Energy Reduction Tips

If you live with other people, have everyone take showers at the same time of day so that you only have to run the shower once to get hot water
Turn off the water if you're lathering, shaving, or brushing your teeth
Take shorter showers, the reccomended length is 5 minutes or less

Use a lid on pots and pans when cooking to avoid wasting heat from the stove.
Before storing leftovers in the fridge, let them cool 30-60 minutes. Immediately storing leftovers requires the fridge to work harder and use more energy to cool it back down.
When re-heating food, use a microwave or toaster oven instead of a conventional oven. Heating a conventional oven to required temperatures takes far more energy than a microwave or toaster oven.
When hand-washing dishes, turn off the water when scrubbing your dishes. You can also fill the sink with water and wash all your dishes at once.
New models of dishwashers use water more efficiently that conventional washing methods. Only run the dishwasher when it's full!

Use the following thermostat settings to reduce energy consumption. Opening windows and running ceiling fans in the summer as well as using blankets and extra layers in the winter will help you stay comfortable.

Summer Thermostat Settings

Winter Thermostat Settings

Changing your old lightbulbs to LED is one of the easiest way to reduce your energy consumption.
Unplug appliances or entertainment systems whenever not in use. Even if the appliances aren’t being used they still consume energy when plugged in.
Air flow is important in the summer and winter. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise in summer and clockwise in winter.

Use cold water to wash your laundry. Cold water laundry detergent can help with this!
Set your washer to do an extra spin cycle to get all the water out of your clothes. This will require a shorter dryer cycle.
Hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer. You can set up a clothes line outside in the summer or in a room you don’t use everyday.