10 ways to save money -- and the environment

There can be little doubt that climate change is a reality in Canada. Extreme weather patterns, melting glaciers, declining lake levels and other symptoms all mean it's time to act.

You can help stop climate change by making energy-efficient decisions in your everyday life. According to Natural Resources Canada, energy use in Canadian homes decreased by 21 per cent from 1990 to 2004, thanks to energy-efficient improvements. Not only does this reduction in energy use mean keeping our environment green, but with rising oil and natural gas prices, it also keeps your wallet nicely padded. Here are 10 ways to do your part to save money and the environment, too.

1. Use your furnace or air conditioner only when needed
Heating and cooling are the biggest sources of energy costs for Canadian families. The best way to save money is to turn the thermostat down one or two degrees in the winter, and up in the summer.

When heating your home, every degree you turn down your thermostat can save between two and four per cent on your energy bill. In the summer, every degree below 26C means a significant increase in energy needed to run your A/C, so stick to 24 or 25C. As well, keeping your air conditioning unit out of direct sunlight will save you five per cent of your cooling costs.

Another cash saver is to plant trees. Leafy deciduous trees on the sunny side of your house will provide needed shade in the summer, while pine or fir trees on the northern side will give you welcome protection from cold winter winds.

2. Be water smart
Water heaters are the second-biggest energy user in the home. A 175-litre tank at today's prices costs approximately $500 per year to run. To cut down on this cost, wrap your electric water heater in a special tank blanket, and insulate hot water pipes to prevent heat from escaping.

Spending just 50 cents on a rubber washer to fix a leaking faucet in your home can save you $12 a year per faucet on water costs. You can also save 10 to 40 litres of water per day by simply turning off the tap when you're not using it (rather than letting it run while washing dishes or brushing your teeth).

3. Make the switch to compact fluorescent bulbs
Lighting your home can use up as much as 20 per cent of your energy bill. By switching only the five most used incandescent lightbulbs in your home to compact fluorescent lights, you can save $30 per year -- more if you switch all your bulbs. Install motion sensors on all outdoor lights so they're only illuminated when needed. You can also lower your energy needs with task lighting, concentrating bright light where it's needed, rather than evenly lighting the entire house.

4. Adopt energy-efficient laundry habits
Almost 90 per cent of laundry costs come from heating water. Washing and rinsing your laundry in cold water, rather than hot, can save approximately $80 per year.

Save even more by only doing full loads on shorter cycles (reducing water use by 95 litres per load), grouping like materials (lighter materials take less time to dry), drying loads consecutively and cleaning your lint filter (a clogged one can use up to an extra 30 per cent more energy). In the summer months, put your dryer on hiatus and hang clothes outside for a fresh, clean scent.

5. Turn off the computer
Save a whopping $240 on your energy bill annually by simply turning off your computer when it's not in use. If you need to keep it on, turning off the monitor cuts down on the energy required by 60 per cent. As well, most electronics suck up power even when they're turned off (read stand-by mode), so plugging these devices into a power bar you can switch off will further reduce your costs.

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6. Don't drain your savings on water
Your lawn can only absorb 2.5 cm of water at a time, so cutting down on watering time won't affect the look of your lawn. Reduce watering from three hours to one hour and position sprinklers correctly (don't water the driveway) to save up to 4,700 litres of water. When using a hose, attach a spring-loaded nozzle to save 16 litres per minute.

7. Practise green driving
Avoid running your car when it's parked and save 1.4 litres of fuel per hour of idling. Although many feel their vehicle needs time to warm up in the winter, most cars need only 15 to 30 seconds. If every Canadian cut out 10 minutes of idling daily, the country would decrease its carbon dioxide emissions by three million tonnes per year. Save five per cent of your fuel consumption by keeping your tires properly inflated, and an additional five per cent by using your trunk instead of a roof rack.

8. Mind your appliance and vessel sizes while cooking
A good rule of thumb for energy savings in the kitchen is to use the right size for the job. Use smaller appliances like the microwave or toaster oven when you can (a microwave uses 75 per cent less energy than the stove). Using a pot the correct size for the element with a properly fitting lid will also cut back on wasted energy. In the summer, use the barbecue rather than the stove, which will also keep cooling costs down since the kitchen won't get heated from the oven.

9. Don't let your fridge and freezer waste energy
Your fridge and freezer are two appliances that need to be on at all times, and offer some of the best ways to save cash and energy. A fridge needs unobstructed air circulation inside to work better, so don't overfill. The opposite is true for freezers, which work best when full. Check the seal of your fridge door by closing it on a five-dollar bill. If the bill stays in place, your seal is good, if not, you may need to adjust the door or replace the seal. Keep both your fridge and freezer out of direct sunlight and maintain a five-centimetre buffer on all sides to allow heat to escape from the compressor and condensing coil.

10. Use your buying power
Get tips on energy-efficient brands, makes and models of cars, washers, dishwashers, even dehumidifiers through the website of the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada. The Clean Air Consumer Guide is another great tool that offers advice on energy wise decision-making, including tips on the best efficient products.

CAR BUYING TIP: The ministries of finance in Ontario and British Columbia offer their residents a $1,000 rebate on the purchase of qualified electric/gas hybrid vehicles.

Clean air, fresh water and the scenic beauty Canadians love: It's easy to take these things for granted but, with our environment in jeopardy, act now to preserve our natural resources for future generations.

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