Increased energy imports, pollution and global warming, and higher energy bills are still a problem we can solve if we all work together. Read these facts. Then, learn how you can reduce your global warming, pollution and higher energy costs. Check out the fact sheets below on light bulb buying, find out how to drive more efficiently, and learn more home energy saving tips.

Global Warming Facts:

21 Percent of America's global warming pollution produced by individual households.

42 Number of states where electricity customers have the option to buy green power through their utility or an alternative power supplier.

200,000 Number of American households that use solar energy.

25 Pounds of global warming pollution emitted per gallon of gas used in cars.

10 Percent that Americans could reduce their global warming pollution if all car buyers chose a model that gets 5 more gallons/mile than their current vehicle.

350 Pounds of global warming pollution reduced by lowering the thermostat 2 degrees in winter.

38 Number of watts needed to replace a standard 150 watt light bulb with a compact florescent light bulb.

25 Percent reduction in home heating bills by insulating attics, pipes, ductwork and flooring.

How to Pick a Better Bulb -- Buy a Better Bulb

Though we call them light bulbs, traditional incandescent bulbs are actually small heaters that give off a little bit of light—something you know if you've ever touched a bulb that's been on for a while. These bulbs were technological wonders when they were patented in 1880, but today they are inefficient dinosaurs. They waste energy and money, and they are responsible for millions of tons of global warming pollution.

Fortunately, the next generation of bulbs is here: Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) now give off high-quality light using a fraction of the electricity. Using CFLs puts less strain on the electric grid and saves you money. If every household replaced just three 60-watt incandescent light bulbs with CFLs, we would reduce as much pollution as if we took 3.5 million cars off the roads!

If you were disappointed by CFL bulbs in the last couple years, it's time to try again. The design of the bulbs and quality of light have improved dramatically. Also, though the price of a CFL is higher than traditional bulbs, CFLs save in the long run. They lower your electric bill and last up to 15 times as long as the old-fashioned bulbs. Here's how to make the switch:

1. Start with one bulb.

For your first compact fluorescent purchase, buy just one to make sure that it throws the kind of light you want. Light from yesterday's fluorescent lights, common in offices and schools, can seem "cold." Light from CFLs is different and better—CFLs can achieve the same kind of lighting you're used to from incandescent bulbs. Look for packages labeled "2700 degrees Kelvin" or "warm-white."

2. Know your watts and lumens.

We are used to choosing bulbs by how much electricity they use—a 40-watt incandescent bulb is on the dim side and uses less power, and a 100-watt bulb is bright and uses a lot of juice. CFL bulbs have much lower wattage numbers than their incandescent cousins, but don't let that fool you. CFLs provide much more light at a fraction of the wattage of traditional bulbs. Because of this, CFLs are often categorized by lumens. Lumens measure the amount of light a bulb gives off, and they are a more accurate way to tell how bright the new bulbs are.

Incandescent Bulbs CFL bulbs Typical Lumens
40 watts 11-14 watts > 490
60 watts 15-19 watts > 900
75 watts 20-25 watts > 1,200
100 watts 26-29 watts > 1,750
150 watts 38-42 watts > 2,600

Remember this rule of thumb: CFLs use about a quarter of the wattage to produce the same light.  So to replace a traditional 60-watt bulb, buy a 15-watt CFL: 60-watt incandescent / 4 = 15 watts.

3. Get the right shape and size.

Many stores will let you return a bulb if you find it doesn't fit properly, but keep an eye on two factors to save yourself an extra trip.

First, some CFLs have a larger bulb, which can be too big for some lamps. Depending on where you're going to install your CFLs, be sure to know how big the shade is (to know how big a bulb it can accommodate) and whether or not the bulb will show.

Many CFLs have a coiled bulb, but there are now versions available that have the same shape and size as an old-fashioned bulb. These newer CFLs aren't available in many stores yet, but you can order them on a number of web sites. One vendor is offering a special discount on these bulbs in support of this campaign. (See the discounted bulb.)

Second, most CFLs screw into standard light sockets; however, on some bulbs, the plastic piece above the screw part is slightly wider and might not fit in every lamp. Avoid the modular bases that terminate with pins.

4. Buy Energy Star to save the most energy.

The most energy-efficient CFLs carry the Energy Star label, the imprimatur of the government-backed energy efficiency program.

5. Be careful choosing CFLs for a dimmer.

There are exceptions to this rule, but the majority of CFLs are not made for dimmers yet. There are a few that already do work, but scrutinize the package to make sure. Look for bulbs labeled "cold-cathode" and be sure the package says "for use in dimmers."

Even the bulbs made for dimmers should only be used with sliding dimmer switches, not the round, rotating dimmer switches.

6. Check for indoor or outdoor use.

CFLs are designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Check the packaging to make sure you get the kind you need.

Save Energy and Money at Home

The energy we use at home accounts for about a fifth of U.S. global warming pollution. That means making smart choices at home matters.
Heating and cooling

This is a top home energy user, with the average household producing about four tons of heat-trapping pollution a year. It is heavily influenced by weather. For example, a relatively cold 1996 led to an increase in heat-trapping emissions compared to the previous year. But the next year, a warmer winter helped emissions dip bit. Warmer summers increase greenhouse gas pollution, too, from heavy air conditioning use. Despite the relative warm or coolness of the season, the U.S. emits a harmful amount of global warming pollution.

Even as the weather varies, your choices can help spew less global warming pollution.

• In summer, keep shades drawn to keep the cool in.
• In winter, open shades to let the sunlight to help warm rooms.
• In winter, keep your thermostat cooler at night or when the house is empty.
• Install a programmable thermostat to heat and cool rooms only when necessary.
• Plant trees around your house to cut cooling costs in summer.
• Insulate your walls and ceilings.
• Install a light-colored or reflective roof.

Appliances

After heating, refrigerators and freezers are generally the home's next two big energy eaters. Other appliances follow closely. Together, these items account for nearly eight tons of heat-trapping emissions per household per year.

• Upgrade to Energy Star products. Not all appliances are equal. Whether you're in the market for a new fridge, toaster or air conditioner, look for Energy Star choices, which offer the best energy savings.
• Size counts. When in the market for an appliance, make sure you buy what suits your needs. Items too large or too small waste electricity and your money.
• Unplug. Your electric meter is often adding up kilowatt hours when you don’t think you’re using an appliance. Unplug toasters and cell phone and other chargers when they’re not in use. Don't use air fresheners that have to be plugged in.
• Use power strips. Cable boxes and video game boxes, and to a lesser extent TVs and VCRs, use almost as much energy when they're off as when they're on. Make it easy to turn them all the way off—plug them into a power strip and turn off the whole strip.

Lighting

Lighting accounts for about 21 percent of commercial energy consumption and about 12 percent of home energy consumption. In terms of heat-trapping pollution, that means the lights in the average household produce just over a ton of carbon dioxide each year. Here are a few steps to lower those numbers.

• Use energy-efficient lights. Changing just one 75-watt bulb to a compact fluorescent light cuts roughly 1,300 pounds of global warming pollution. They also last up to 15 times as long and save you money. (Learn how to pick the best bulbs.)
• Turn off lights. A good chunk of lighting expenses is from rooms that stay unnecessarily lit.
• Use natural light. Open shades and use sunlight to help light rooms.
  
• Install motion-sensors so that lights automatically turn on when someone is in the room and turn off when empty.

Green Energy

Does your electric company sell energy from renewable sources, like wind and solar? More than forty states in the U.S. now offer cleaner energy. Find out more about home energy choices.
Other energy efficient choices for your home

• Use the energy saver cycle on your dishwasher and only run it when full.
• Wash clothes in warm or cold water, not hot.
• Turn down your water heater to 120°Fahrenheit.
• Clean or replace the air filter on your air conditioner.
• Install low-flow shower heads to use less hot water.
• Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows.
• Ask your utility company for a free home energy audit.

Drive Smart: Fuel Savings Add Up -- Why are cars so important?

American cars and light trucks use over 8 million barrels of oil a day. An average car emits 35 pounds of carbon dioxide every day!

About more fuel-efficient cars »
Good driving habits

Watching how you drive can improve your car's mileage per gallon, cutting global warming pollution and saving you anywhere from $200 to $500 each year.

• Travel light and pack smart. Extra weight decreases fuel economy. Hauling an extra 100 pounds in your vehicle reduces fuel economy by up to 2 percent. Place luggage inside rather than on the roof or trunk to  minimize drag and increase mileage.
• Drive less aggressively. Aggressive driving—rapid acceleration and braking—can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in town. Aggressive drivers are using an extra 125 gallons of gas and spending over $250 more than average drivers each year.
  
• Slow down. In highway travel, exceeding the speed limit by a mere 5 mph results in an average fuel economy loss of 6 percent.
  
• Know when to use the air. Air conditioning can decrease your fuel efficiency by as much as 12 percent in stop-and-go traffic, so consider cracking the windows. But at high speeds, driving with the windows open can decrease the overall efficiency of the vehicle.
• Don't idle. If you are stopping for more than ten seconds—except in traffic—turn off your engine.  Idling for more than ten seconds uses more gas and creates more global warming pollution than simply restarting your engine.

Maintain your car

Keep your vehicle operating in peak performance by following these recommendations.

• Keep your engine tuned properly. Checking spark plugs, oxygen sensors, air filters, hoses and belts are a few examples of maintenance that can save a vehicle owner up to 165 gallons of gas per year, resulting in potential savings of $380.
• Check the tires. Have your wheels aligned and keep your tires properly inflated. Low tire pressure wastes over two million gallons of gasoline in the United States—every day. For every pound of pressure below recommended levels, fuel economy drops 1 percent. Keeping your tires properly inflated means saving about a tank of gas a year.

No matter how smart you drive, leaving the car parked always saves more gas and pollution.

•  Combine trips. Consider running all your errands in the same area at once, rather than making separate trips. Cutting a 20 mile trip out of your schedule each week can reduce your global warming pollution by more than 1,200 pounds a year and save you over $100 in gas expenses.
• Telecommute once a week. Americans traveled 614.5 billion miles to and from work in 2001. If all commuters worked from home just one day a week, we could save 5.85 billion gallons of oil and cut over 65 million metric tons (roughly 143 billion pounds) of carbon dioxide each year.
• Carpool and use public transportation when possible. An average 2005 passenger car costs about 31 cents per mile in fuel, maintenance and depreciation to drive. If you share rides and use other means to get to work, you'll save yourself money, reduce congestion on the roads and cut your global warming pollution.

Sources

AAA. 2005. Your Driving Costs 2005. Heathrow, FL: American Automobile Association. www.aaawa.com/news_safety/pdf/Driving_Costs_2005.pdf (16 Feb. 2006).  Assumes costs of gasoline at $1.939 per gallon, and fuel economy at 23 mpg.

Hu P. and T. Reuscher. 2004. Summary of Travel Trends - 2001 National Household Travel Survey. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. December.