Wherever we go we're made to feel guilty for using our cars, and some of us have started using other forms of transport in order to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that's being emitted into our air. But did you know that more carbon dioxide, also known as a greenhouse gas, comes from our homes than from our cars?

It just doesn't make sense that we're told we should leave our cars at home, even though many of us are dependent on them to get from A to B, and yet we rarely hear about the amount of damage we're doing by choosing the wrong kind of appliances. Strange, considering that every home has the potential to save around 2 tons of carbon dioxide every year - and that's before we start considering how much we can save in terms of a healthier bank balance.

"Energy Star" Appliances

By purchasing energy-efficient "Energy Star" electrical appliances, not only will there be fewer emissions from the power plants that create the energy needed to drive the appliances, but you'll be saving money on your utility bills as well. In fact, if you're in the United States, by switching to an "Energy Star" fridge you can save up to $70 a year, and in the UK even more as the cost of fuel escalates, and that's just one appliance! Add your air-conditioning, your clothes washer, your dryer, your dishwasher and other major appliances to the equation and you'll probably save enough to take a well-earned holiday

If you want to save even more both in your pocket and in terms of a healthier planet, you could try following these fridge/freezer tips:

* Avoid leaving the door open longer than absolutely necessary, as any cool air that escapes will be replaced by warm air leading to more energy being used in order to cool it down.

* Avoid putting hot foods into the fridge as this will warm up the air, leading to greater energy use in order to cool the air down again.

* Defrost the freezer regularly as a certain amount of air circulation is needed in order for it to run efficiently.

Lagging the Tank

Insulating jackets for hot water tanks are cheap. So cheap, in fact, that they pay for themselves within a couple of months, so from thereon in all savings made on your energy bill are yours for doing absolutely nothing at all. Talk about money for nothing!

In fact, if every household in the UK alone fitted an insulating jacket on their tank, £150 million of energy would be saved every year! That's a lot of fossil fuel that wouldn't have to be burned and a huge amount of money! If it's free for the taking, why not take it?

Curtains

What's the point in heating up the air outside your house during winter? That isn't where you sit and enjoy your home life, is it?

Even if the privacy afforded by closed curtains isn't important to you, by keeping curtains drawn during cold nights you'll be stopping energy escaping through the glass and saving even more money on your heating bills.

Lighting

By switching off lights in rooms that aren't being used, the average energy bill can be reduced by around 15%. Think about it. That's a lot of cash jangling in your pocket.

But why stop there? It's also worth taking a look around the house and thinking about each light bulb. Do you really need 100 watts in the hall or bathroom, and what about special energy efficient bulbs? Would they work just as well? They last up to twelve times longer and use only a fraction of the energy used by normal bulbs; even something as seemingly unimportant as keeping windows and skylights clean can make a difference in how much artificial light you'll need. The same goes for keeping lampshades and other light fittings clean.

1. 2 degrees warmer on the A/C and 2 degrees cooler on the heater will not only reduce your consumption, it will markedly decrease your bill.

2. Switch out your incandescent light bulbs for mini-florescent ones.

3. Change the A/C filters every month.

4. Leave all the interior doors open to promote circulation of air.

5. Re-caulk around the windows and doors at least once a year, please be sure and remove the old caulking first.

6. Make sure your exterior doors are properly aligned in order to minimize gaps and air leaks.

7. Try microwave cooking rather than the oven, you won't be heating up the house at all.

8. Turn off the lights when you leave a room.

9. Buy energy efficient rated appliances when replacement time comes.

Water Conservation Tips:

1. Never walk away from a running tap/faucet, always turn it off first.

2. Don't dawdle in the Shower and don't make the water extremely hot causing the water heater to be used excessively.

3. Only flush the toilet once.

4. Hand watering the garden/yard uses less than sprinklers.

5. Use 2" less water when taking a bath.

6. Use a lower water level setting in the washing machine for small loads.

7. When hand washing dishes, do not just let the faucet run for rinsing. If you have a double sink, then fill one with clean water to rinse with. If you don't have a double sink, place the clean but unrinsed dishes in a pile and rinse them all at once very quickly.

In the laundry room

Use energy efficient washers and dryers, and unless you have children who like to play in the mud you really don't need to use anything more than the "economy" cycle on your washing machine, along with cold water, to still get nice clean clothes. And instead of drying your clothes in a dryer, take an idea from your grandmother's bag of tricks and hang your clothes out to dry. No fabric softener can compare to the smell of air-dried clothes!

In the car

With fuel prices on the rise, you need to count the cost before you go out. Got an overdue movie you need to bring back to the rental store? With fuel prices what they are today, it might be cheaper to keep it for an extra day and pay the fine rather than to get in your car and drive there. You will also want to group projects together before you go, as this will help you from making several trips in a day.

If your home runs a septic system, you can keep that system working smoothly by putting a quarter cup of baking soda down the toilet or drain once a week. Baking soda creates a favourable pH environment for optimal bacterial action, which will help break down the waste, cut down on smell, and reduces the amount that you'll be calling the septic cleaning company.

And, instead of using chemicals to clean around your house, consider using natural ingredients, like vinegar and water to wash down your kitchen, bathroom, and windows. And, if you find the smell to be over-powering, add some lemons to it.

And when you're cleaning your home, avoid using wasteful paper towels and other products that need to be thrown out after use. Instead, use rags, which can be washed and reused. Just be careful to let them dry thoroughly before putting them away since wet cloth with chemical traces can combust in some circumstances!

Then, afterwards, don't use an aerosol can to make your house smell nice. Instead, use pot-pourri because it creates less waste since there's no empty aerosol can!

No one likes to dust, but you might be more inclined to do so if there was a savings involved! When you're cleaning around your home, don't forget to clean your light bulbs. Dust build up can reduce the light intensity by 25%. A moment cleaning your light bulbs will mean brighter, more inviting rooms, a reduced chance of fire, and less need for so many lights!

Copyright (c) 2008 Mervyn Rees