Just living on this planet entitles us to be as efficient as possible. Sure, we could just wait and hope everything turns out OK, but if you had a list of things you could do to help Mother Earth just a little more, would you pay attention?

Here are 5 easy ways you can help your home become more efficient (in no particular order):

Go ENERGY STAR: This might seem like a no-brainer, but some households out there haven’t “chosen” ENERGY STAR-rated lights and appliances.

By that, I mean that many appliances nowadays come standard with the ENERGY STAR-compliant features. And lighting and appliances are easy and effective ways of jumping into the energy-saving fray, especially since appliances with the ENERGY STAR label can be up to 20 percent more efficient than those without.

Common WaterSense: This is plumbing’s answer to ENERGY STAR. From showerheads and toilets to bathroom faucets, these products meet WaterSense’s strict specifications by an EPA-licensed certifying body. That’s the long way of saying that plumbing fixtures with the WaterSense badge are guaranteed to save you water (and money) without sacrificing reliability and performance.

Go tankless: Tankless water heaters deserve as much attention as they can get. This environmentally friendly alternative to a standard tanked water heater is becoming more and more popular. Because, really, who wouldn’t prefer instant hot water over waiting for it, while water (and your metaphorical money) slips down the drain?

Use CFL bulbs: Even if your aged lighting fixture isn’t ENERGY STAR-rated, it could still accept a compact fluorescent light bulb.

Install attic ventilation: When your roof gets hot, that heat is transferred into your attic and, ultimately, your home. As nice as it feels to crank your air conditioner inside when it’s blazing hot outside, installing an attic fan can help you limit the amount of energy necessary to take your home down a few precious degrees.

As you can see, it’s easy to become efficient. All it takes is some research, planning and the desire to help preserve what we have.

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