Links and Tips to Save Energy

1. Lifestyle Carbon Calculator - The LiveSmart BC Lifestyle Carbon Calculator is an easy way for you to estimate your annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while learning about some great rebates and incentives that will help you save money, save energy, and save the planet. You Choose, You Save. www.livesmartbc.ca

2. Clean the coils behind or underneath your refrigerator with a tapered appliance brush to keep it running efficiently.

3. Skip dishwasher pre-rinsing cycles. Our tests have found that it's unnecessary, and you'll save up to 6,500 gallons of water per year.

4. 25 easy ways to conserve water in the home and yard. www.eartheasy.com

5. Put your PC to sleep. Save $25 to $75 each year by using the system standby or hibernating feature on your computer.

6. Plug electronics into a power strip so that you can turn them all off at once and reduce standby power consumption.

7. Don't overload the dryer. Clothes will take longer to dry, and they'll come out wrinkled. When the weather is warm, line dry.

8. Open blinds and shades on cold days. Solar heat gain can raise interior temperature significantly. But close them at night to minimize heat loss.

9. Dust off the slow cooker. You'll use a lot less energy than cooking a meal across several burners and in the oven.

10. Keep car tires properly inflated. In our tests of a Toyota Camry, fuel efficiency dropped 1.3 mpg when the tires were deflated by 10 psi.

11. Visit the BC Hydro website, take advantage of rebates for new Energy Star refrigerators and washing machines or have your old inefficient refrigerator removed. www.bchydro.com

12. Lower the temperature a degree or two before guests arrive. A house full of people generates a lot of body heat.

13. Clean or replace furnace filters monthly during the heating season. Clogged filters force the blower to work longer, raising your electric bills.

14. String LED lights this holiday season. They last longer and save energy every season.

15. Insulate and seal cracks and gaps in your ducts. That can help reduce energy costs by 30 percent.

16. Lower water-heater temperature to 120 degrees from 130 and insulate hot-water pipes to knock up to 5 percent off your energy bills.

17. Weather-strip old windows and doors. It's the surest way to close the gaps around openings, reducing heating and cooling costs by 15 to 30 percent.

18. Install a high-efficiency showerhead. It will reduce hot water use by up to 50 percent.

19. Upgrade to a low-flow toilet and save 4,000 gallons per year.

20. Drain a bucket's worth of water from your water heater a few times a year to remove sediment, which can decrease efficiency. Check out water heating solar options at www.solarbc.ca

21. Install a programmable thermostat which can save excessive cycling of the furnace particularly at night. www.terasengas.com/Homes/SavingEnergy/HomeEnergySavingsTips

22. COOL WEBSITE ! Recycling Council of B.C www.rcbc.bc.ca

23. Zone heat smartly. A portable heater in a room saves money only if you're willing to keep the rest of the house chilly. Keep in mind conventional Wood-burning fireplaces can suck more heat from your home than they put back in.