Appliances & Electronics

The average American home produces approximately 14,000 pounds of CO2 per year on electricity alone. Many appliances, such as cell phone chargers, TVs, and toasters draw electricity even when they are off. Try out a Smart Power Strip to disable power sucking devices when they are off. 

To get a better idea of what your home is producing, try out this appliance energy calculator, and consider having an energy efficiency walkthrough done through Walking Mountains Science Center. 

Air-Conditioning

• Consider installing awnings and planting trees near your house (but be sure to keep safe fire distance) to help cool the house in the summer.
• When buying an A/C look for an Energy Star label but consider heat pumps which can both heat and cool a house
  • Heat Pump Rebates HERE
• Keep the coils on your AC clean for max efficiency.
• Ceiling fans are also very effective and use less energy than an AC.
• Use a programmable thermostat and turn the AC off when you leave for a long time

Refrigerator 

• Energy Star refrigerators are about 9% more efficient than your average refrigerator.
• Set your fridge at 35 - 38 degrees F and your freezer at 0 degrees F.
• Make sure to clean or replace filters regularly.
• Vacuum refrigerator coils.

Dishwashers 

• Only run it when the dishwasher is full
• Unless you are very careful when hand-washing, a dishwasher will use less water (average of 6 gallons) for the same amount of dishes
• Look for Energy Star dishwashers that use less than 4 gallons every load.
• Skip the pre-rinse and just scrape the food off to save water
• Air or hand dry dishes instead of drying in the dishwasher to save energy

Washing Machines/Dryers 

• Look for the Energy Star label.
• Use cold water as much as possible, you don't need hot water.
• Avoid fabric softeners that can damage your washing machine, as well as break down your clothes faster.
• Consider use a clothes line instead of a dryer.
• Instead of dryer sheets, switch to dryer balls for no harmful chemicals and to save money.
• Clean the lint trap before every use to increase efficiency.

Stove Tops

• Induction stoves are the most efficient stove. (Induction stoves are different from electric stoves because they run an alternating current through the heating element creating an electromagnetic field, heating the elements in the pots and pans themselves.)
• Induction stoves are also safer because since they heat the pot/pan itself, rather than the stovetop, the stove stays pretty cool.
• Always use a lid
• Don't set the flame so high that it goes past the pot
• Match the pot to the burner size.
• Be aware of the type of cookware you are using for the type of stove you are using.

Ovens

• Convection ovens cook food 25% faster than regular ones.
• Consider a pressure cooker (Instapot) which can cook faster and uses up to 70% less energy
• Slow cookers are more efficient than an oven, but less efficient than a pressure cooker.
• Toaster ovens take half the energy to run than a full sized oven.

Batteries/Chargers/Cellphones

• Find out where to recycle them in your area, like Trinity Recycling.
• Use rechargeable batteries- every rechargeable battery saves 500-1000 regular batteries.
• Phones/iPods/iPads/tablets/Apple or Android watches/bluetooth/GPS/MP3 players/e-readers/digital cameras/handheld gaming systems, can all be donated to EcoCell

Computers/TVs

• Always consider a refurbished or second-hand laptop/TV to cut back on virgin materials harvested.
• Upgrade the same computer and repair it before getting rid of it.
• Look for a laptop with a replaceable battery/hard drive/RAM.
• Check for TCO Certified computers.
• Look for Energy Star rated TVs.
• Recycle the computer/TV.
• Use the sleep and hibernate function and turn the computer off entirely overnight and on weekends when not in use.
• Use a smart power strip to stop the devices from using power when off.

Flashlights

• Use an LED flashlight and save 90% of the energy compared to an incandescent flash light
• Use hand-crank or solar powered flashlights