When purchasing home electronics, such as a TV, VCR, DVD player or even a cordless telephone, look for products that are ENERGY STAR^® qualified.

Computers, printers, copiers, and fax machines consume a great deal of electricity, especially color monitors and laser printers. Turn these off when not in use and look for ENERGY STAR on any new computer equipment you purchase. You'll use far less energy.

Unplug it. Many home electronics and small appliances use energy as long as they're plugged in. So do rechargeable appliances even when they are fully charged, for example, a hand held vacuum. This is called "phantom load", and causes the average U.S. household to waste 50 kWh of power annually.