1. Green up your appliances

Getting rid of that old (beer) refrigerator in the garage could save you as much as $150 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Appliance use comprises about 18% of a typical home’s total energy bill, with the fridge being one of the biggest energy hogs. If any of your appliances is more than 10 years old, the EPA suggests replacing them with energy-efficient models that bear their "Energy Star" logo. Energy Star-qualified appliances use 10%-50% less energy and water than standard models. According to the Energy Star site, if just one in 10 homes used energy-efficient appliances, it would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees.

2. Watch the temp

Almost 50% a home's energy consumption is due to heating and cooling.

Turn down the thermostat in cold weather and keep it higher in warm weather. Each degree below 20°C during colder weather saves 3%-5% more heating energy, while keeping your thermostat at 26°C in warmer weather will save you energy and money. A programmable thermostat will make these temperature changes for you automatically.

Clean your furnace's air filter monthly during heavy usage.

Consider a new furnace. Today's furnaces are about 25% more efficient than they were in the 1980s. (And don't forget to check out furnaces carrying the Energy Star label.)

To keep your cool in warmer weather, shade your east and west windows and delay heat-generating activities such as dishwashing until evening.

Use ceiling fans instead of air conditioners. Light clothing in summer is typically comfortable between 22°C and 26°C. But moving air feels cooler, so a slow-moving fan easily can extend the comfort range to 28°C.

3. Save water

There are hundreds of ways to save water, we’ll share just a few here:

Put an aerator on all household faucets and cut your annual water consumption by 50%.

Install a low-flow toilet. They use only 1.6 gallons per flush, compared to 3.5 gallons per flush for pre-1994 models. If you have an older model, adjust your float valve to admit less water into the toilet's tank.

Adjust your water articulation system to weather forecasting & Local Authority warnings of usage.

Of course, you don't need products to save water — behavioral changes also add up quickly: using a broom instead of the garden hose to clean your driveway can save 80 gallons of water and turning the water off when you brush your teeth will save 4.5 gallons each time.

5. Home electronics

When you consider that home electronic products use energy all the time even when they are off, it is no wonder that the average household spends over $100 a year just to power these devices while they are in the 'standby mode'. a television on standby uses up to 75% of the energy it uses when switched fully on.