Energy efficiency is the smartest step towards dealing with global warming.
There are many ways that you as a private citizen can be part of the solution. Carpooling, using mass transit, bicycling, walking, buying a hybrid car, turning your thermostat down a degree in the winter, and up a degree in summer, turning off lights, insulation, etc. are all ways where YOU can both save money in the long run and save energy. They all make sense both for your budget AND for dealing with global warming. You should do all you can to do these things. But there is one that is such a no-brainer, that if you haven’t already done it, you are losing. The number one change you should have made at least 5 years ago is to switch your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs.
The one difficulty is that the initial cost is higher. You have to shell out more money when you buy a compact fluorescent bulb than when you buy a regular bulb. But…the overall savings are pretty big. For every regular bulb you replace with a compact fluorescent bulb, you save $35-$60 on energy bills over the life of EACH bulb (5-10 years depending on usage).
Read Global Warming Solutions: If You Haven’t Already Done This, You are Wasting Money ~ in mole333’s blog ~ April 29, 2007