Turn off lights when you are not in the room.

Have your mom or dad buy energy-saving light bulbs

(compact fluorescent lights).

Shut off your computer when you are not using it.

Turn off your gaming system or TV when you are not using it.

Unplug phone chargers when they are not being used.

Open your blinds or curtains on sunny winter days to let the sun shine into your home.

Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

With your parent’s help, set your home’s thermostat a few degrees lower. For each one-degree change, your family can save up to 5 percent on your home’s heating and cooling costs!

Occasionally hold a ribbon up to the edges of your home’s windows. If air is leaking into, or out of, the house, the ribbon will move. If you find a leak, let someone in your family know so they can fix it.

Help mom or dad defrost your freezer. Frost and ice build-up causes your freezer to use more energy to keep it at a cold temperature. By defrosting your freezer, you can keep your ice cream cold and the planet cool.

Wash small amounts of dishes by hand. If you have a dishwashing machine, fill it up! It uses the same amount of energy to wash six dishes as it does to wash twenty. Be sure it is full.

Fans cool off people, not rooms. Shut off fans if no one is around.

If mom or dad is shopping for new appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR label. The ENERGY STAR label means that it uses 20%–30% less energy than required by federal standards.

Close closet doors and doors to unused rooms (if they don’t have a vent). This means your heating or cooling system won’t waste energy heating or cooling a room that no one is using.