Being smart about your use of energy at home is essential if you want to cut your energy bills. Not only that, energy efficiency reduces your carbon emission, which means that you are also doing your part in saving the environment. Be sure to incorporate these energy saving efforts in your everyday home life.

• If you won’t be using your appliances or gadgets for a while, turn them off completely instead of putting them on stand-by. When the computer is on hibernate or the television is only turned off using the remote, it’s still using up electricity, which is a waste of energy.
• When buying new appliances, be sure that they carry energy saving labels, which are assurances that these models produce the same result as regular appliances or gadgets without using up as much electricity.
• Speaking of energy efficient appliances, if you are still using light bulbs around the house, replace them with CFLs, or compact fluorescent bulbs. CFLs use only a fraction of the energy burned by regular light bulb, while emitting the same radiance.
• During the winter, home heating takes up a large percentage of the household’s costs. You can lessen your need for constantly turning up the heater by insulating your roof and walls. You should also check for and fix drafts in windows and doors.
• In contrast, summer means high energy costs in an effort to stay cool. Remember to keep your air conditioning use to a minimum, and use ceiling or stand fans to keep air circulating around the house.
• Always use the right sized pan when cooking so that heating it will not take twice as long and use twice as much energy. Also, cool off leftovers before putting them in the fridge, as the fridge has to work twice as hard to keep the temperature cold when you refrigerate hot food.
• Use the washing machine only if you are doing full loads. Also, hang your clothes outside to dry instead of using a dryer.
• Outside the house, you can save fuel by riding your bike or walking to close destinations instead of taking your car. You should also get rid of gas guzzling cars and replace them with models that are designed for fuel efficiency.

The smallest effort in conserving energy can add up to a lot in the long run, so be very conscious about where you may be wasting energy, and encourage friends and family to do the same.