Conservation

Instead of letting your tap run for a cooler drink of water, save the water that runs as you wait for warmer or cooler water in a clean milk jug or pitcher (glass will

Right now my state is under a burn ban, and water restrictions are in place in most communities. Although we are in the rural area, and not under such a strict watering

My husband loves his fish tanks and I love gardening. Between the two of us we use a lot of water. But he bought a fish tank vacuum to help him clean out the tanks

As we run the water to the correct temperature before showering, we gather the cold water in a bucket. We pour that bucket of water into our washing machine, ready to use

Save money on your utility bill by adding a couple of tennis balls to your dryer. It will reduce drying time down 25 to 50%.

Video game consoles use a lot of energy, and they waste a lot of energy when not being used. You will save 75% of that energy, if you turn them off when they're not being

We noticed that there were puddles outside the windows with these air conditioners. We gathered some old five gallon buckets, and placed them under the drips.

I used a pitcher to catch the water while I waited on it to change to hot water to use. I was wasting almost a gallon every time I was waiting on the water to get hot. Now

One great way to save water is from your faucets. By keeping a big bucket handy you can catch enough to water quiet a few plants instead of letting it go down the drain.

We have a small dorm size refrigerator that we use for extras like sodas, water, and party food. It is not frost free, so in the summer it frosts up easily. When I defrost it,

If you live in the Northern/Midwest states and it's 70-75 degrees F outside at night, you can turn off your air conditioner at night. Your apartment/condo will stay cold until

I use the water from my dehumidifier to water my plants.

A friend recently put me onto catching the water that my air conditioning unit produces. Living in Florida, I have been able to recycle at least two gallons of pure water

I use my dehumidifier water to flush the toilet. I was a little hesitant to use the water for my plants (although it may be completely fine). So, I decided every time

To use less water and save money, I fill a empty, clean mayonnaise or pickle jar with water and leave the lid off the jar. I then flush the toilet and put the jar of

I was getting annoyed with myself because I was wasting so much power boiling and reboiling my electric kettle. I kept forgetting to only heat as much water as I needed and left

After unloading the dishwasher and before you load it with dirty dishes, use the empty racks to air dry all the dishes that require hand washing such as large pots, cookie

I read this tip in my favorite magazine, Mother Earth News, a few years ago, and finally got around to trying it this year. It works!

Why heat your water for 24 hours? Just install a Hot water heater timer purchased from Lowes. Set the timer for 1 hour before rising in the morning, preferably during non

We have recently moved to Kentucky. The Fall has been very, very dry and our dishwasher requires that you run the tap until the water is hot. So, my husband purchased a terrific,

If you have an electric water heater, after taking your night-time showers or washing your dishes, whichever comes last, shut off your water heater. I flip the breaker

I keep a large empty bucket by the floor near my kitchen sink. As I rinse off my dishes, I collect the water in a container in the sink (I use an empty large sized yogurt

Here is a way to be green and prepare for an emergency at the same time. I rinse out 2 liter soda and juice bottles and fill them 2/3 full with clean water. I then

I've always hated to throw away the water I accumulate daily in my dehumidifier. I water outdoor plants with it. I'm sure my neighbors think I have a strange watering

We live in South Florida, where AC is generally not an option, but a necessity. We're on the electric company's

If you have a faucet leak or leaky roof, collect the water in a bucket and pour it into your toilet. The force of the water being poured in will flush your toilet without

With all the talk of saving water, I have not seen a suggestion to save rain water. Why let it run into the street? You can buy special rain water savers but why not

I never realized how important is was to conserve water until we had the drought a few years ago . I turned the water flow down on each faucet except the dishwasher

To save on utilities and clothes softener, I line dry many clothes in the house then put them in the dryer on air fluff. It's amazing how soft they become.

During the stormy season, keep barrels at the ends of the house for water run off. This can be used to water the garden, water the animals and other outside things.

My husband and I recycle and compost. We have some big concerns about filling up land fills and until someone starts an energy producing plant using the waste we produce, this is

"Wash" your car during a water shortage by wiping it down with a soft cloth (microfiber works well), while there is dew on it in the morning. A lot of grime comes

We live in a two story home and the kids always manage to leave the upstairs bathroom or hallway lights on. I don't notice it until after they have left for school. I

My refrigerator is a few years old and uses a 15 watt appliance incandescent bulb. Within seconds of opening the door, the light bulb is incredibly hot.

If you live in a multi-story home and your hot water heater is in the attic, you know how long it can take to get hot water to run in the kitchen sink before starting

This past summer, mandatory water rationing was imposed on our community. I started cooking garden vegetables using the same water, one type of vegetable right after another. I'd

We live in a modular home and are having problems with wind forcing cold air into the house around the window frames. Caulking would seem to be one answer. How about

By steaming your veggies (and for those that still boil or microwave them), there are still a lot of minerals left in the water that we dispose of down the drain. I re-purpose

For those who are annoyed with a shower that gives you no option for how much water comes out of it (only hot to cold), you can buy these toggle switches.

Instead of paper cards, send e-cards. Go to www.hallmark.com where you'll find several appropriate free cards. You can schedule them way ahead of time, too, and they'll be

Our two favorite ways to conserve/recycle water is using plants and pet dishes. Drop an ice cube? Instead of throwing it in the sink to melt, put it in a pet's water dish.

We have a 1977 Golden Nugget 5th wheel camper. I want to put CFL bulbs in it, but when I do, they do not work. Regular light bulbs work fine. I have tried a few different

A good way to save on electric bills, especially when you have someone in the home who forgets to turn out the lights, is to install motion detector switches. These are great.

I have several things I do to keep myself and my pets warm in the winter without getting heating bills through the roof!

Purchase timer light switches and install in the bathrooms, kids rooms or any room were lights may be forgotten on. The timers automatically shut the lights off after 15 to 60

When you have used your oven for cooking or baking and have pots and pans that have to be hand washed, place them upside down on the rack in the warm oven to dry. Do

To save energy costs, I fire off that sucker just an hour before bed time, then when it's done washing, I crack it open and let it air dry. If you are picky, picky,

Hang your wet laundry on a drying rack until it is about half or more than half dry and then finish it in the dryer. The machine will last longer and you will save tons

I live in the desert Southwest and it was costing and arm and a leg to water my plants even though we have no lawn and plant desert adapted versions of plants.

When watering indoor plants, try using ice cubes instead of water. They melt slowly, letting the soil absorb it better. This may not work for all plants, test first.

Here in Central Florida, we are currently under a "Level 4" watering ban which bans people from home car washing. We cleaned our 2006 Honda Accord using approx. 3/4 of a gallon

Cutting back on your electrical usage can be easy IF you know where to look. This exercise must be done after dark, with the lights off, if possible.

Ok, I must confess. This tip is truly from necessity since my dryer's heating element took a vacation, indefinitely! After trying every possible solution to fix the heat in the

I have a large shade tree on the south side of my property that keeps the summer sun off of my mobile home. This shade tree makes such a big difference that I rarely need

I am such a creature of habit that I often do not think of the things I do that use expensive energy and climate changing fuels.

To save water when flushing your toilet, remove the tank lid and put a brick into the tank. This replaces some of the water that would normally go down the drain. In time you

I have a portable dishwasher, and just the other day, I had this idea of letting the sun dry the dishes instead of using the energy it takes for the dry cycle. I am turning

I live in Tennessee where TVA, our electric supplier, has raised our electric bills 30% in one month. I have started really trying to be more frugal. I purchased a indoor

By setting your room ceiling fan on its lowest setting and using year round for heat or air conditioner, you can help lower the cost of your electricity bill. Remember to

In Florida, electric bills run high, particularly in the summer. I save on my electric bill in two ways:

When doing laundry, remove clothing from the dryer before it stops on its own, and put the next load in.

Have you ever not had hot water one morning and wanted to take a shower? All you need to do is heat up a 1/2 gallon of water in a good sized pot or tea kettle.

We have an instant on demand water heater, so while waiting for the cold water to run out of the pipes, instead of just letting it run, I put my flower watering pots on the

To save on heating fuel in the winter, insert the drain plug in the tub when showering and leave it in afterward until the water is cool. It adds warmth as well as humidity

I purchased white night lights that have an on/off switch from the dollar store, for all over our house. We find they put out plenty of light.

Get wet first when showering, and then turn the shower off. Clean body all over, and turn the shower back on to rinse and remove soap. I use a lot less water this way.

Keeping our electric bill down is continually a challenge. We have had over 30 days over 100 this year. I keep a folder to store any tips I find in magazines. While cleaning the

This is in regard to a tip I read several weeks ago. A reader said she uses the water from her dehumidifier for the birds. My dehumidifier has a WARNING: DO NOT DRINK

I take a warm bath every night and I hate wasting the water. I leave it in the tub and add bleach. Then I use this to clean bathroom floors, soak any plastic that has been discolored,

If you drop an ice cube on the floor, don't just toss it into the sink. Place it in a potted plant or your pet's water dish instead. Use the same technique for any leftover cubes

In this hot weather, do you hate wasting water by having to run it so long before it gets cold enough to drink? This sounds a little strange but if you will try a minute

When washing your dishes in the dishwasher, set the control panels to use less water and less drying time. Using the most eco friendly settings your dishwasher may have.

When defrosting any frozen item, I put the it in the fridge a few days before I will need it. I do this instead of using my microwave on defrost. This cools off the

When I shower, I turn off the water while I lather up, shampoo my hair, or shave my legs. I'm amazed at the amount of water I save by only having the water on twice

I've discovered that when collecting rain in your rain barrel, you can put a leg from a pair of pantyhose over the end of your downspout. It keeps the water clean, especial

Here in North Carolina we have been experiencing drought conditions and are being encouraged to be mindful of wasting water. Since I have many plants which often need to be watered,

I have a one-handle kitchen faucet, and I have noticed lately that I use too much water. I have started to reduce the flow of water when I use it. Since then, I am

Save watering cost with drought friendly silk plants. Last week I planted many different types of artificial plants in my outdoor flower-bed and it looks great.

The best thing you can do to reduce your cooling costs and protect your HVAC system is change your filter monthly. A dirty filter increases the energy needed to cool air, and it can

Just recently Australia, not sure about the rest of the world, celebrated Earth Hour, when for one hour, lots of businesses and people turned off their lights. More

This is about reusable shopping bags for males and females both. Many stores are banning plastic sacks - so that might be something to consider in the near future.

After many years of high washing and drying bills, I wanted to go back to a clothes line outdoors, even though I have devised a series of clothes line "poles" for one

Here's a great energy saver. When you are near the end of the baking time, turn the oven off and keep the door closed. The heat will stay the same long enough to finish

Many of us forget, especially those living in the northeast, to open those blinds, drapes, shades, etc. to take advantage of the free heat from the sun. It can shave off as

Here is how I use my 10-year-old-three-cycle dishwasher, so it doesn't "cook" the food in the plates. First, I must say that I never rinse any of my dishes; I put all of them

Wash all your laundry using cold water. There are some great detergents now on the market especially made for cold water. Also, at the beginning of the rinse cycle, put in half a cup of

In colder climates, instead of using the exhaust fan to clear the steam after a shower, open your bathroom door. The rest of the house can benefit from the moisture and heat

Conserving water in the toilet tank (eg. filled water bottles inside the tank) is a wonderful idea IF you are not using a septic system. To reduce the amount of