At Classic Cozy, we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for our customers, but we also work towards creating a better world for tomorrow. That’s why we deliver home performance with Energy Star. We believe that being green and cutting costs go hand in hand, so here are a few easy tips anyone can follow today to start conserving energy and saving money.

1) Turn down the heating
About 47 percent of the average household's annual energy bills stem from heating and cooling. By being proactive with your thermostat, you can dramatically cut this number down, saving yourself money and conserving valuable energy. Purchase a programmable thermostat that turns the temperature down during hours when no one is home.

According to the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, by turning your home's heating down by 2 degrees in the winter and up by 2 degrees in the summer you can save around 900 kilos of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

Savings: A programmable thermostat starts about $30 and produces an annual savings of about $100.

2) Unplug un-used appliances
According to the University of Strathclyde in the UK, the average household will use 525 kilowatts per year to keep equipment in stand-by mode. Appliances use as much as 75 percent of their electricity while they're turned off. The solution is simple: unplug appliances when you aren’t using them.

Savings: The Ohio Consumers Council estimates that unplugging unused appliances can save households $40 to $100 a year on electricity bills.

3) Switch to CFLS (lightbulbs)
You will be pleasantly surprised to learn how much energy and money simply switching light bulbs can save you. Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. They are more expensive than traditional light bulbs, but it only takes 3 months to make up for the higher sticker price in energy savings.

Savings: You will save $85 over the life of the bulb for each 60-watt light bulb you replace with a 15-watt CFL. You'll also save 543 kWh of electricity and reduce your CO2 emissions by 833 pounds.

4) Insulate your home properly
Properly insulating your home is absolutely essential to reducing wasted heat in homes and the amount of energy needed to heat them. Weather-sealed windows are also important, just as much for homes that need air-conditioning as heating.

Savings: According to CNN, the average American home that has proper weather striped doorways and windows can save 770 kilos of carbon dioxide and $274 per year. (Source: stopglobalwarming.org)

5) Switch to cold water for your washes
According to the U.S Department of Energy, almost 90 percent of the energy used to wash clothes goes towards heating the water. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water, instead of hot, using a detergent formulated for cold-water use.

Savings: Turning the dial from hot to warm will cut your energy use by 50 percent per load, and save you up to $63 a year, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.

6) Don't wash dishes by hand
Believe or not, using your dishwasher actually saves energy and money. A study by the University of Bonn, in Germany found that a fully loaded dishwasher uses only half the energy and one-sixth of the water than hand washing the identical set of dirty dishes. Just remember to wait for full loads.