One of the best how-to-live-green guides is published by the National Resources Defense Council. Recycling, driving gas-efficient cars and setting your thermostats to the proper temperatures are well-known ways to save energy. But here are a few more ideas you might not have implemented yet to reduce your consumption of natural resources (you can see the entire list at www.nrdc.org/cities/living/gover.asp):

1. Buy energy-efficient products

When buying new appliances or electronics, shop for the highest energy-efficiency rating. Look for a yellow and black Energy Guide label on the product. It compares the energy use for that model against similar models. New energy-efficient models may cost more initially, but have a lower operating cost over their lifetimes. The most energy-efficient models carry the Energy Star label, which identifies products that use 20 to 40 percent less energy than standard new products. According to the EPA, the typical American household can save about $400 per year in energy bills with products that carry the Energy Star. Did you know your refrigerator typically accounts for 20 percent of your electric bill? On the average, new refrigerators and freezers are about 75 percent more efficient than those made 30 years ago, so investing in a state-of-the-art refrigerator can cut hundreds of dollars from your electric bill during its lifetime.

2. Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs

Change the three bulbs you use most in your house to compact fluorescents. Each compact fluorescent bulb will keep half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air over its lifetime. And while compact fluorescents are initially a lot more expensive than the incandescent bulbs you're used to using, they last 10 times as long and can save $30 per year in electricity costs.

3. Use your appliances more efficiently

The way you use an appliance can change the amount of energy it wastes. Make sure your oven gasket is tight, and resist the urge to open the oven door to peek, as each opening can reduce the oven temperature 25°. Preheat only as much as needed, and avoid placing foil on racks — your food won't cook as quickly. Your second biggest household energy user after the fridge is the clothes dryer. Dryers kept in warm areas work more efficiently. Clear the lint filter after each load, and dry only full loads. And don't forget that hanging clothing outside in the sun and air to dry is the most energy-efficient method of all.

4. Check your utility's energy-efficiency incentives

Contact your local utility company to see if it has programs that encourage energy efficiency. For instance, TECO (in Hillsborough) offers cash rebates for using energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and in Sarasota, Florida Power & Light customers can pay a voluntary surcharge to support renewable sources of electricity. Funds from this program are being used to build a solar array (Florida's largest) in Sarasota's Rothenbach Park.

5. Use durable goods

Bring your own cloth bags to local stores. Replace plastic and paper cups with ceramic mugs, disposable razors with reusable ones. Refuse unneeded plastic utensils, napkins and straws when you buy takeout foods. Use a cloth dishrag instead of paper towels at home, and reusable food containers instead of aluminum foil and plastic wrap.

6. Leave grass clippings on the lawn

Grass clippings make good fertilizer when they decompose. Leaving them on your lawn keeps them from occupying limited space in the local landfill.

7. Be thrifty with paper

Don't print out each memo or email you receive. Read and delete the ones you don't need to save and electronically file others you might refer to later. Make sure your office copier can make two-sided copies, and badger everyone to get into the habit of doing so. High-speed copiers that are set to automatically make two-sided copies reduce paper costs by $60 per month — and, of course, save paper. Save even more paper by using the blank sides of used sheets of paper for note-taking and printing drafts.

8. Install a low-flow showerhead and an ultra-low-flush toilet

Showers account for 32 percent of home water use. The law now requires that all showerheads sold be low-flow models. Low-flow showerheads deliver no more than 2.5 gallons per minute compared to standard showerheads that release 4.5 gallons per minute. A family of four using low-flow showerheads can save about 20,000 gallons of water per year.

Toilets are water hogs. About 40 percent of the water you use in your home gets flushed down the toilet. That amounts to more than 4 billion gallons of water in the U.S. each day. Conventional toilets generally use 3.5 to 5 gallons (sometimes more) of water per flush, while low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water or less. If you're not building a new home, you can still benefit by installing one of these toilets. Still have an old toilet? You can save more than 1 gallon of water per flush with a displacement device — a brick or plastic milk jug filled with water or pebbles placed in the toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.

9. Install flow restrictor aerators

Placing these inside faucets saves 3 to 4 gallons per minute when you turn on the tap. Of course, you can also help out by doing simple things such as not running water in the sink while soaping your face or brushing your teeth.

10. Landscape in tune with the natural environment

If you're landscaping, use plants that are native to your area. Growing native plants can save more than half the water normally used to care for outdoor plants. Raising thirsty plants in arid areas means having to drown them almost daily in gallons of sprinkler or irrigation water. In dry areas, xeriscape landscaping uses plants that need little water, thereby not only saving water and labor, but also preventing pollution from the use of fertilizers. If you must water your lawn, water early or late in the day or on cooler days to reduce evaporation. Allow your grass to grow a bit taller to reduce water loss by providing more ground shade for roots and promoting soil water retention.

Source: National Resources Defense Council

This article appears in Apr 26 – May 2, 2006.