energy right - how to save fossil fuels

Quite possibly the biggest challenge facing everyone is to lower our Carbon Footprint. A Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced.

Our carbon footprint directly impacts global warming and climate changes. It is important to keep our carbon footprint as small as possible to prevent the next generation from being subjected to extreme environmental devastation.
Considering the US consumes a quarter of the planet's oil, there is a lot of room for improvement. Another side effect of lowering our carbon footprint is that it will prevent money from leaving our pockets and padding those of the unstable countries of the world.

Some simple thought could drastically reduce our carbon footprint:

• Overcome the political and bureaucratic hurdles to make energy efficient technology mainstream and lower our addiction to oil (OK, this one isn't all that easy, but it was worth mentioning)
• Conserve vehicle fuel: walk or ride a bike when just going to the store down the street, use cruise control while on the highway to maintain speed and prevent jamming the gas pedal then slamming on the brakes, take it easy while accelerating, combine short trips into one longer trip - vehicles are more energy efficient when the engine is warm
• Fix that leaky water faucet or toilet
• Turn off the heat dry function in your dishwasher
• Try to use heavy load appliances (dish washer, dryer, washing machine, etc) after 7PM when the overall demand on the electrical grid is low
• Invest in alternative energy sources; typically an option from your local utility company
• When shopping, purchase the most energy efficient product you can afford. Several rebates are available for items ranging from construction products to computers - check the Environmental Protection Agency's website. Also look for Federal Tax credits on items from cars to home improvements
  
• Get an energy audit on your home - contact your local utility, sometimes they provide these free of charge
• Use powerstrips to turn the power off to appliances and other electronic devices. "Phantom" power loads (the power used by an appliance when its switched OFF) can account for up to 5% of household electricity usage
• Consider a programmable thermostat to lower the heat while you're out
• Use cold water when doing the laundry
• Install low flow shower heads
• Only turn on the water as much as you need, don't run the water full blast to brush your teeth
• Support government candidates that encourage the Kyoto Protocol
• Turn lights off when not in use
  

This is a small list. With a little thought, everyone can come up with their own ideas to easily conserve energy. Replacing one light bulb in every home in the US with an Energy Star qualified bulb is environmentally equivalent to taking one million cars off the road for one year!