1. Adjust thermostat up in summer, down in winter. A one-degree change in temperature during the cooling season can result in an 8 percent reduction in energy use from HVAC. For the heating season, a one degree change can result in a 6 percent reduction. Most people don't even notice a one-degree change.

2. Stop air & water leaks. A dripping faucet can leak as much 15 gallons per day. Air leaks are not always as obvious, a gap as small as a quarter inch around a door is the same as having a hole the size of a softball in your wall. Weather stripping is a cheap and easy alternative to letting energy slip through the cracks.

3. Insulate water heater & pipes. Insulation can significantly reduce the amount of “standby” heat loss, saving you money on your energy costs. You can find water heater insulation kits at your hardware store or home center for about $20. This cost can be paid back in energy savings in just a few months. When you're doing this project, verify that the heater is set to no more than 120° F.

4. Change to compact fluorescent bulbs. When you change to a Compact Fluorescent, you reduce the energy at that light by 75 percent. The bulbs also last longer. If you have not done this already, you should change to these bulbs right away. This is one of the easiest and fastest ways to save energy immediately.

5. Take shorter showers. According to the EPA, showering represents approximately 17 percent of residential indoor water use in the United States—more than 1.2 trillion gallons of water consumed each year. Not only will you be using less water, but you will also pay less to heat the water.

6. Wear weather-appropriate clothing. This is advice that is sometimes hard to hear. People like to be fashionable, and wearing a favorite outfit might be a hard habit to break. However, picking clothing that matches the season will help you be more comfortable without using HVAC to control the temperature to adapt to your out of season clothing.

7. Turn things off that you don't need. In particular turn off lights when you leave an empty room. As a school system, we estimated that if the lights could be turned out for just one extra hour each day in each classroom around the county, the school system will save $50,000.