T he hot summer months are upon us, and that means a great deal of energy and water usage. Here are some tips that will help your household consume less energy, so you can help the environment while saving on your electric and water bills.

Energy Conservation
    Turn off the lights when you aren't using them. It's surprising how often we forget, so install automatic timers for lights that people in your house frequently forget to turn off.

    Buy energy efficient appliances when old ones fail. Gas stoves, dryers and water heaters are more efficient than electric. Shop for a yellow and black Energy Guide label on the product, which gives a comparison of energy use for that model against similar models.

    Use your appliances efficiently. Tighten oven gaskets and air-dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle. Also, plug home electronics such as TVs and VCRs into power strips and turn power strips off when equipment is not in use.

    Switch to compact florescent bulbs. Each compact florescent bulb will keep half a ton of carbon dioxide out of the air over its lifetime. While these are initially more expensive, they last ten times longer and can save $30 per year in electricity costs.

    Use Air conditioning wisely. Install a programmable thermostat on your air conditioner or adjust the setting at night or when no one is home. Also don't place lamps or TVs near your air conditioning thermostat. The heat from these appliances will cause the air conditioner to run longer.