Did you know one of the biggest energy hogs in your home might be lurking in the basement -- and it's something you're not even aware you have? It's called a furnace fan, and it's designed to circulate air through the ductwork system and into individual rooms throughout your house. It's such a big energy hog, it uses about 10 percent of your average household energy every year. If you're looking to make one money-saving change, look into installing an energy-efficient motor, which can cut the usage by as much as 60 percent.

Did you know aluminum foil can be recycled in your curbside recycling bin? It's the same material as soda cans, and it can be recycled forever. When recycling aluminum foil, cleanliness is key. If baked-on food is still on the foil, wipe it clean or tear off the messy part before throwing it in the bin. If a batch of recyclable aluminum has too much food contamination, often it has to be tossed instead of recycled. When in doubt, toss it out.

One of the biggest energy hogs at work or in your home office is your desktop computer. When buying a new computer, a laptop is more energy-efficient than a desktop. But for practicality, sometimes a desktop is the only choice that can work. One way to reduce the energy usage of a desktop computer is to be selective about the monitor size. By choosing a screen and then going down 2 inches, you reduce the energy consumption of the monitor by 30 percent. That's just one easy step to save energy -- and you'll hardly notice a difference.