When using your oven to cook dinner, use a few simple tips to make your energy usage as efficient as possible. First, make sure your cookware is flat-bottomed; warped cookware can have reduced surface space and use up to 50 percent more energy to heat up than flat-bottomed pans. Also, copper-bottomed pans heat up faster than others, which can help save energy. If you bake in a glass or ceramic dish, you can actually set your oven 25 degrees cooler than the recipe suggests, since these dishes are better at conducting heat.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Here’s a simple way to improve your car’s efficiency in less than a minute per month. Low pressure in your car’s tires can decrease your fuel efficiency by about 3 percent. A simple pressure gauge can read your tire’s pressure, and your owner’s manual will tell you what pressure your car’s manufacturer recommends. Usually, your tire pressure will be just fine. But every few months you’ll need to add a little air, which you can do from an air pump at the gas station the next time you fill up.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

When filling up at the gas station, avoid the temptation to “top off” the fuel tank when the pump automatically clicks off to indicate that your tank is full. Many of us top off to round up a gas purchase to the closest dollar, but you risk overfilling your tank and spilling gas. In the summer months, the heat can turn spilled gas into vapor, creating airborne chemicals like benzene. These contaminants pollute the air and can end up in your respiratory system.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION