The concept is well-known these days. There are appliances that use a standard amount of electricity or fuel for their operation, and then there are those that use less. A compact fluorescent light bulb will use about 11-15 watts to produce the same 900 lumens of light a 60-watt incandescent light bulb uses.

Dishwashers that qualify for the Energy Star(R) distinction use at least 41 percent less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption by regular models.

Purchasing an energy-efficient appliance or light bulb is as easy as looking for the Energy Star(R) sticker, but you don't have to stop there. A home can be made more energy efficient in relatively easy and passive ways as well.

Choosing white shingles with a high reflective quality for your new roof can reduce solar gain and cut cooling costs in the summer. Low-e or triple-paned windows can help keep a home well insulated and lower the burden on your furnace. Installing motion sensors instead of light switches for external lights can save enough electricity, and therefore money, that they can pay for themselves within a matter of months.

Getting a home to be more energy efficient could be as simple as maintaining weather stripping around entry doors, but to really get to the next level of energy savings, ambitious do-it-yourselfers set their sights higher.