather alerts from NOAA.  It can also charge a cell phone.
- Black & Decker Bright Bar 26 LED Work Light  with 10,000 plus LED is rechargeable (rated for 7 hours).

Here are some ideas which will Save You Money on Utility Bills and Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

ENERGY STAR® COMPACT FLORESCENT LIGHT BULBS (CFLs)
• If the mention of fluorescent lights conjures the image of over-lit school gymnasiums and older office buildings, think again. Compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs, are now available in more flattering, softer shades and are currently the most cost-effective, eco-friendly option for lighting your home
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).  Although CFL bulbs cost more money, over the course of each bulb’s lifetime, you will save approximately $90 per bulb in energy costs! 
• CFLs consume up to 75% less energy and they last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. 
• Although CFLs are slightly more expensive than incandescents, you will see significant savings over time: CFLs will last up to 10,000 hours, compared to just 1,000 hours for incandescent bulbs. 
• Since LEDs dim for some time before they actually burn out, you'll have a warning before you need to replace the bulbs.
• Incandescent bulbs operate at 350 degrees F in order to produce light, while CFLs operate at 90 degrees to produce light.  The lower operating temperature of CFLs mean they are much more efficient that incandescent bulbs.
• Since CFLs give off less heat than incandescents, your air conditioner will get a break in summer months, reducing your next energy bill.
• Since CFLs use less power than regular incandescent light bulbs, they emit fewer harmful greenhouse gases into the environment.
• CFLs are best suited to large spaces such as kitchens and family rooms since they burn brighter than incandescent bulbs.
• LEDs are best suited for lights that are frequently turned on and off during the day – in the bathroom, garage, or a closet, for example – and they're cooler than both CFLs and incandescent bulbs.
• Since they cast a white light, as opposed to an incandescent’s yellow tint, LEDS are easier on the eyes which makes them ideal for reading lights as well.

ENERLUME|EM® - LOWER THE POWER CONSUMPTION OF THE BALLAST

• The EnerLume|EM® is an energy saving device for use with new or existing fluorescent lighting systems.  By timing the flow of power into the ballast, it reduces electrical consumption with negligible foot-candle loss at savings up to 15%.  That means that your lights will not be dim just because they are using less power!  Savings percentages are set using the EnerLume|EM® software (Windows® based) provided.  This software allows the user to program changes to savings and "On/Off" as timed events.
• The EnerLume|EM® is not a power restrictors.  Power restrictors limit power drawn by dimming the lights.  The EnerLume|EM® tells the ballast to be more efficient.  It actually increases the efficacy of the fluorescent lighting system.
• Installation is accomplished by "splicing" the EnerLume|EM® in between the supply feeder and the lighting panel.  Suitable for three phase or single phase systems.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
• Why pay for electricity when solar energy is free?  Outdoor solar light fixtures give off no emissions, creating great environmental benefits.  Requiring no cords and minimal maintenance, solar light fixtures can be installed virtually anywhere.  On sunny or cloudy days, the solar cell panel converts light into electrical energy and stores it in the rechargeable battery.  The battery holds enough energy for the light to shine throughout the night.
• Solar-powered lights – charged by sunlight and automatically illuminated once night falls – are currently the best option for outdoor lighting. Solar lights have made great strides since they were first introduced: they’ve become brighter, last longer, and are now available in a wide variety of styles and design.
• There are a number of attractive, energy-efficient lighting options for your backyard garden, deck, porch, and driveway, all of which provide safety at night and create ambiance for outdoor entertaining.
• The beauty of solar-powered outdoor lighting is that it is so easy to install. No cords or wires mean you can place the fixtures wherever you want and move them around as necessary.
• If you have electric powered Exterior Lighting, dimmers and timers are another way to control the amount of energy you use. Always make sure your outdoor security lights are on a motion-detector setting so they’re not on all night.  This is irritating for your neighbors and costly for you.

Solar and ENERGY STAR qualified products are energy efficient products that use significantly less energy than conventional products.  ENERGY STAR products come in more than 50 product categories including cordless phones, lighting, home electronics and kitchen appliances.

Here are some ideas which will Save You Money on Utility Bills and Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

 

• For a typical home, appliances account for about 20% of the energy bills.  That’s up to $380 per year.  ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models saving you money and the environment.
• When purchasing a new appliance, remember there are two price tags:  what you pay to take it home and the energy and water costs to use it.  In most households, the fridge is the biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance.  Replacing a refrigerator bought in 1990 (or earlier) with a new ENERGY STAR® qualified model would save enough energy to light the house for 4 months.
• By replacing your 10 year old refrigerator, dishwasher, room air conditioner and clothes washer with ENERGY STAR® labeled equipment, you could save about $180 a year.  If every home in the U.S. replaced its existing appliances w/ efficient models, we'd eliminate 175 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
• By using energy more efficiently at home you can lower your energy bills by more than 30% (the average home in the U.S. spends $1,900 on energy a year so saving 30% is substantial).
• The best time to use major appliances such as industrial strength dishwashers, washing machine, and dryers are in the evening when demands on the power grid are the least.

 

• Help save the ozone by lowering CO2 emissions with a tankless water heater. 
• Tankless water heaters average 98% efficiency rate compared to 80% for a standard tank water heater, resulting in CO2 emission savings.
• Tankless water heaters heat water only when needed, which can save you 20% on your energy bills, unlike standard water heats that store gallons of water that needs to be constantly heated and reheated. 
• NoT only will you save on energy bills and CO2 emissions, but on space as well.  Tankless water heaters are small enough to fit in a small closet, in a cupboard or under a sink.

 

• LCD models consume much less power than plasma sets; but you should still unplug your set when it is not in use.
• A Watt Stopper Power Strip and the Smart Strip automatically shut down outlets if not in use. 

 

• Check out EPEAT or the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool to determine which products use less power and contains fewer toxic elements.
• Lenovo ThinkCentre M57 Eco, the ThinkVision L197 Wide & the brand new ThinkVision L197 Wide screen monitor are the Industry's first PCs with GreenGuard Air Quality certification & made from recycled post-consumer content (PCC).

 

• Generally laptops consume less power and are being built with fewer toxic elements
• Fujitsu LifeBook S6510 is ENERGY STAR® 4.0 compliant, EPEAT silver rated and RoHS compliant; even though this system has a 14-inch screen, it only weighs 4 lbs.
• Sony Vaio uses Intel's Core 2 Duo Processor is ENERGY STAR®  rated and delivers up to 40% more performance than previous generation of processors, while using 40% less power.