Cool Choices is a fun and easy way to save money and help the environment.

We encourage you to continue making Cool Choices and hope the following resources can help!
Replace 85% of household incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs.: Only about 10 - 15% of the electricity that incandescent lights consume results in actual light. The rest is turned into heat.
Lighting Guide
http://www.drmediaserver.com/CFLGuide/index.html

CFLs & Mercury

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

Adjust your refrigerator temperature to 39 and your freezer temperature to 5.: Your refrigerator & freezer function more efficiently when full.
Setting the Temperature
http://www.energysavers.gov/tips/refrigerators.cfm

Refrigerator Temperature Tip

http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/tips/energy-conservation-refrigerator-temperature

Remove and recycle your 2nd refrigerator or freezer.: The avocado-colored refrigerator in the garage may be costing you more than $100/year.
Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator&

Fridge or Freezer Recycling Programs

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=recycle.pr_refrigerator_rec

Adjust the power management settings on your computer to recommended levels.: A computer in low-power mode saves about $50 a year compared to a computer set to full-power mode.
Activating Computer Power Management
http://www.osnews.com/story/25017/How_to_Save_Energy_When_Using_Your_Computer

Computer Energy Saving Tips

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_users

Watch 2 hours less TV today: The average American watches 151 hours of TV/month or 5 hours/day.
Appliance Calculator
http://webapps.we-energies.com/appliancecalc/appl_calc.cfm

Benefits of Less TV
http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dphs/nhp/adults/documents/turnofftv.pdf

Turn TV off if no one is watching it.: Most ENERGY STAR TVs use less than half a watt of electricity when off.
Appliance Calculator
http://webapps.we-energies.com/appliancecalc/appl_calc.cfm

EnergyStar TV OVerview
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TV

Buy an LED TV instead of a plasma TV: An efficient plasma TV uses about 2X as much electricity than an efficient LCD TV.
TV Energy Guide
http://blog.xcelenergy.com/tv-energy-guide/

TV Efficiency Calculator
http://c03.apogee.net/calcs/appcalc/default.aspx?utilityid=mnpower

Turn the game console off if not in use.: Watching movies on a game console can consume 5X as much electricity as using a DVD or Blu-Ray player.
Game Console Usage
http://www.nrdc.org/energy/consoles/files/fconsoles.pdf

Game Console Energy Usage

http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-57416152-76/gaming-consoles-consume-copious-amounts-of-energy/ v

Explore how your home uses electricity: In Wisconsin, about 25% of household energy costs are related to miscellaneous plug load. Reduce costs by programming power management settings, unplugging devices not in use, using power strips to turn off electricity entirely, or using timers, etc.
Appliance Energy Usage
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-appliances

Appliance Calculator
http://www.csgnetwork.com/elecenergycalcs.html

Adjust the water heater thermostat from 140 to 120.: Setting the water heater at 120 reduces the risk of scalding & extends the life of your water heater.
How-To Tips
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tips-water-heating

Video on Energy Saving Tips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGAOZllghYo

Use cold wash/cold rinse laundry settings: Washing in hot water causes clothes to fade & wear out faster.
Cold Water Washing Video
http://youtu.be/zWJjPji6RiA

Laundry Appliances
http://www.powerhousetv.com/Energy-EfficientLiving/Appliances/027259

Switch your furnace fan setting from continuous to auto.: A continuously running fan can cost households more than $400 more/year than one set on 'auto.'
How To Video
http://www.vimeo.com/4479524

Setting Your Furnace Fan

http://www.coolchoicesnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Furnace-Fan.pdf

Line dry clothing: Line dry clothing.

Line Drying Tips
http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/tips-for-line-drying-your-clothes.htm

Summer Energy-Saving Tips

http://www.focusonenergy.com/sites/default/files/Residential_Fact_Sheet__Summer_Energy_Tips_for_Homeowners.pdf

Carpool to work with one other person today: In addition to saving money on gas, carpooling lets you reduce wear & tear on your car & provides a break from driving.
Starting a Car Pool
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/fuel-economy/start-carpool2.htm

Tips for EcoDrivers

http://www.rideshare.com/For_Commuters/Environmental_Benefits/

Avoid "jack rabbit" driving - sudden stops and starts: Jack rabbit driving can reduce your fuel efficiency by 10%.
EcoDriving Manual
http://www.fs.fed.us/sustainableoperations/documents/TheEcoDriversManual.pdf

Tips for EcoDrivers

http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2008/08/20/ecodriving-usa-helping-you-drive-greener/

Combine errand trips: When you combine 3 separate trips into 1, gas usage is reduced by 2/3.
Planning and Combining Tips
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/planning.shtml

Driving Tips from Canada

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/personal-vehicles-initiative.cfm

Reduce idling by 5 minutes today: 30 seconds of idling is sufficient to warm up a modern vehicle, even in the winter.
Idling Tips
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/myths/idling.html

Anti-Idling Primer
http://www.thehcf.org/antiidlingprimer.html

Slow from 75 to 65 when driving on the highway.: Driving 70 mph uses 25% more gas than driving 55 mph.
Fuel Saving Tips
http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/ag_top_fuelsave.htm

More Ways to Save Money

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt064.shtm

Remove excess weight from your vehicle: Every 100 lbs of additional weight in a vehicle will reduce your fuel efficiency by 2-4%.
Fuel Saving Tips
http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/ag_top_fuelsave.htm

Gas Mileage Tips

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml

Maintain the correct tire pressure for your vehicle: One tire that's underinflated by 8 psi will reduce your fuel efficiency by 4%.
Tire Tips
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/roadsafety/tp-tp2823-menu-200.htm#h_1

Car Maintenance Tips

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/maintain.shtml

Turn off the water when you brush your teeth: You can save up to 2 gallons/minute.
EPA Water Sense
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/

Water Saving Tips - Bathroom

http://www.savewater.com.au/how-to-save-water/in-the-home/bathroom

Shorten your showers by 1 or 2 minutes: Reducing shower time saves both water & the energy required to heat that water.
EPA WaterSense
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/

Water Saving Tips - Bathroom

http://www.savewater.com.au/how-to-save-water/in-the-home/bathroom

Explore household water usage: Experts estimate that the typical U.S. household wastes 6,000 gallons of water/year.
How-To Videos
http://www.savingwater.org/inside_laundry_fixaleak.htm

How-To Do a Water Audit

http://www.coolchoicesnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/WaterAudit-HowTo.pdf

Install a low-flow faucet aerator: Faucet aerators will reduce the water used by 1/3 without compromising water pressure.
How-To Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TSiEYPh6Vw&feature=related

EPA WaterSense
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/

Only water your yard during early mornings or in the evening to reduce evaporation and interference from wind.: Rule of thumb: Only an inch of water a week
Lawn Watering Tips
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/watermgmt_section/appropriations/lawn_tips.pdf

Watering Tips
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/skill-builder/0,,467281,00.html

Install low-flow showerhead: Low-flow showerheads use 1.5 gallons of water/minute (gpm) versus 2.5 or more for older models.
How-To Install
http://www.regreenprogram.org/resources/strategy-generator#/WE43

EPA WaterSense
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/

Use reusable shopping bags at the store: A reusable bag has the potential to offset 20,000 plastic bags over its lifetime. That's a lot of plastic!
Bag Tips
http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/reusablebags.htm

Saving Money with Bags

http://cashmoneylife.com/reusable-shopping-bags-save-the-earth-and-your-wallet/

Recycle an item today: In 2008, 57.4% of the paper used in the U.S. was recovered for recycling.
Recycling Recources
http://www.paperrecycles.org/school_recycling/curb_to_consumer.html

Recycle More Wisconsin

http://www.recyclemorewisconsin.org/

Compost food and/or yard waste: Experts estimate that about 25% of your trash is organic material that can be composted.
EPA Composting Basics
http://www.epa.gov/compost/basic.htm

WI DNR Composting Guide

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/recycling/compost.html

Replace your toilet with one that uses 1.28 gal/flush or less: Look for the WaterSense label to identify products that meet EPA criteria for water efficiency.
Guide to Toilets
http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/products/toilets.html

Low Flow Toilets

http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/comsupport/conservation/toilets.htm

Use A/C when driving over 40 mph; turn off A/C and open windows when driving under 40 mph: Under/over 40 mph rule.
EcoDrive Tips
http://www.coolchoicesnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/TheEcoDriversManual.pdf

Feed your household local food today: Locally-grown produce is fresher & your purchases benefit the local economy.
10 Reasons to Eat Local
http://fogcity.blogs.com/jen/2005/08/10_reasons_to_e.html

Introduction to Food Miles

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/viewhtml.php?id=281

Drink tap water instead of bottled water today: You can fill a half-liter bottle 1,740 times from the tap before you use $0.99 of water.
Video on Bottled Water
http://vimeo.com/11892114

Bottled vs Tap Water

http://www.drbillofhealth.com/nutrition/comparison-bottled-water-vs-tap-wate/

Track your driving habits: While vehicles have become more fuel efficient since the 1970s, the miles we travel has also gone up annually.
Highway Travel Data
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ohim/onh00/onh2p8.htm

Tips for Efficient Driving

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml

Bike or walk instead of driving today: Cycling & walking improves your health & reduces your fuel costs.
Walk-Drive Calculator
http://www.usnews.com/science/environment/features/walk-vs-drive-calculator

Bike-Drive Calculator
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2011/06/27/biking-vs-driving-calculator/

Recycle old electronic equipment at local recyclers or stores: Recycling reclaims valuable resources & ensures proper disposal of harmful materials.
EPA Electronics Donation and Recycling
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm

Recycle More Wisconsin

http://www.recyclemorewisconsin.org/

Air seal and insulate your home to recommended levels: Insulation & air sealing are typically the most cost effective ways to reduce energy usage.
Basics of Insulation
www.focusonenergy.com/sites/default/files/basicinsulation_casestudy.pdf

Insulation Video
http://www.vimeo.com/5274174

Prepare a meatless meal today: Americans eat close to 200 lbs of meat per capita per year, an increase of 50 lbs/person from 50 years ago.
Meatless Monday
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/

Helpful Tips for Meat Eaters

http://breakingnews.ewg.org/meateatersguide/helpful-tips-for-meat-eaters/

Conduct a waste audit: Recycling cardboard takes 24% less energy and produces 50% less sulfur dioxide than making cardboard from raw materials.
WI DNR Self-Audit Checklist
http://dnr.wi.gov/files/pdf/pubs/wa/wa1264.pdf

WI Audit Program
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/CompAssist/Audit.html

Enable "automatic power down" of your video game console: Game consoles come from the factory with the energy saving features turned off.
Game Console Usage
http://www.nrdc.org/energy/consoles/files/fconsoles.pdf

Settings for Home Electronics

http://www.coolchoicesnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Electronics-Settings-Focus-Recs.pdf

Turn off lights when leaving the room today: Rule of thumb: turn off incandescents whenever you leave the room & CFLs if you'll be gone 10 minutes or more.
Turn Off Tips
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/lighting_daylighting/index.cfm/mytopic=12280

Seasonal Enviro-Tips
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/news/envirotips/tips_fall.htm#02

Replace red meat with poultry, fish or vegetables today: This is environmentally equivalent to driving 1,000 less miles/year.
Wiki on Red Meat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_meat

Chicken vs Beef
http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/chicken-versus-beef.aspx

Replace non-LED outdoor landscape lights with solar-powered outdoor landscape lights: 173,000 terawatts of solar energy strikes the Earth continuouslymore than 10,000 times the world's total energy use.
Benefits of Solar Outdoor Lighting
http://www.thenewecologist.com/2010/05/top-8-benefits-of-using-solar-outdoor-lights/

How to Install Solar Lights Video

http://www.ehow.com/video_8222998_install-solar_powered-lighting.html

Use non-toxic cleaners at home: Vinegar is a cheap & natural disinfectant that cuts through caked on residues like ketchup, mustard, & salad dressing.
Non-Toxic Ways to Clean
http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/green-cleaning

Green Seal Cleaners

http://www.greenseal.org/FindGreenSealProductsandServices.aspx?vid=ViewProductDetail&cid=0&sid=1

Hire a professional to do a Home Performance Audit: In addition to identifying efficiency opportunities, a consultant will test your home's ventilation systems.
High Performance with Energy Star Program
http://www.focusonenergy.com/learning-center/residential/saving-energy-home/put-your-home-test-homeperformance-energy-star%C2%AE

Video on Home Audits

http://www.vimeo.com/3751273

Wash dishes with an ENERGY STAR dishwasher rather than by hand: The average ENERGY STAR-rated dishwasher uses only 66% of the water other dishwashers use.
Dishwasher vs Hand Washing Facts
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dishwash.pr_handwash_dishwash

Energy-Efficient Dishwashers Video

http://youtu.be/lAJHs2zd8vU

Assess your dietary habits: Diets that limit red meat are heart-healthy AND reduce pollution in the environment!
Diet Assessment Tools
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=2&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1325

CDC Nutrition Resources

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/index.html

Calibrate your flat panel TV's picture: TVs come from the factory set on extra bright--which distorts the picture and increases electric usage 20%
How to calibrate your HDTV
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-k13n554iktU/learn/learningcenter/home/tv_signalquality.html

Better picture tips

http://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.php?subaction=showfull&id=1291368716

Replace an older appliance with an ENERGY STAR model: Replace an older appliance with an ENERGY STAR model
ENERGY STAR Products
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_find_es_products

Refrigerator Calculator
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator

Set your central air conditioner temperature 3 degrees F higher: Set AC 3 degrees F higher.
Thermostat Tips
http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/thermostats

Home Cooling Basics

http://www.focusonenergy.com/sites/default/files/coolingbasicsforyourhome_factsheet.pdf

Use public transit to get to work today: Want to save money on gas? You can read, safely talk to friends and family on the phone, or even nap on the bus. Try it!
Stress of Driving vs Bus
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8010735/Driving-a-car-is-more-stressful-than-going-by-bus-saysnew-research.html

Transportation Tools
http://www.publictransportation.org/benefits/Pages/default.aspx

Turn off your computer monitor at work when not in use: About 75% of the energy appliances use happens in "standby mode." Connect your computer & monitor to a power strip & switch it completely off at the end of the day.
Computer Energy Savers
http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/appliances/index.cfm/mytopic=10070

Turn Off Your Monitor

http://www.doit.wisc.edu/news/story.aspx?filename=598

Set work computers to "sleep" after 20 minutes: A typical computer uses around 5 watts of electricity in sleep mode. Many systems use as much as 130 watts of electricity while powered up.
Computer Energy Usage
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=CO

Reduce Power Usage

http://www.javelin-tech.com/blog/2011/09/reduce-your-workstation-power-consumption/

Use the stairs instead of the elevator today: Get some exercise while you save electricity!
Taking Stairs Saves Time
http://temple-news.com/2009/09/16/avoid-elevators-and-save-time-health/

Stairwell Campaign
http://www.bphc.org/programs/cib/chronicdisease/heal/takethestairs/pages/home.aspx

Insulate the first 6 feet of hot and cold water pipes near the hot water heater: Insulating hot water pipes allows you to reduce the water heater temperature by several degrees -- a 3-5% energy savings.
Hot Water Tank/Pipe Insulation Options
http://energywisepa.org/category/fact-sheet-categories/electric/insulation-hot-water-tanks-and-pipes

How-To Pipe Insulation

http://www.bpa.gov/energy/n/energy_tips/weatherization/pipesducts.cfm