The fine print: New Power endorses neither self-righteousness nor a nagging tone. That said, remember: energy that is never used is the cheapest energy of all. The implication is: it takes energy to make energy. So you're doubling your money when you don't use it. So, DON'T WASTE IT! Train yourself to notice when you're wasting it. That said, almost everyone wastes it sometimes. One can never know the powerful forces at play in another's life, so to refrain from judging is perhaps the wisest use of energy of all....
Smart energy practices:
Insulate. Seal.

Two prongs of a single attack. It's hard to insulate well without sealing well.

 
ATTIC The attic is the easiest, gives the most bang for your buck and does the most good. Thermal resistance is measured in R's = Resistance to heat flow. Different kinds of insulation include:
How much you need depends on the climate location. 50 to 60 Rs, in northernmost reaches. That means 18 inches of cellulose. LOOSE FILL, or blown-in, or dense-pack cellulose. Fiberglass batts or blankets Spray Foam Rigid Foam
WALLS Rarely is your wall or attic the R value stated on the product, because the studs create "thermal bridging."
"Thermal bridging" makes a clean shot for the cold air to penetrate because it's a solid piece of wood instead of insulation. LOOSE FILL, or blown-in, or dense-pack cellulose. Fiberglass batts or blankets  
WINDOWS Weather strip. Peel-and-stick caulk. Foam gasketing on older casement windows. ...casement windows open out, like doors.
DOORS Weather strip. Bent-V Weatherstripping Door sweeps. You can find all this at the hardware store.

The next level choice is to replace old, worn out, leaky windows and doors, which entails a contractor or if you're lucky, some one that you know is good.

GAPS'n'CRACKS Depending on what's easy and cost-effective, insulating the foundation is not to be overlooked.

Foundation

 Caulk or Expanding Foam Concentrate on the perimeter of your basement from the inside and out. See any air? Fill it in. You are looking for openings in your "Thermal Envelope."

Attic

Caulk or Expanding Foam Seal penetrations to your thermal envelope - anything that goes in and out of your attic = soil stacks, chimney, wires, etc.

Walls, doors, windows

Caulk Seal all the edges from the outside.You can find a color to match your house.

Outlets

Gaskets and child protectors Talk about a thermal bridge! Put your hand in front of one of those on a cold winter night. You can buy gaskets at the hardware store. Turn the circuit off, take off the outlet plate and put the gasket in. The child protectors should be used for all outlets on outside walls. Unless you have children.

Next level choice: if you are re-siding your house, insulate with a layer of extruded polystyrene on the whole surface.

LIGHTING Compact fluorescents for existing fixtures. They've come a long way towards looking incandescent, last about 10 times as long, and are up to four times more efficient (using 50 to 80 percent less energy). Bear in mind that they're made with mercury, so don't use them in work shops where they could be broken and dispose of them properly. If you are building a new home think about sky lights and window location so that you can use more natural light.
HEATING How efficient is your heating system? It all depends on how well it burns fuel and what amount of BTUs are extracted. Boilers and forced air furnaces come in varying degrees of efficiency. If you're replacing one, consider an upgrade to the most effficient, a +90.
HOT WATER HEATER On-demand hot water. Next time you replace your hot water heater, this is the best choice. This way, you're not keeping water hot when it's not in use. 
"Get closest to the source." Don't use electricity when you can use gas.
Don't use gas when you can walk or ride a bike.
 
 
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