On incredibly hot days, it’s imperative to do everything possible to keep things cool inside without using energy-guzzling air conditioners. One of the easiest ways to keep things cool is to turn appliances off in the kitchen. Using ovens and ranges in the kitchen can raise the indoor air temperature as much as 10 degrees. The easiest solution? Fire up the backyard grill and cook outdoors. You can also replace heat-generating incandescent lightbulbs with cool LED ones inside; they give a bright light output without creating any heat.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Yes, it really matters for the bottom line when you open and close a refrigerator at home. Lingering in front of an open refrigerator to decide what to eat or drink wastes energy. A refrigerator accounts for about one-sixth of your home’s total energy use, and idling with the door open can waste as much as $60 every year. The solution is easy: Don’t open the fridge and stare. When it’s time to buy a new fridge, invest in an energy-efficient model with a secondary opening door; the smaller door helps you grab frequently used items without opening the entire refrigerator.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

According to the World Wildlife Fund, one of the simplest ways to save energy and reduce carbon emissions is to think small when cooking a meal at home. When you turn on an electric oven, an hour of baking or roasting produces almost 3 pounds of CO2 emissions. When you downgrade to a small countertop toaster oven, that number is cut in half, to 1.3 pounds of emissions. Even better? Reheating last night’s meal in the microwave releases a tiny 0.5 pound of CO2 emissions.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION