Really Cutting Down on Energy Use

I thought about implementing a strategy like getting a solar powered cell phone charger (I still might) or a pedal powered something, I decided to start by looking at what actually uses energy in the home. I figure it's more important to cut down on big things than to remove a small thing.

The number one energy use in US homes is heating/cooling costs. The easiest thing to do here is to set the thermostat down (in the winter) when you aren't there, and to cover the windows during the summer, so that the light streaming in doesn't overheat your house, requiring more air conditioning.

I've also been slowly (as they burn out) replacing my light bulbs with Compact Fluorescents to reduce the amount of energy they use, and I try to be conscientious about turning them off when I am not there.

The refrigerator is the #2 energy hog in the home, so I'm going to look into cleaning its coils, and checking the seals to make sure that it's operating at top efficiency and not wasting energy. The oven is another spot where a lot of energy gets used... I am, however, trying to use this more to get more into "real" food, rather than less, so I'll just need to be careful with it.

My biggest frustration, energy-wise is that although I live in a city with tremendous public transportation, I don't work in an area served by it, so I need to drive. A serious strategy to reduce my energy usage there would be to carpool, though I admit I've been resisting it.

How much energy will that save? Good question.