Saving energy, part 1

With a new climate change report out from the UN and gas and electricity prices rising quickly, we have many reasons to reduce our use of energy in our daily lives.  Reducing our energy use saves money, conserves resources that future generations will need, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.  Some of us will be able to make significant changes while others may only be able to do a few things.  Either way, every little bit helps.  Here is the first set of ideas:

• Check your heating and air conditioning vents to make sure they are open and not blocked by furniture or curtains.  If the vents are blocked, it reduces the efficiency of the HVAC unit and keeps the conditioned air from reaching the room so you can feel its effects. 
  
• Put furniture such as sofas and bookshelves against outside walls.  The furniture will act as extra insulation.   Make sure you don’t block heating and air conditioning air vents, though.
• Set your dishwasher to “air dry”.  If you open the dishwasher door when the wash cycle is recently completed, the hot dishes will air dry quickly without using additional energy.  Modern dishwashers use less water and energy than handwashing dishes. 
• Install or repair weatherstripping around doors.  Roll up a rug and lay it along the bottom edge of the door.
• When you use your clothes dryer, using low heat uses less energy than high heat even though the drying cycle is longer.  When you can, air dry laundry for even more energy savings.  Before I got my outdoor clothesline and laundry room drying bars, I used to put clothing to dry on hangers on the shower curtain bar. 
• If you own your home and have the financial resources, get an energy audit and implement some of the suggestions.