ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2005 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 23 million cars — all while saving $12 billion on their utility bills.

Want to know how you can save with ENERGY STAR products? Use this calculator to see how much you can save by just changing a few light bulbs. Stop by the store today to see our wide variety of fluorescent lights.

Lighting Cost Calculator
Here's a great tool for calculating how much YOU can save just by changing over your lightbulbs to an energy efficient compact fluorescent light. Light Savings Calculator

Residential No & Low Cost Tips-Save Money on Your Energy Bill!
Here are some helpful tips from energyhog.org on how to save on your utility bills.

For the Home

Energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill
with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features,
style or comfort. ENERGY STAR helps you make the energy efficient choice.

• If looking for new household products, look for ones that have earned the
  ENERGY STAR. They meet strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA
  and US Department of Energy.

• If looking for a new home, look for one that has earned the ENERGY STAR.

• If looking to make larger improvements to your home, EPA offers tools and
  resources to help you plan and undertake projects to reduce your energy
  bills and improve home comfort.

Here's Some Tips from Energy Star on how to save on your home energy bills.

Heating and Cooling:

1: Maintain your heating/cooling equipment. Arrange for an annual tune-up. Replace air filters monthly for more efficient operation of the unit.

2: Use a programmable thermostat that adjusts the temperature of your home while you're away. You can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10-15% for 8 hours, when you're not at home or overnight. Also, consider a water heater timer that reduces energy consumption during non-peak usage times.

3: Seal ducts, air leaks and add insulation. Leaky ducts can increase the overall efficiency of your heating and cooling systems by as much as 20%
-If you use duct tape to repair and seal your ducts, look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) logo to avoid tape that degrades, cracks and loses its bond with age. Use a high R-value insulation in the attic, the easiest and most cost effective way to insulate your home. (Per the U.S. DOE, most US homes should have between R-19 and R-49 insulation in the attic.)

4: For homes with single pane windows, install exterior or interior storm windows. Weatherize drafty windows with a heat set shrink-to-fit film. Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty even after weatherizing.

5: Replace old heating equipment with new high-efficiency models.

6: Consider a more efficient ceiling fan. Run ceiling fan in a clockwise motion in cooler months to better distribute heat within a room.

7: Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans wisely; in just 1 hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cool air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.

8: Consider replacing your air conditioning system if more than 7 years old. Look for the Energy Star label when you buy and use 20% less energy than a standard model.

9: Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting or draperies.

10: Close an unoccupied room that is isolated from the rest of the house, such as in a corner, and turn down the thermostat. CAUTION: If you heat your house with a heat pump, do not close the vents-closing the vents could harm the heat pump. Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.

11: In occupied rooms, set a vent diverter to direct forced air INTO the room rather than up the wall or under draperies.

12: Keep your fireplace damper closed unless fire is going. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a 48" window wide open during the winter.
-If you NEVER use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney.

Water:
13: Insulate exposed pipes and hot water heaters. Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 115F degrees. Drain a quart of water from your tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater.

14: Reduce the length of your family's showers and install low-flow showerheads and aerators in faucets.

Lighting:
15: Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the fastest ways to decrease your energy bills. If you replace
25% of your incandescent light bulbs in high-use areas with fluorescents, you can save about 50% on your lighting energy bill. Switch to lighting products that have earned the Energy Star designation. Energy Star qualified light bulbs are 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs.

16: Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.

Large Appliances:
17: Upgrade your refrigerator if 10 years or older. New Energy Star models use HALF the energy of a 10 year old conventional model.
NOTE: A full refrigerator or freezer operates more efficiently than a partially full one. Fill empty spaces with water filled milk jugs or empty cardboard boxes.

18: Clothes washers use energy to both clean clothes and heat water, so save on energy costs by washing your clothes in cold water. Run your washer, dryer and dishwasher only with a FULL load. Energy Star qualified washers use 50% less water and 70% less energy per load.

19: Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked. Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.

20: Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with rigid corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi rigid metal duct with provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.