Hot water

• Use only one five-gallon bucket of water during each shower to save energy. Considering that the average shower consumes 2 gallons of water, this can save you a lot of water and money in the long-term!
• To avoid wasting energy, turn off your hot water heater when you go away from home for several days in a row.
• For the bold: consider turning your hot water heater off entirely during the summer. Taking cold showers can be a great way to cool down during the hot summer months and will save you a lot of energy.

Saving water in general

• When you are waiting for water to be warm or cold from your faucet, collect that water and use it for something else. For example, you could use this water to make coffee, tea, or to water your plants. You’re paying for the water either way, so you might as well use it!

Miscellaneous

• Paint your roof. Opting for a white roof if you are trying to make your home cooler can have a big impact on heating costs. In fact, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Heat Island Group, you could lower your energy costs by 20%. Wow!
• Consider hanging your clothes to dry instead of using your dryer as much as possible. Drying clothes with a dryer accounts for roughly 4–8% of the average home’s annual energy consumption.

Do you plan to try any of these unconventional ways to save energy? What are some tips we might have missed? Let us know in the comments section below!

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