Think about it. Every dollar you save in your home and business is time you don’t have to spend earning that dollar. It’s time you can use for other purposes including quality time or, if you so choose, time to spend bringing in more income.

The theme of this issue is energy conversation and here are Ten Top ways to conserve energy and save both money, time, and the planet.

1. Change your bulbs. If asked, most people would say air conditioning uses the most energy in a household or business, but they’d be wrong. It’s lighting, accounting for upwards of 60% of the energy bill, month in and month out. The price of fluorescent bulbs has really plunged, and they use 10% of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. Make the switch – all at once or a few fixtures a month – and save. Or, better yet, switch to LED lights. They’re still very pricey but they use only 10% of the energy fluorescents use, and 1% of the energy used with incandescent bulbs.

2. Drive Electric. Did you know that the average motorist drives only 22 miles per day (although its probably a little higher here in SoCal where we love our cars)? Most families will need a combustion-engine car for many uses, such as long trips. But most households are two- and three-car families. Next time you buy a car, consider an all-electric car or a highbred car.

If one of your cars is used just around Ladera, purchase one of these increasingly popular NEV (neighborhood electric vehicle) cars. You save money and the environment, and have fun at the same time.

And there are substantial state and federal tax rebate programs for new electric car purchases.

3. Use fans. Except for the really hot, humid days, most SoCal days are rather balmy and tolerable without air conditioning.

Ladera isn’t on the ocean side of the 5, but we enjoy a cool ocean breeze that comes up the valley into the community and we should be taking advantage of that.

First, go without AC when the weather permits and give your body time to adjust.

Second, use fans to move air and increase comfort – ceiling fans (many Ladera homes are pre-wired), floor fans, table fans, and window fans.

And install an attic fan. Attics are like solar ovens. The sun bakes in the heat which is then radiated into our homes. Attic fans cost under $200 to have installed and they equalize the attic heat to the outside temperature.

Third, use timers on window fans or physically change the flow of air based on where the sun is at any given time. The object is to blow cooler air in or hot air out, especially at night.

AC takes so long to cool down a house when it’s first turned on because it is not just cooling down the hot air in the room, but also in everything else. The furniture, walls, and ceilings also absorb the hot air and the AC has to work that much harder to cool everything down.

Once you get a routine going, you’ll be amazed at how effective this can be.

4. Carpool. Think of it, by riding back and forth to work with one other person cuts your driving expenses and energy usage in half.

5. Ride the train. If possible, use the train to commute to work, or for excursions to points north and south. The Metrolink station is located off Crown Valley Parkway at 28200 Forbes Road (on the left just past the 5 and before Costco). Amtrak also provides service at this station. For schedules and routes, go to MetroLinkTrains.com and Amtrak.com.

6. Get tune-ups. Keep all of your operating equipment, not just your automobile, tuned up. This includes your heating and air conditioning systems, and your solar energy system if you have one. If these systems are out of kilter just a little bit, it can cost you hundreds a year and waste needless energy.

7. Think GreenSwitch. Did you know that many electrical devices draw standby power even when they’re not in use, accounting for 8-10% of your energy consumption?

For example, a phone charger uses 2 watts to charge your phone. It also uses 2 watts if the phone is still plugged in after the phone is fully charged. That same charger uses 1.5 watts when it is plugged in but not charging. Home entertainment systems use 28 watts when not being used.

You can run around and unplug these devices when you’re not using them, which will save you 20-40% of your electric bill. Or you can install a GreenSwitch wi-fi system for around $1,500 that will turn off all the designated devices at the flip of a switch. The manufacturer says the cost of the system will be recovered in 1 or 2 years. You can check it out at www.greenswitch.tv.

8. Use the Summer Saver Program. San Diego Gas & Electric will give you a rebate for allowing it to turn your air conditioning off for brief periods to conserve energy during peak demand periods. It offers several different programs at different savings levels. Check it out at www.summersaverprogram.com.

9. Go plastic. It’s a bit pricey, but artificial grass offers huge water conservation benefits, and you don’t have to cut it, fertilize it, or maintain it in any way. There are some restrictions in use in front yards where there is no delineation between your lawn and your neighbor’s lawn, but it can be used in most walled-in backyards, and many artificial lawns can’t be told from real grass. Be sure to get architectural approval before purchasing it.

10. Go solar. Homes in Terramore came with solar energy. But for the rest of us, it’s an after market expense and, despite myriad state and federal tax rebates and other incentives, it’s still a pricey investment.

But there are many applications and technologies, including lower priced system for pools and hot water heaters. Despite the costs, which should be coming down as sales volume goes up, there are many advantages to using solar energy, including the fact that the sun which hits the roof and heats up our houses will be absorbed by the solar panels and help cool the house even further. Check out "Akeena Solar."