Set sprinklers to water the lawn or garden only - not the street or sidewalk.
Use the microwave to cook small meals. (It uses less power than an oven.)
Purchase "Green Power" for your home's electricity. (Contact your power supplier to see where and if it is available.)
Scrape, rather than rinse, dishes before loading into the dishwasher; wash only full loads.
Cut back on air conditioning and heating use if you can.
Turn off appliances and lights when you leave the room.
SACRAMENTO — California will become the first state in the nation to require new homes and businesses to be energy efficient.
The California Building Standards Commission unanimously voted to adopt the green building code Thursday.
Commission chairwoman Rosario Marin says the energy and water efficiency standards will help the state cut its greenhouse gas emissions.
The rules are voluntary for now, but become mandatory in 2010. They also apply to new hospitals and schools.
Craig Noble, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, says the standards are a good step but could be tougher.
He says about 75 California cities and counties already have more stringent green standards.
