Really, am I going on about this green stuff too much?  I don’t think so, because I’m still seeing energy bills and water bills come from my mailbox that make me want to cry.  So I need to take some of my own advice. 

Well, Chris and I are not in the place to do any major renovations right now, and our appliances are newer and working just fine.  So here are a few small things that we can all do that will add up.

1. Change to the new compact fluorescents (CFLs). Each bulb may cost a little more , but will pay for itself in three or four months.  (Just be careful not to break the bulb!)

2. Seal off drafts, which can reduce your energy bills 5 to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.  The cost is a tube of caulk.  Just doing that can drop your annual heating bill by $100, according to Department of Energy figures.

3. Buy a programmable thermostat, for $50 to $100. By maintaining more constant heating and cooling levels, and always ‘remembering’ to turn down the heat at night, the average family will save $150 a year, according to the EPA.

4. Install motion detectors.  Only using outside lights when they are neccessary is going to save.

5. Install dimmer switches.  Increase the life of your bulbs, and reduce the amount of light when you don’t need it.