Here are some tips to make your home more eco-friendly:

Heating/Cooling
Seal up windows, gaps around air conditioners, and other cracks with some inexpensive products found at most hardware stores. Unroll "rope" caulk and press it into the gaps, or apply heat-shrinkable plastic sheeting to your gaps with double-sided tape and shrink it to fit with a hair dryer. This will keep the warm air in and the cool air out, saving energy and money on your heating bills.

Have your local utility company or contractor conduct an energy audit. Properly sized and maintained heating and cooling systems run most efficiently. Make sure that you have the right systems and are doing the most you can to save energy at home.

Have a professional perform a check-up on your heating equipment annually to ensure that it is working at peak efficiency.

Choose a natural gas heating system. A natural gas furnace can reduce your heating systems carbon emissions an average of 34%. And, a natural gas hydronic system cuts down on indoor allergens.

Water Heating/Water Conservation
Insulate your tank water heater with a water heater blanket if it is in a space such as your garage or attic that is not heated. Many hardware stores sell insulation kits for about $20. The extra insulation helps retain heat and save energy. You may also want to insulate any hot water lines that run from the water heater to the heated part of your home.

Save water with every flush. Put a plastic bottle in your toilet tank. In five minutes, you can save one or two gallons per flush! A small plastic juice bottle or laundry soap bottle works well. Soak off the label, fill the bottle with water, put on the cap, and place it in the tank. Be careful that the bottle doesn't interfere with the flushing mechanism.

Install a natural gas tankless water heater. With a tankless water heater, you only heat the water that you use which saves energy and money. And, gas water heaters give off an average of 58% fewer carbon emissions than electric ones.

General
Make sure you are always doing a full load – in the dishwasher and the washing machine.

Use natural gas in your home for cooking, water heating, home heating, drying clothes, and in your fireplace. Natural gas reduces your home’s carbon footprint an average of 46%.

Natural gas is a great choice for many appliances, but every home still needs electricity. Sign up to get cleaner electricity from wind, solar, natural gas and other sources. Check out the Green Power Network at the US Department of Energy, http://apps3.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/.