Improving the world’s ecology and your own economy might be easier than many people realize. Right now, the Environmental Protection Agency reports the average U.S. household generates more than 40,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions a year.

And while homeowners overwhelmingly agree it’s important to reduce their effect on the environment, research by Ipsos Reid found nearly three-quarters of homeowners would only spend more money to make their homes environmentally friendly if they could make it back in savings.

Fortunately, saving money and reducing greenhouse gases can go hand in hand.

Here’s How
Here are five steps from InsulationSmart.com that families can take to go green while spending less on energy bills:

1. Replace 12 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 25-watt compact fluorescent bulbs to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 1,200 pounds and use up to 75 percent less electricity.

2. During the winter, turn down the furnace thermostat 10° to 15° F for eight hours. This will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 240 pounds and save up to 15 percent of your heating costs.

3. Replace an old air conditioner, furnace or boiler with an Energy Star model to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 3,000 pounds and save up to 15 percent in energy costs.

4. Replace a refrigerator that’s more than seven years old with an Energy Star model to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 500 pounds and reduce energy use and costs (vs. an older model) by up to 40 percent.

5. Install an insulation/air barrier system such as the kind created by Icynene. It will help reduce a home’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 4,000 pounds, if you heat by natural gas and up to 7,000 pounds if you heat with electricity, and save up to 50 percent in energy costs (based on an average monthly natural gas or electrical bill of $110).

Learn More
You can find more money-, energy- and environment-saving ideas at www.InsulationSmart.com.