Don’t waste energy by leaving garage or outside lights on all night long. Illuminate driveways or walkways only when necessary by installing motion detectors or timers. Motion lights provide safety by alerting you to movement outside your house. Harness the sun’s energy by day with solar pathway lights and spotlights without relying on electric power.

Electrical devices are still drawing energy when they are plugged in but not in use, this is called stand-by power. This means the appliances and electronics we leave plugged in, such as chargers, coffee makers, microwaves, TV’s, audio equipment, and computers could be drawing up to 40% of the energy that they require when we are actively using them. By simply getting into the habit of unplugging these devices when they are not needed, we can reduce our energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Don’t cool the kitchen by keeping the refrigerator door open while deciding what to eat. Each time we open the door to our fridge or freezer cold air leaks and our fridge cranks into high gear using energy to cool things back down. To maintain a consistent temperature of 36 degrees Fahrenheit in our fridge and 0 degrees in the freezer minimize menu planning when the door is open