Save Energy and Water

A photo looking across the waters of a lake

The demands for energy and water are
at an all time high

The days of abundant, cheap energy and seemingly endless supplies of clean water are over. At the same time, demand for energy and water continues to grow. The solution to these crises requires that everyone make small and not-so-small lifestyle changes. Collectively, we can work to ensure that these precious resources are conserved.

Save Energy

Replace an incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL)
CFLs use only one quarter to one third of the electricity of a comparable incandescent. Save $44 on your electric bill for each CFL installed over the lifetime of the bulb.
Get a home energy survey/audit
Contact NYSERDA (see link at right) or your local gas or electric utility. There are many incentives that will help you pay for recommended improvements.
Going on vacation? Turn your water heater down to "Vacation" setting
No sense keeping 40+ gallons at 120 degrees or more when no one's around. Leave yourself a note to remember to turn it back up when you return.
Turn you thermostat down 10 degrees when you're asleep or at work
You'll save 10% for every 10 degree set-back over an eight hour period. A programmable thermostat will do this for you automatically.
Don't let your car idle for more than a minute
Remember: idling = zero miles per gallon.
Keep your tires properly inflated
Check once a month in summer.Under-inflation increases fuel consumption by up to 6%.
Drive properly
Speeding, tailgating and jack-rabbit starts can reduce your gas mileage by 40%.
Wash and rinse your clothes in cold water rather than warm or hot
Your clothes will still be clean and the typical household will save $60 per year.
Choose Energy Star® appliances
When replacing high-consumption appliances like refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, clothes washers and dish washers, buy an energy-efficient model. See link at right to go to the Energy Star site.
Insulate your attic
Uninsulated or under-insulated attics lose tremendous amounts of heat. Add extra insulation if your attic has R-19 or less (equal to 6" fiberglass or about 5.5" cellulose). New York State building code currently requires R-38 in attics (12" fiberglass or approximately 11" cellulose).
Get a push mower
Powered lawn mowers use lots of (expensive) gas and give off more greenhouse gases than a car. The new push mowers, also called reel mowers, are light (less than 20lbs), and shear the grass rather than tearing it, as conventional mowers do, which is healthier for the grass.
Use the proper temperature settings
Set your refrigerator between 38 and 42 degrees F. Set your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees F.

Save Water

Start with these tips if you're brand new to water conservation. If you're looking for more ideas, read on.

Get a dual flush toilet
Long popular in Europe, this innovative toilet has finally reached America. There are two flush buttons on the top of the tank - one for solid waste and one for liquid waste - using a mere 1.6 gallons and .8 gallons per flush respectively
Use a soaker hose rather than a sprinkler
Water your garden beds with a soaker hose or drip irrigation system and you'll cut your garden water use in half. This method of watering delivers the water directly to the root zone where it's needed and keeps the leaves dry, cutting down on mold and mildew problems.
Switch to a front-loading washing machine
Also called horizontal axis washers, these use one-third to one quarter the water per load compared to a top-loading model. As an added benefit, the extremely fast final spin cycle leaves clothes drier saving energy too.
Less lawn = a lot less water used
According to the EPA, Americans use 7 billion gallons of water per day on their lawns. Try lawn alternatives like groundcovers and wildflowers. Convert a section of lawn into a bed of drought-tolerant perennials and flowering shrubs.
Capture water in a rainbarrel
Rainbarrels catch the water from down-spouts and roof tops and save it for use later. Add a fine mesh screen on top to prevent mosquitos from breeding in the water. Drip irrigation or soaker hose systems (see above) can deliver the water to your garden.
Use a low-flow showerhead
Almost a quarter of household water use is for showers. The newer low-flow showerheads give a satisfying shower while cutting water use in half. If you were unhappy with the early water-saver showerheads, it's time to try them again.