Dear Co-op America Member,
This year's rising fuel costs are providing the added incentive that many people need to start cutting back on fossil fuel use for driving as well as home heating.

To help you and your family as you work to cut your energy bill and fuel use, we've put together this reminder of simple steps you can take to save money and reduce your environmental impact over the winter months.

And you can easily send this to all your friends and family members. They'll thank you for the helpful hints.

Turn it off. Make sure you turn off or unplug all appliances not in use, including computers, lights, and other electronics. According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Environment (ACEEE), home electronics and small household appliances that require direct current -- such as televisions, VCRs, answering machines, cordless telephones, stereos, and others -- can actually leak electricity when they're turned off. The average US household leaks 50 watts of power constantly, which adds up to around 400 kWh per year, says ACEEE. Get your children involved in energy saving by asking them to do an energy patrol of the house to make sure everything is turned off.

Turn it down. Put on a warm sweater and warm socks indoors and turn the thermostat down during the day. At night, put extra blankets on the bed.

Use cold water. According to the Alliance to Save Energy, about 16 percent of home energy use goes to heating water. Use cold water when you are washing clothes and only do full loads.

Invest in a Drying Rack. You can still line dry clothes during the winter months by investing in a drying rack. Check out the National Green Pages™.

Keep the furnace filters clean. Dirty filters block air flow and can reduce the lifespan of your furnace. Good preventative maintenance can save you money now and in the future.

Don't use incandescent lighting. Take the Five Light Bulb Challenge and replace the five oldest incandescent bulbs in your house with compact fluorescent bulbs. CFL's use about 2/3 the energy of incandescents. Then make a pledge to convert the rest of your incandescents to CFLs as needed.

Plug Leaks. If you haven't caulked and sealed leaky windows and doorways, now is the time to get started. Most hardware stores and home improvement centers carry a whole range products to make this task easier. One Co-op America staff person reports that applying a clear plastic film to her windows cut her home heating bill by 1/3. The most important place to stop energy loss is the attic. Soy-based and cellulose-based insulation have appeared on the market in recent years to replace fiberglass and other less-sustainable insulation options. Also, don't forget to wrap up the hot water heater.

Keep Walking. Though the cold weather can slow you down, bundle up and try to run as many errands under a mile as possible by foot. More than a quarter of US car trips are one mile or less, and 13.7 percent are a half-mile or less. Put on a good pair of weather-appropriate walking shoes and leave the car at home. Plus, it's a great way to keep the winter pounds from piling up, especially during the holiday season.

To learn more about energy saving tips and green energy options for home and office, click here.