The following strategies are some examples of ways to conserve water, electricity, and gas:

• The typical shower uses between 6 to 10 gallons of water per minute. Installing a water-efficient shower head can save up to 750 gallons a month. Water-conserving shower heads are inexpensive and easy to install.
• Avoid letting the faucet run while you brush your teeth, wash your face or shave, and you can save up to 4 gallons of water a minute. That’s 200 gallons a week for a family of four.
• Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets. Fixing a leak can save 300 gallons a month or more.
• Take short showers instead of baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household, and heating water also uses energy.
• If you take a bath, plug the tub before turning the water on, and adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.
• Running your clothes washer and dishwasher only when they are full can save up to 1,000 gallons a month. If you run a smaller load in your clothes washer, match the water level to the load size.
• Don’t pre-rinse your dishes before you put them in the dishwasher.
• When hand-washing dishes, don’t let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Pre-soak pots and pans instead of running the water while you scrape them clean.

• When cooling your home, keep your thermostat at 78 degrees or warmer, with the fan switched to auto. Raise the temperature to 82 degrees when you’re away. Closing your window coverings during the day will also help to keep things cool.
• In cold weather, heat your home to 68 degrees or cooler, with the thermostat fan switched to auto. Lower the temperature to 65 degrees at night and also when you’re away. Open drapes or shades on south-facing windows to let the sunlight help to heat your home.
• Set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees, the setting recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Turn off ceiling fans and lights when you leave the room.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use only one-fourth the energy of traditional bulbs, and last up to 10 times longer.
• Clean the lint filter in your clothes dryer before every load.
• Air dry dishes rather than using your dishwasher’s heat drying cycle.
• If your clothes dryer has a moisture sensor, use it to avoid over-drying your laundry.
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
• Turn off bath and kitchen fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing.