2. GET RID OF THE LEAD FOOT.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), quick acceleration and heavy braking reduce fuel economy by as much as 33% on the highway and 5%around town.  Give the lead foot a rest to improve your fuel efficiency and your passengers ride.  Difficulty: l

3. STOP IDLING.  Although most of us grew up needing to let the car “warm up” any car built after 1990 doesn’t need the warm-up, so go ahead and get a move on.   Difficulty: l

4.GIVE YOUR CAR A BREAK.   You may n0t be able to retire your car completely, but try to opt for public transportation, carpooling, walking or biking when you can, and you’ll save both money and carbon emissions.  For each gallon of gas you save, you keep 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the environment and nearly $5.00 in your wallet!  Difficulty: l

5. BE REASONABLE WITH THE THERMOSTAT.  You don’t have to be uncomfortable in your home to save energy or reduce emissions, but try to keep it as warm as you can stand it in the summer, and turn it down to 68 or below in the winter.  Difficulty: l

6, CAULKING AND STORM PANELS.  Double-paned wondows are are good fix but, a least expensive way to improve insulation, is to seal and leaks or gaps around doors and windows with caulking and weather stripping.  You can then add a storm panel to your single-pane window to increase energy efficiency for less money than double paned windows.  Difficulty: ll

7.SWAP YOUR A/C FOR A CEILING FAN.  Ceiling fans are remarkably effective in cooling and use far less energy (or chemicals!) than air conditioning.  If you still need a A/C, consider running it on low and using ceiling fans to circulate the cool air.   Difficulty ll

8. PLANT TREES.  On top of soaking up carbon dioxide, trees that surround your home can provide shading in the summertime, keeping your house cool and requiring less energy-intensive air conditioning.  Difficulty: ll

9.  GET YOUR DUCTS IN A ROW.  In addition to increasing your electricity bills and and your carbon foot print, faulty duct work can cause serious, life-threatening carbon monoxide problems in the home.  Check your ducts for air leaks.  First, look for sections that should be joined but have separated, and then look for obvious holes.  If you use tape,  to seal your ducts, use mastic, butyl tape, foil tape,or other heat-approved tapes (look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories logo.)  Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture buildup.  Difficulty: lll

10. GO FOR DOUBLE-PANED WINDOWS.  According to the DOE, the typical family spends $1,300 a year on home energy bills.  If your windows are letting air in or out, some of that money is being wasted, as is the energy its paying for.  Double-paned windows are up to 40% more energy-efficient than standard windows, and could shave 10% to 25% off youe heating or cooling bill, on top of saving five tons of carbon dioxide emissions per household per year.  Difficulty: lll

DIFFICULTY SCALE:                                                  

l= No Pain, but Lots of Gain.

ll= Commitment and Consciousness Required Daily.

lll= You Will Soon Reap the Financial Rewards of your Herculean Efforts.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK!