ISU Extension in northwest Iowa offers tips and links to help you conserve energy. Call your ISU County Extension Office to request an energy presentation for your group.
Energy Resource Websites
Simple Gas Mileage Calculator
Energy Curriculum & Educational Materials
ISU's Live Green Tip of the Week
Energy Tips - brought to you by the U.S. Department of Energy and ISU Extension.
June 08: Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and hard braking) wastes gas. It can lower your highway gas mileage 33 percent and city mileage 5 percent.
July 08: If you use air-conditioning, set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.
August 08: If your home has single-pane windows, consider replacing them with new energy efficient double-pane windows with high performance glass (e.g., low-e).
September 08: An energy audit shows where your home uses the most energy and helps you decide how to reduce energy costs. Do it yourself or contact your local utility.
October 08: Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors and crawl spaces to see if it meets the recommended R-values for your area. Learn more.
November 08: A programmable thermostat can automatically adjust your home's temperature according to your schedule -- it can cut back heating at night, for instance, and turn it up again before you rise in the morning. Learn more
December 08: Water heating can be expensive, but you can lower your costs. Repair leaky faucets, use low-flow showerheads and lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees. Learn more
January 09: Look for ENERGY STAR computers, copiers, printers and fax machines when purchasing new equipment for your home office. ENERGY STAR products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. Learn more
February 09: Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, and use task lighting to focus the light where you need it. Also try compact fluorescent lamps; they are more efficient and last longer than incandescent bulbs. Learn more
March 09: When washing clothes, wash full loads and use cooler water and cold-water detergents. Switching the temperature setting from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half. Learn more
April 09: Plug TVs, DVD players and other home electronics into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use. (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power). Get more energy-saving ideas at www.energysavers.gov.