Give your pocketbook and Mother Nature a gift this season by taking advantage of these simple, surprising ways to save energy and money. Put lamps in the corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light? It’s all about placement. When a lamp is placed in a corner, the light reflects off the adjoining walls, which makes the room lighter and brighter. Switch to a laptop: If you’re reading this article on a laptop, you’re using 1/3 less energy than if you’re reading this on a desktop. [...]

A popular trend in new homes today is preparing for the installation of a wall mount TV. In many cases these TV’s are pre-planned to be installed in Living Rooms and/or Family Rooms some are placed above a Gas Fireplace and some are just centered on a wall. Another area to consider installing a wall mount TV is in the Bedrooms.

Want your kids to pitch in and help save energy? Green parenting bloggers weigh in on getting kids to flip the switch and stop wasting energy. Kids have more important things to think about than turning off the lights. But discovering the lights blazing in an empty room for the umpteenth time is enough to make any parent scream, especially when the power bill arrives. The good news is, you can train your kids about the importance of saving energy right from the start. Here’s great advice from some of our favorite bloggers who know a thing or three about kids. [...]