In 2002, the Rocky Mountain Institute put out a little publication called “Cool Citizens: Everyday Solutions to Climate Change,” (PDF) which gave the conscious energy user a guide to decreasing their consumption. In a to-do list of 39 household measures, the author, Richard Heede, identified eight that come for free. Here they are:
- Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit
- Increase your air conditioner thermostat by 3 degrees Fahrenheit in summer
- Lower your thermostat by 2 degrees Fahrenheit in winter
- Wash your clothes in cold water
- Air dry your clothes during summer (and in winter in a sunlit room)
- Turn off unneeded lights
- Unplug the extra fridge in the garage
- Insulate your hot water heater
- Wash dishes by hand rather than in the dishwasher (although some new dishwashers are more efficient)
- Turn off and unplug unused appliances that have a stand-by function
- Take shorter showers
- Turn your thermostat down when you go out in winter
- Turn your air conditioning thermostat up when you go out in summer
- Turn your winter thermostat down when you go to bed (and use your winter-weight bedding)
- Close your blinds/curtains to provide extra insulation
- Turn the TV off when you’re not watching it
For more tips, see Fifty Things You Can Do
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Written in February