I would think that by now most of us know that the ways that we currently produce most of our energy cannot continue into the long term. Supplies of fossil fuels like oil and coal are finite…and polluting. Of course, a lot of that pollution comes from the burning of those fossil fuels, which effects our air quality – electricity production is the leading cause of industrial air pollution in the US. But did you know that it can also affect the quality of our water? Pollution resulting from driving eventually settles to the ground and is washed into our rivers and oceans as urban runoff. Due to this, reducing energy use is essential for both improved air and water quality.

Another concept that was relatively new to me was that of “vampire power”. If it sounds insidious, that’s because it is. I’d heard that you should unplug your charging devices (for your cell phone, for example) as they draw energy whether anything is charging or not. But what I didn’t know is that some electronic devices actually use MOST of their power while inactive. VCRs and DVD player draw 93% of their power while inactive! A simple cure: power strips (You thought I was going to say to unplug it, didn’t you?) By plugging all non-essential items into one strip, you can disable the power at the source without having to unplug each one individually. Much easier!

Power strips will certainly help, but there are three key ways to really reduce your energy usage:

1. Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Yes, you’ve heard this one before and you’re going to keep hearing it because lighting accounts for about 12 percent of home electricity use. Using CFLs will cut that by 75%, and save you money. Plus, once you’ve made the switch, you’re done! You can even determine your payback period at the Johnny Greenseed calculator.

2. Purchase green power or green power credits. Though you’ll likely pay a small premium for green power, these fees often go towards the development of additional renewable energy sources. Some energy providers, like Los Angeles’ LADWP, also give users free energy efficient products and services that help to offset additional costs. Purchasing credits, on the other hand, will help to “green up” the entire energy supply by adding renewable energy to the grid.

3. Pay attention to the heating and cooling of your home. This seems like a no-brainer, but incremental improvements can have a big effect. In the winter, each degree that the furnace is set above 68 degrees uses 3-5% more energy. Putting on a sweater is much cheaper.

So take a look at your home – where can you have the biggest impact on your energy usage? Simple changes can add up to big results.

This week, I began the Living Green Workshop, a six-week class developed and taught by a non-profit based in Santa Monica, CA called Sustainable Works. Though I write for Green Options and am active in the green community here, I figured I would still learn something. Boy howdy, did I!

The first class: water. An astounding 70% of Southern California’s water is transported in from other areas, mostly Northern California. Even more mind-blowing is that according to the Santa Monica Environmental Programs Division, one-third of the total energy consumed in California is used to move water around the state. So saving water also saves energy…I love the compounding effect of conservation!

The class also answered a question that had been floating around in my mind for years: if we use water, which is then treated and released back into the ecosystem, how can we not have enough? Doesn’t water evaporate from the ocean, then fall again as rain and snow? The answer makes perfect sense: yes, but with global warming (or "global weirding" as Paul Hawken calls it) water no longer falls when and where we need it. Instead of snowing in the mountains during the winter, it might rain in areas that used to be more arid. Case in point: Texas had record rainfall this summer. We are used to water "on demand," assuming that it will be where we need it, when we need it. That’s no longer an assumption that we can make.

So, most importantly, what should we do to save water? The top three tips:

1. Find and fix leaks: If knowing that a leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day doesn’t move you to fix that "running" toilet, think of the savings on your water bill.
2. Install low flow devices: The new generation of low flow shower heads won’t leave you with flat hair, a la Jerry Seinfeld. From aerators to low flow toilets, the improved versions are so good that you won’t notice a difference.
3. Eat less beef and other water-consuming foods: The facts here were a surprise to me. Here’s how much water it takes to produce a pound of different foods:

• Potatoes: 24 gallons
• Apples: 49 gallons
• Chicken: 815 gallons
• Pork: 1,630 gallons
• Beef: 5,214 gallons

Yes, you read that right: it takes 5,214 gallons of water to produce just one pound of beef. That’s the same amount of water used in six months’ worth of showers! Of course, cows don’t drink an inordinate amount of water; it just takes a lot of water to grow the corn that they eat.

In learning this, if you jump to the conclusion that we all need to become vegans to conserve water, first, take a breath. You don’t have to go all or nothing – consider going meatless for one day a week. Heck, even one meal can make a difference.

And that’s the overriding message from Sustainable Works: consider making small changes, and see what works for you and your family. Now that’s something that we can all do.

Photo credit: Texas Tech University, CASNR Water Center