The climate is changing and we’re supposed to save the planet by turning off some lights and lowering the thermostat? How could this small stuff possibly matter? Consider all the appliances and gadgets you have to plug in and then multiply that by all the other households in the country. What if we unplugged or at least turned them off when not in use? Even the teeniest, tiniest actions start to have a significant impact when you do them on a consistent basis. And even more so if lots of us do lots of them – that’s the power of numbers!

Make your 10-minute shower 8 minutes. That helps (especially if you install a low flow showerhead that uses less hot water). Clean the lint screen every time you do a load of laundry, so clothes dry faster? That helps too. Use power management on your computer and set your TV to “sleep” mode so it‘s not watching itself after you’ve fallen asleep. Guess what – these good habits all help. (And when you’re ready for bigger steps – like choosing to line-dry all your clothes or installing a solar system – even better.)

And it works both ways. If you leave the water running while you brush your teeth because you think, well, it doesn’t really make a difference, you’re wrong! If you leave your computer on when you go to bed, that’s wasted energy. Running the dishwasher half-full is money down the drain. Add these up, multiply by all the households where similar “tiny” actions are wasting tiny bits of energy, and you can see we have a big problem. The fact is, energy use in the home (gas and oil for heating, electricity for air conditioning, lighting and appliances) comprises 14% of our nation’s total energy usage, and up to 50% of that energy gets wasted due to poor construction, aging heating systems and appliances, and our daily habits. Half our home energy is wasted! And that’s not just energy down the drain – that’s dollars and cents, too. The good news: by breaking old habits and creating new ones, your energy use and carbon footprint goes down while your $$$ grow. You can use these savings to make smart home improvements (small or large – whatever’s right for you at this time), or purchase more efficient appliances that will save you even more energy and keep more cash in your wallet over the long haul. Bonus: your home will be more comfortable and more inviting. And when we make these kinds of meaningful changes to how we live in our homes, we set a great example for our friends and neighbors and local businesses. And then consider that 38% of US carbon emissions are the direct result of actions taken, or not taken, by households. So let’s cut carbon emissions at home, then take that energy-saving attitude out the front door. Home Tips: Here are some to get you started and then go to wattzon.com for much more

• “Know thyself.” Start by using the How I Compare widget to see how your home’s energy bills stack up against your neighbors and a similar efficient home. A little healthy competition can be a good thing. Then click “How to Save” for suggestions on how to do better.
• Vow to break wasteful habits and create energy-saving ones. Much of the energy we use at home is a direct result of our habits. We leave lights on, appliances plugged in, the heat and AC on even when no one’s home. Recognize the needless waste of old habits and make a promise to yourself to change your ways – and ask your family members to do the same. It will take some effort at first, but pretty soon your new energy-saving behavior will be second nature.
• Put outdated energy-hogging appliances out of their misery. Especially when it comes to two household workhorses – the washing machine and the refrigerator – old models are seriously inefficient (today’s refrigerators use 40% less energy than 2001 models), and new models can save you a lot of cash in the long run. So if your appliance needs an expensive repair or is close to the end of its life expectancy (15 years for refrigerators and 11-14 for washers), and you’re ready to upgrade, look for Energy Star models, and use the Rebates widget to find rebates in your area.

• Get a programmable thermostat and learn what it can do. This amazing device, which you can pick up for under $100, controls comfort and savings, and it will pay for itself in under a year in most homes. Look for one with a 7-day feature, since weekdays and weekends have different energy usages, and a unit that has four or more temperature settings per day.
• Use simple shading solutions. Don’t rely on AC alone to keep cool. Plant some trees or bushes, put up a shade screen or awning, or just draw the curtains. Protect the sunny side of your house from direct sun and watch your electricity bill go down in the summer.
• Plant a tree. A tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
• Consider solar. Solar prices are dropping fast, and installing solar can put cash in your pocket each month. A typical system is sized to cover 70% of a home’s electricity use, and many new financing mechanisms are in the works. Use the Solar Home widget to start your research and look for solar rebates in your area.

And that’s just a start. There are too many easy, free/cheap ways to save energy at home for us to fit here, so visit WattzOn.com< for much more.