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Fighting Eco-Villains at Home

Make a few tweaks around the house to cut costs, save energy, and steer clear of toxic chems.

• Turn down your water heater - if you have a tank water heater, you can set it as low as 120 degrees to save cash and energy (the hotter it's set, the more energy you spend keeping the temp up unnecessarily) - and you'll still get a hot shower and clean dishes.
• Keep your fridge efficient - packing it full, using glass containers to store food, and vacuuming the coils can all help it stay cold without sucking up a lot of power. Check out our video for the deets.
• ...And keep your fridge humming too - since you'll be cooking at home more often, trim a few bucks off your bill by skipping the preheat and turning it off a couple minutes before the recommended cooking time's up - neither one'll mess up your meal. And don't open the door while you're cooking.
• Make your own cleaners - check out our Cleaning Guide for how to make effective, nontoxic cleaning products using stuff you already have.