With the increase of environmental awareness, it is becoming more and more obvious that there are things we can do to make a difference. If everyone would take just a few small steps, make a few different choices, and think about their impact on the world, there might be a way to restore the world to its original beauty and resources.

Statistics show that America has the world's fourth largest population and is:

#1 for CO2 emissions

#1 for CO2 emissions from fossil fuels 2000 (per capita)

#1 for electricity consumption

#1 for nuclear energy consumption

#1 for oil imports

#1 for total energy usage per person

#1 for nuclear waste pollution

So what can YOU do to help?

1. Letting sunlight in by opening curtains, blinds and shades over windows facing the sun helps keep your home warm and reduces heating needs. At night or when the sky is overcast, keeping drapes and curtains closed will help keep the warmth indoors.

2. Dry air makes you feel colder than moist air at the same temperature. Maintaining home humidity will produce personal comfort at a lower thermostat setting and save money. Shallow pans of water near radiator tops or near warm air vents, or a room humidifier, will help raise humidity levels.

3. Fans can make your air conditioner's job easier while saving you money. Pedestal and ceiling fans improve the air circulation in your home, allowing you to raise the air conditioner's thermostat. In moderate heat, fans can sometimes completely replace air conditioners. Ceiling fans use only about one tenth the electricity of a typical home air conditioner.

4. The water heater is the second largest energy consumer in the home and using it efficiently can add up to big savings. For families with an automatic dishwasher, the hot water heater setting can safely be lowered to 130-140 degrees. If the automatic dishwasher has a water temperature booster, the water heater temperature can be set to 110-120 degrees. If your house will be vacant for two or more days, you can lower the temperature of your water heater even more until you return. If you have a new water heater, drain a few gallons from your tank every six months to remove sediment that accumulates and reduces the heater's efficiency. If you only use your hot water once or twice a day, you may consider installing a timer on your hot water heater and set it up to run two hours in the morning and the evening.

5. Like other appliances that heat and cool, refrigerators are big energy users. If your refrigerator door does not shut tightly, check the door seal to see if it needs to be cleaned or replaced. A door leak allows cool air to escape, forcing your refrigerator to use more energy to keep food cold.

6. Convert your home to Solar. Solar Energy up until now has been very expensive and difficult to maintain. Now there is a way to convert your home to solar without the up front investment.

Start doing your part to help our delicate earth.

Eliminate as much as 445 tons of CO2, 2123 lbs of NOx, 3785 lbs of SO2, 80 lbs of PM, 23 lbs of VOC, and 146 lbs of CO. That is equivalent to taking approximately, 78 automobiles off of the road, or planting 1304 trees.

Each one of us has a responsibility to take care of our home. The Earth. Let's do our part so our children can enjoy it to.

Go to www.thinksolarsolution.com to see how you can become part of the solution by going solar with NO upfront investment, NO hassles and No maintenance fees