In Ohio, most of our electricity comes from polluting coal-fired power plants.  This pollution has harmful health impacts on Ohioans, not only through direct problems such as acid rain, mercury, and particulates, but also to our global environment by its contribution to climate change.  Every step we take to reduce our own energy consumption not only saves us money, but lessens our “environmental footprint.” 

Here are 10 simple things you can do this month to reduce your energy use:

1. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Bulbs: These bulbs can last up to 10 years, and use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs.

2. Turn up Your Refrigerator: If every American household turned up their refrigerator thermostat 1 degree F, we would prevent almost 3 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere – every year.

3. Start Rinsing Your Clothes in Cold Water: Eighty percent of the electricity a washing machine uses goes toward heating the water. Washing in cold water (in addition to rinsing) will save even more energy.

4. Turn Down your Water Heater: Most people’s water heaters are set at 140 degrees without even knowing it; but, 120 degrees is plenty hot for a shower.

5. Invest in a Laptop Computer: Laptops are 90% more efficient than desktop computers.

6. Invest in a Programmable Thermostat: Heating homes in America produces 310 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. Programmable thermostats pay for themselves in about one year.

7. Use Ceiling Fans: Using ceiling fans instead of air conditioners can reduce your cooling costs by over 50%.

8. Cover Your Windows: Well placed window treatments can keep cold air out in the winter and the cooler air in during the summer.

9. Fix Leaky Ducts: Between 25 and 40 percent of the hot air your furnace pumps out escapes through leaky ducts before it can reach your home’s rooms.

10. Plant a Tree: Yes, it sounds cliché but a 6-8 foot deciduous sapling will begin shading your house within a year. Not to mention all the other benefits of tree planting.