We have all heard the basic ways to save energy, turn off the lights when leaving a room, shut down your computer when you’re not using it, etc.

So, what do you do if you are already a typical energy conserver and you want to do more? As college studenta most of us aren’t ready to buy our first Energy Star washer and dryer or insulate our living spaces; but we still have other options to help reduce the energy we use. Here are five easy ways to do more in the effort waste less.

1. As winter approaches, it is important to make sure that your thermostat is working correctly. If your thermostat is not, you could be overheating your home and wasting money. Also, every degree above 68 F can add up to three percent more energy needed to heat your house. If you have the cash, opt for a thermostat that can be programmed to adjust the temperature when you are asleep or away.

2. Everyone goes to the bathroom at least once a day, and with every flush you use anywhere from 1.3 gallons to 4 gallons of water. With the help of a plastic water bottle filled with rocks, you can save some of that water. According to the book Green Chic by Christie Matheson, adding a 16.9 oz
water bottle filled with rocks in your toilet tank you could save 16.9 gallons of water with 10 flushes. This works because the float value in the tank (the floating thing) monitors how much water is in the tank and stops filling up once it has reached the top. With the bottle in place, you are displacing
water so that you will not need as much.

3. Some lamps have two or more sockets for light bulbs. Instead of filling each socket, use just one higher wattage bulb rather than multiple smaller wattage bulbs. Four 25W bulbs do not equal the light a 100W bulb does; so just use a 100W bulb. If you can, replace the incandescent bulb with a compact
fluorescent one. A 25W compact fluorescent bulb is as bright as a 100W incandescent bulb.

4. Using a dryer 10 times a week can indirectly create more than 800 pounds of CO2. Not everything that is washed needs to go in the dryer. Invest in a sturdy drying rack. Not only does this save energy, but your room will smell like clean laundry.

5. Everyone has heard this before, but it’s no urban legend: make sure to unplug electronics or appliances when they are not in use. Use a power strip and all you will have to do is flip the switch when you want to turn all your electronics off. It may seem as though there is not much energy being wasted, but if everyone did this, a lot of energy would be conserved. Still searching for more ways to save energy? Join the Minnesota Energy Challenge. It takes five minutes to sign up-and once you do-the money and energy you save is added to the state’s total!