How will you participate in the fourth annual Energy Efficiency Day on October 2? With tips, resources and ideas to host your own event (energy treasure hunt, anyone?), Energy Efficiency Day is a great day to have conversations and learn more about energy efficiency.

Here are some ways to take action:

• Look at your lighting. Switching from traditional incandescent light bulbs to ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs is the easiest and most affordable way for you to reduce your electricity costs. The average U.S. household has around 50 light bulbs, so that undertaking might sound difficult, but a good place to start is by replacing your five most-used bulbs with ENERGY STAR® LEDs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners who replace their five most frequently used light fixtures can save $75 each year. The five most frequently used bulbs are usually in the kitchen, family or living room, bathroom or entryway.
• Order a free Energy Saver Kit with energy-saving products tailored to your home, such as LEDs and efficient showerheads and faucet aerators.
• Make small changes. Energy Trust offers no- and low-cost tips to help homeowners and renters increase the comfort of their homes while saving energy and cutting costs. These are easy changes you can make today, from checking for toilet and faucet leaks to cleaning furnace filters.
• Tell your family, friends and colleagues. Check out the Energy Efficiency Day social media kit, with a logo and ready-made Tweets and Facebook posts.
• Invest in upgrades. If you want to make a larger investment and reap even more energy and cost savings, Energy Trust offers cash incentives to help make energy-efficient upgrades more affordable to Oregon residential and business customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista. Fall is a great time to consider upgrading your heating system, insulation or windows to keep your house cozy in winter while cutting energy costs. Find the full list of incentives for residential energy-efficient upgrades here.