Ultimate guide to conservation in the home

The primary targets

There are four primary areas for eco-friendly activities in your home. Typically, your environmentally friendly actions:

Reduce waste

Reduce waste products of both natural and synthetic origin. Reduction of organic (e.g., food waste) and non-organic (e.g., plastic packaging) waste is an important contributor to a cleaner environment.

Recycle qualified objects

Recycle all objects that qualify. Consistent recycling conserves natural resources and reduces the use of fossil fuels needed for both manufacturing and trash disposal.

Conserve water

Water conservation. Reducing water consumption to protect our fragile eco-systems is a prime target and one that is easily reached.

Conserve energy

Whether you use fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, coal) to heat your home or a source that often involves fossil fuel in its production (electricity), conserving energy use is a critical target of your eco-friendly activities. Even if you have integrated renewable energy sources (solar or wind power) into your heating/air conditioning systems, conserving alternative energy sources is still in your best interests from an environmental and cost perspective.

If you consistently practice these four eco-friendly activities you will make a real beneficial difference in the quality of our environment. Along with feeling good about yourself, you'll receive another important benefit.

The cost of your home management budget will decrease. Conserving water and energy puts real dollars in your pocket from lower water and heating/air conditioning costs. Reducing waste products, particularly packaging materials, typically lowers the cost of the items you purchase. Recycling reduces the volume of trash to be picked up. Over time, this keeps the trash hauling costs under control.

Here are some simple specific tips to maximize your home conservation efforts.

Tips to maximize conservation in the home

There is an overriding master tip for home conservation efforts: Use a "whole house" energy efficiency approach. This treats your home as an energy system with associated component parts. Managing the parts properly contributes to successful conservation actions that affect the whole house. To manage your system's components consider the following tips.

• Install a programmable thermostat. This controls and limits energy use while keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer.
  
  
• Turn off computers and monitors when not being used. Both continue to use steady streams of electricity even when just waiting.
  
  
• Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Enjoy equal light with less energy usage.
  
  
• Plug all electronics into power strips. When they are not being used, turn off the power strip. Appliances like TVs and DVD players continue to use watts even when turned off, except when plugged into power strips, which cut all power when set to "off."
  
  
• Learn to love short showers instead of relaxing baths. You will greatly reduce water consumption.
  
  
• Lower your water heater to a maximum 120 degrees. You don't need to suffer second degree burns to enjoy hot water and you'll conserve energy, too.
  
  
• Let your dishwasher air dry your dinnerware instead of using more electricity to heat dry them. If you have a large family or just love to eat often, you will save large amounts of energy (and money, too) by using this simple tip.
  
  
• Wait until your dishwasher is full or your hamper allows full load washes, before turning these appliances on. You will save doubly using this plan. You will conserve both water and energy by choosing the full load method.
  
  
• Buy food and other products in bulk. You will greatly reduce the amount of packaging – soon to be waste – and save money, too.
  
  
• When buying electronics and appliances, look for the Energy Star label. Products displaying this label are certified to meet strict energy usage standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE).
  
  
• Minimize paper plate and cup use along with reducing the use of plastic utensils. The use of energy by using your dishwasher is more than negated by the unhealthy volume of trash created with the disposable utensils.
  
  
• Keep insulation tight and seal all air leaks. Keep your whole house from forcing air out or letting air in.
  
  
• Install renewable energy sources whenever possible. Energy from wind, solar, or hydro (water) sources further conserves fossil fuel consumption and conserves your money, too.

Using these conservation tips will support your whole house approach to eco-friendly activities. Maximizing your lifestyle and comfort, while minimizing environmental harm and energy use results in successful home conservation efforts.