April is a month dedicated to the earth; the United States observes National Garden Month and Keep America Beautiful Month, as well as, Earth Day on April 22nd.  Earth Day is meant to make us aware of what we can do to further the health of our home!  Little do we know or consider is that making "greener" choices, however inconvenient they seem, can save not only our planet, but our wallets too!  Energy efficiency not only improves the health of our planet, but the health of our homes by getting the most use out of each unit of energy we purchase, using this energy wisely, and eliminating the ways our home wastes energy.
We benefit from energy efficiency, because it makes our homes more comfortable and safer.

In some areas, like Houston, watering the yard can account for up to 50% of your home's total water use in the summer months!  Learning to use less water outside can make a big impact on your bills.  You can save thousands of gallons of water by following these simple steps.

Sprinklers These garden aides can use up to 260 gallons of water per hour!  To save on some of that water try to:

• Check your aim; the sidewalk doesn't need a bath!  Make sure you are making every effort to only water your lawn.
• Use a drip hose instead of a sprinkler to assure the water is hitting the roots and not the tops of the plants.
• Early Birds or Night Owls only...don't water in the middle of the day when its hottest (between 10 and 3).  Try early morning or evening hours where the water will saturate more before it evaporates.
• Plan ahead and check the weather forecast.  If there's a strong chance of rain, forego the watering and let mother nature do the work.
• If you have an irrigation system, get a timer or shutoff device.

Here are some other outdoor energy tips:

• Let the grass grow a bit longer.  The longer the grass, the less water it loses to evaporation, and the less watering you need to do!
• Use a shut-off nozzle when watering.  If you water plants with a hose, this will prevent water loss.
• Plant trees that lose leaves on your home's South side, because it will protect your home from the summer sun and the bare trees in the winter will allow sun to enter the home.
• Be smarter about your outdoor lighting. You can save money on your energy bills and make your home a little safer by installing a motion sensitive light.
• Put a little muscle into cleaning up the curb appeal.  Instead of hosing down the driveway or sidewalks after doing lawn work, pull out the broom; you can burn some calories and save on water.
• Use drought-resistant or native plants in your landscaping.  These tough guys will withstand the harsher conditions and use less than half the water of the traditional annuals landscaping.
• Pull out the bucket if you wash your car.  Paired with a shut-off nozzle, you will save a ton of water!