Having more food in your refrigerator reduces the amount of cooled air lost each time you open the door.

As temperatures increase outside, heat up a lunch in the microwave instead of on the stove to avoid heating your indoor living space. Microwaves also use two-thirds less energy than traditional stovetops.

Try this experiment: Hit pause once in a while even for a short period and vow to take it easy by not using any form of energy. Don't drive, turn on lights, get online, or anything else that's not "people powered". Instead, read a book, ride a bike, or just get out in nature and enjoy yourself.

ENERGY STAR qualified appliances use 10%-50% less energy and water than standard models. Replacing a refrigerator bought in 1990 with a new ENERGY STAR model would save enough energy to light the average household for nearly four months!

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) are four times more efficient, last up to ten times longer, and use 50-80% less energy than regular incandescent light bulbs. Even though you may pay slightly more for CFLs, you use one-fourth the electricity, allowing you to quickly recoup your costs.

Did you know that most of the laundry you do doesn't need to be washed in hot water? Cold water doesn't require any energy to heat up, which is better for energy consumption. Many detergents have now been designed to work just as well in cold water, too.

In the average home, 25% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and turning it off when the items are not in use.