Let's look at a typical American home, and its energy use. We've included some simple tips to reduce energy usage.

Heating and Air Conditioning - 49%

- Do you have a programmable thermostat?

- Is it the thermostat programmed correctly so that the heat and air conditioning are turned down or off when you are not home? A summer temperature setting of 78 degrees and a winter setting of 68 degrees can reduce energy usage and keep your home comfortable during both seasons.

- Do you use ceiling or box fans to move heat or cool air around your home efficiently?

- Do you have vents closed in rooms that are not often used, such as a guest bedroom?

- Do you have an attic fan to release the hot air trapped in your attic which makes the A/C work harder to cool your home?

- Do you use energy efficient space heating to better heat only the spaces that you frequently occupy allowing you to lower your overall temparature and use less energy overall?

- Can you better utilize your basement, which stays cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the rest of your home without heat or air conditioning?

- How good is your attic insulation which provides a key barrier between a cooler or hotter attic space?

Water Heater - 13%

- What temperature is your hot water tank set at? By setting between 110 to 120 degrees you still have hot water that is hot enough for a shower while reducing the energy demand that it takes to heat to 140 or more, which is too hot is a good temparture range to set your heater on and still get hot showers and reduce energy demand.

- Have you considered a tankless water heater? These units use between 25% - 50% less energy,use less space and they heat water only as you need it.

- Do you have low flow shower heads, which have little noticable impact on a shower, and may use .5 to 1.5 gallons per minute less water than traditional shower heads

Lighting - 10%

- Have you replaced all of your lighting with compact fluorescent lightbulbs? These lights can reduce your energy usage by 75% on average. CFLs now come in many light tints and colors and some brands do now make dimmible fluorescent lights as well

- Do you use timers to turn lights on and off so lights are not burning all night?

- Do you have outdoor lighting which is solar which uses no energy at all? These battery powered lanterns are charged every day by the sun and require no electricity or wiring at all.

- Can you use daylighting to reduce your lighting usage?

Electronics - 7%

- Do you have all of your electronics plugging into a power strip and is that power strip turned off when not using your electronics? TVs and other electronics still pull a small percentage of power when plugged in even when turned off.

- Do you have a laptop computer at home or work, which uses 40% less energy than a desktop computer?

Washer and Dryer/Refrigerator/Dishwasher - 13%

- When buying a new appliance, do you focus on features as well as Energy Star ratings for energy usage? A refrigerator purchased now that is Energy Star rated could use over 30% less energy that one bought only five years ago. See appliance ratings at www.energystar.gov.

- Can you dry some of your clothes using a drying rack vs. a dryer?

- Can you turn your refrigerator/freezer settings down slightly and still have the unit function well?

- Does your dishwasher have a energy efficient setting and do you air dry your dishes vs. heated drying them?