HOW TO GO GREEN IN 2009.

Going green and becoming more environmentally oriented is the right thing to do. And, it’s actually very simple. Here are the top tips from southern Nevada's leading conservation partners committed to helping residents of the Las Vegas valley to GO GREEN!
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FROM NEVADA POWER:

Change a light...or two
Use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) instead of incandescent ones. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy than the standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. They produce about 75 percent less heat, so they're safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with home cooling. They also save about $30 or more in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime.

Keep cool during the Summer
Do not turn your air conditioning off in the hot months when you're not home. Your house will store up the heat and you're likely to make the air conditioning run for hours to feel comfortable. Set your thermostat higher. For every degree the thermostat is set above 78 degrees, you can expect about a two percent energy savings on the air conditioning portion of your power bill. Close blinds and drapes and use your dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer as late in the evening as possible.

Stay warm in Winter
Set the thermostat to 68 degrees when home, and then back to 58 degrees when sleeping or when you are not home for more than four hours. For every degree that the thermostat is set below 68 percent you can expect about a two percent energy savings on the heating portion of your power bill. Open window coverings on the sunny side of your home to take advantage of "free heat from the sun." Make sure you close the coverings on cloudy days or right after the sun sets.

Recycle the refrigerator
That extra, less energy-efficient refrigerator that you keep in your garage could be the second highest consumer of energy after your air conditioner in the summer. If you don't know what to do with that old fridge in your garage, Nevada Power will pick it up for you for free. The best part is that you'll get $30 dollars for it. To participate, your refrigerator or freezer must be in working condition and has to be at least 10 cubic feet in size (no dorm-sized ones). You have to own the unit and there's a two-unit per address limit.