From the smallest efforts – turning off the lights, recycling or unplugging unused appliances – to the larger ones, such as installing new windows or investing in a geothermal heating system, people everywhere are reaping and celebrating the benefits of environmentally-friendly practices.

Here are five quick and easy tips:
• Install aerators on all of your faucets. The mesh screens break up water droplets and allow less water use without compromising stream power. While greening the faucets, install a re-circulating pump under the sink. It will recycle water and direct it back to the water heater. Once the water gets hot, the pump shuts off, so you get hot water instantly without having to waste while you wait.
• Install a programmable thermostat. Few upgrades around the home pay for themselves as quickly as this device, which automatically adjusts your heating and air-conditioning systems based on your schedule. Turn the temperature down when you’re at work and back up in the morning. Every degree lowered in eight hours can cut energy use by about 1 percent, which adds up to a big savings.
• Install a ceiling fan. Fans circulate both hot and cool air, saving energy and providing comfort. Buy an Energy Star-rated fan and make sure it’s turned off when not in use. Many fans come with an occupancy sensor switch to turn themselves on and off when no one not in the room.
• Replace appliances – refrigerators, washers/dryers and dishwashers – with Energy Star versions. You’ll save money by reducing energy and water usage, and will also reduce greenhouse gas production. Fill up your dishwasher as full as possible and only wash dishes in the sink that can’t be washed in the dishwasher.
• Insulate everything. Insulating your ceiling and walls will cut your energy bills dramatically, and will make the house more comfortable throughout the year. Make sure your windows aren’t leaking air; use weather-stripping or caulk. Finally, insulate your hot water pipes wherever you can by encasing them in rubber or polyethylene foam tubes. This doubles the water’s cool-down time so you aren’t forced to re-heat it as often.