It takes unimaginable amounts of energy to power the United States, and the needs is constantly growing. As global warming and fuel crises gain more and more public attention, people everywhere are now looking for ways to live a greener lifestyle. But this doesn't mean rebuilding your home to run on solar energy, or overhauling your current lifestyle. There are plenty of small, simple things you can do every day to help reduce your household's energy consumption (and even waste). Here are five effective changes you can make right now.

1.Turn Off the Lights
We've all heard this a million times, whether in the midst of an energy crisis or not. But that doesn't make it any less true. By turning off the lights when you leave a room, or simply using one light instead of several, you can save big bucks on your electric bill over time. Plus, you'll cut back on a lot of wasted energy by using it more sparingly. Also, installing lower wattage bulbs not only reduce energy use, they also typically last longer, meaning you'll save money on your shopping bills, too.

2.Check Your Insulation
Poor insulation can cost you big time in wasted energy. Year round, insulation works to keep your house cool or warm, depending on the season. If you have poor quality insulation, or if it's old and losing effectiveness, you could be wasting not only an incredible amount of energy, but you could also be significantly overspending on your electricity bills. Just like it doesn't make sense to leave the air conditioner on with the windows open, heating or cooling a house with poor insulation is both wasteful and ineffective (and frankly, kind of silly).

3.Fix Leaks
Drip, drip, drip. Leaky faucets are huge water wasters, particularly because people often think of a leak as a small problem how much water can really be wasted by a tiny drip? Well, you'd be surprised. Just plug the sink or tub for a day and see how quickly that drip, drip, drip fills it up. If you spot a leak, fix it as quickly as possible (you may even be able to do it yourself, if you catch it early enough). Not only is it the responsible thing to do for the environment, it's the responsible thing to do for your budget, too.

4.Consolidate Wash Loads
Washing machines and dishwashers use an incredible amount of water, so next time you're going to do a load of laundry or dishes, make sure you have enough things that need cleaning to fill the load and maximize your water and power usage. If there are only a few dirty plates or clothes, either wait until you have more to do, or simply wash what you need by hand.

5.Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle
Being conscientious about your household's waste is the first step toward a greater environmental awareness. There are lots of ways to cut back on waste: eat leftovers; use old rags for cleaning instead of paper towels; recycle bottles, cans and paper products the list goes on and on. And always donate unwanted items instead of throwing them away you'll not only be helping the environment, you'll also be helping someone in need.

Ki is a real estate broker working in the Austin real estate market. His site has a map based search of the Austin MLS along with a free mortgage calculator.

One of the most beautiful and unique attractions Austin has is Hamilton Pool Preserve, located just a half an hour out of the city, in the gorgeous Hill Country. The historic swimming area and its surrounding grounds were designated a preserve by the Travis County Commissioner's Court in 1990, and this idyllic, untainted spot is like an oasis, offering an accessible get-away from the hustle and bustle of the city. With 232 acres of nature preserve, the emphasis is on preservation of natural habitats, and environmental education, but the crown jewel is the pool and grotto.

Formed from the collapse of an underground river thousands of years ago, and the natural erosion since, Hamilton pool is a classic swimming hole, with the added spectacle of a fifty-foot waterfall. Hamilton Creek causes the spill, over limestone outcroppings, to create the waterfall, streaming down to the pool. One of the nicest naturally occurring benefits of Hamilton pool is that it is covered by a half dome-shaped ledge below the falls, providing cool shade for a refreshing dip. The pool leads into a brook that eventually feeds into the Pedernales River. Although the waterfall can deplete in times of drought, the water level of the pool stays fairly constant, making this a year-round destination in the warm environs of Central Texas. Water quality is gauged, and swimming is permitted only when the water quality meets safety standards. Updated information is posted at the entrance booth and provided on the park's telephone recorder message (512-264-2740).

Nature lovers will appreciate the lush plant communities, the diversity of wildlife species, and the natural shelter that attracted the area's first inhabitants over 8,000 years ago. The hike from the parking lot to the pool is about .5-miles round-trip; the hike along the creek from the pool to the river is about .75 miles, or for those who don’t stop to swim, 1.25 miles round-trip from the parking lot. A great variety of birds can be viewed, including the Golden-Cheeked Warbler, and in addition to the juniper and oak savannah, and the variety of native grasses and wildflowers, several rare plant species including canyon mock-orange, red bay, and chatter box orchid have been spotted in the canyon areas along Hamilton Creek.

Because this is a preserve, care must be taken not to disturb the ecosystem unduly, and therefore, no pets are allowed. A maximum of 75 cars are admitted, and should the number of visitors exceed this amount, cars will be held at the gate, and as visitors leave, new ones will be admitted.

Although no camping is allowed, Hamilton Preserve is close enough to make a day trip easy, and offers enough to make return trips essential. Visitors are welcome to participate in nature study, picnicking and hiking their many trails, and groups can inquire about naturalist-led programs on environmental education and nature study.

Ki helps investors looking for properties in the Austin Texas real estate market. His site provides a free graphical search of the Austin MLS along with market updates on his blog about Austin real estate.

Do you love the beauty and color of flowers but cringe at the thought of the maintenance required for their upkeep? If your colorful blooms have a tendency to turn brown and crunchy from neglect in the hot Austin sun, there may be some flowers made just for you. Flora native or adapted to the Austin area thrive where others perish, resisting drought, pests and other hazards. Just choose your plants wisely and you can have fabulous landscaping for your property with little work.

There are many benefits to growing native plants. In addition to saving on water and fertilizer you save on time by choosing plants that thrive in the unique climate of Austin Texas. Your gardening is also more enjoyable when you are not fighting mother nature in an attempt to grow plants that are not suited to the Texas Climate. It is also nice to help maintain the original ecosystem of your locale by promoting local plants and flowers.

Perennials are an essential part of a vibrant landscape, and a beautiful choice for any Texas flowerbed is Cedar Sage. A shade lover, Cedar Sage has bright red spiky flowers that bloom spring through summer and can bring a pop of color to an otherwise gloomy spot in your yard. Sage comes in several other varieties, too, including Majestic Sage, Mealy Blue Sage and Mexican Sage bush—all of which produce beautiful flowers and require very little water, just like Cedar Sage.

Trailing Lantana is another great choice, especially when used as a ground cover. It is very tolerant of poor conditions, highly drought resistant, and its lavender flowers are very attractive to butterflies.

Purple Cone Flowers, also know as Echinacea, require a little more water than the previous plants, but they are nonetheless exceptional specimens for an Austin garden. These daisy-like flowers are a Texas native and produce violet or white blooms. Preferring sun or partial shade, they can be planted almost anywhere.

Mexican Honeysuckle is another low-water plant. It displays its orange flowers spring to frost, attracting hummingbirds with its sweet smell. It only requires an occasional pruning to encourage full growth.

Ornamental grasses are another option for sprucing up your landscape, and there are many hardy varieties to choose from, such as Big Muhly, Little Bluestem and Dwarf Fountain Grass. Some grasses can be quite invasive, so be careful where you plant them, because they will thrive and take over.

These are only a few of the many ideal plants for your Texas landscape. There are a multitude of choices available out there, so next time you go to a nursery, make sure you do your homework first or ask the people running the nursery which plants and flowers are native to Texas. The city of Austin has worked to promote a green and environmentally friendly city. The city of Austin has a Grow Green plant list featuring native and adapted landscape plants that thrive in Texas. By planting smart you can save water, fertilizer and time.

Ki works as a realtor in the central Austin real estate market helping individuals looking for homes as well as investors looking for cashflow properties. His site provides a free search of the Austin MLS along with a blog covering news and statistics on the Austin Texas real estate market.

Canopy. That’s a great word and a comforting thought when shade is what you need on a hot day. When it’s canopy provided by trees, the word and the comfort loom refreshingly larger in the mind of any summer sun-smitten shade seeker. No man made shade offers quite the appeal of the dark and dappled shade of a live oak tree on a sun-baked lawn.

Austin has a rich urban canopy and, although trees can cause problems with utility lines above ground and roots that break sewer and water lines below, their benefit to the community is undisputable. There are more than 100 species of Hill Country trees and they provide a satisfying and soothing aesthetic component to the urban landscape-basically by hiding it! They also provide significant savings to the city and its residents by reducing air pollution and storm water runoff and by saving electricity by shading homes and businesses which consequently use less power for cooling.

Austin’s urban forest and hilly terrain work together to provide city dwellers with a feeling that they are never far from the country. Many home and business owners in the city incorporate these environmental features into the design of their dwellings and buildings to preserve and accentuate the illusion of an out-of-city experience. Of course, the increased seclusion, privacy and noise reduction afforded by such natural barriers are far from illusory, and provide welcome relief from the expanses of concrete and asphalt that assail the senses in most other cities in Texas and, indeed, in some parts of Austin itself.

The thick woods, green hills and spring-fed streams that grace the area have attracted people to the area since way before the arrival of Europeans and their descendants. For hundreds of years, nomadic indigenous tribes such as the Tonkawa, Comanche and Kiowa Apaches visited the area, attracted by plentiful water, abundant game and reliable campsites along the creeks and streams. It’s easy to imagine that these people also appreciated the shade of the thickly forested hills.

The first European/American settlers founded a series of small towns along the banks of the Colorado River here. One was called Waterloo. Mirabeau B. Lamar, one of the presidents of the Republic of Texas discovered the area during a buffalo hunt and was so impressed by its beauty and its resources that he decided it should become the capital of the new republic. Despite stiff opposition from many people, including Sam Houston, Lamar prevailed and renamed Waterloo Austin, after Stephen F. Austin, the Father of Texas.

That beauty and those resources have attracted people to Austin ever since and have inspired its residents to preserve it so that it can continue to be enjoyed. The city has more than 16,000 acres of parkland in more than 200 parks, 12 preserves and 26 greenbelts. The Town Lake Corridor offers hiking and biking trails that draw thousands of residents daily to enjoy the natural beauty that the setting along the river bank affords.

Zilker park is another hugely popular green area that attracts tens of thousands of visitors, especially those who come in the summer to escape the heat in the ice cold waters of the Barton Springs pool.

The trees preserved in this extensive park system and in the older neighborhoods of Austin are important to the quality of life that this city has been recognized and honored for. As the city and private groups and foundations continue to support the preservation of old trees and the planting of new ones, its urban canopy will continue to grow and provide shade for generations to come.

Escapeso Realty operates in the Austin real estate market. Their site provides information about current mortgage interest rates along with a free search of the Austin MLS.

The headlines this month have been taken by the most insidious of America's vices: black gold. Oil futures are now projected to exceed $100 a barrel until 2016, and continue to sit comfortably near the $115-120 a barrel mark. Many different causes have been blamed for rising prices at the pump, ranging from massive speculation to supply instability in some oil-producing nations. However, one factor must surely be worrisome to most every American: oil companies haven't been getting enough of the stuff out of the ground.

Exxon Mobil's $11 billion quarterly profit disappointed Wall Street and investors alike, their shares falling 4 percent on May 1st. The largest oil company in the US has seen stagnant margins in most quarters since 2005 without being able to increase production. In fact, their overall production fell 10 percent. Demand in the US has also contracted 2 percent since the beginning of the credit crunch last summer, so Exxon's profits have been reaped in large part because of increasing price pressure on consumers, many of whom have looking to Congress for some relief. They may be looking for a while, as representatives have been less than forthcoming on bipartisan measures since they passed the economic stimulus package into law in February.

The two Democratic candidates running for President have sharply contrasted on how to address record oil inflation. Both Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton and Republican Senator John McCain have endorsed the idea of temporarily removing the federal gas tax over the summer months. Their reasoning is that consumers will feel the pinch of driving costs most over the summer, which means some offset in price would be more appreciated. However, there is no guarantee that the tax break will reach consumer directly, as many other secondary industries besides the oil companies price their profits into gasoline. Senator Barack Obama has also criticized the two candidates, stating that they were "reading from the same political playbook." However, he hasn't offered forth an alternative.

It is therefore difficult to project how difficult it will be for hard-hit US consumers in the near term, much less come November. Ethanol conversion and use is another issue that will continue to influence price inflation, as greater demand for alternative fuels increases. Many economists already believe that the globe has reached peak oil, or the zenith of possible oil production. This means that energy will only become scarcer and more expensive, and the 18.5 cent federal gas tax will only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to government intervention. Oil prices aren't going down by much even if such a tax break is implemented, primarily because demand from developing countries like China and India continues to grow. Indeed, their combined oil consumption outpaced that of the US for the first time in 2007. Some type of initiative between oil-producing nations will eventually have to be made to move towards more sustainable levels of consumption, but growing divisive political sentiments make it unlikely for anything major to happen until someone new is in the Oval Office.

Escapeso Real Estate helps investors looking for Austin real estate. Their site provides a free graphical search of the Austin MLS along with information on current mortgage interest rates.

Several cities across the US are noted for their progressive city governments and citizenry in regards to environmental issues. Known as “green cities”, they not only initiate and practice policies that promote clean air and water, but often promote other programs and practices such as alternative energy systems and construction methods.

Austin, Texas consistently places in the various lists of the greenest cities in the US and the world. The Green Guide, affiliated with National Geographic, chose Austin as number 2 on its list on Top Green Cities in 2006. Criteria for its choices included air quality, electricity use and production, environmental perspective, environmental policy, green space, transportation and water quality.

A commitment to solar energy and green building is what won Austin its place on Green Guide’s list. The city offers some of the most generous rebates in the country for customers who use solar energy. It also buys significant amounts of wind energy from wind farms in West Texas and plans to meet 20 percent of its energy needs with renewable sources by 2020. Austin also has established high standards for energy efficiency for its central business district and has initiated progressive policies to preserve water quality, ensure proximity to mass transit, and maintain a pedestrian-friendly urban design.

But it’s not just the city government that promotes green urban living. Many of Austin’s creative citizens are becoming known around the country and the world for their initiative and success in creating local, community based projects that promote green lifestyles and a more healthy, cleaner urban environment.

The Rhizome Collective was founded in 2000 as a center for community organizing and urban sustainability education. The collective took an old warehouse with an asphalt parking lot and have turned it into gardens, ponds and greenhouses that support tilapia, catfish, turkey, ducks and chickens. They host weekend workshops and seminars to teach people from around the world that they don’t have to wait on governments and corporations to go green, but they can start implementing their own projects with little background in engineering or the sciences.

Austin has permitted a number of private individuals to employ alternative construction methods to build homes inside the city limits, notably straw bale construction. In 2001, there were about a dozen homes in the Austin area that were built from straw, including at least three inside the city limits. In addition to such progressive construction methods, the city has also permitted some people to recycle old buildings, such as warehouses into condos and upscale or innovative commercial properties.

Another citizen-initiated project that has contributed to the eco-quality of the area is the Carshare initiative. This company allows members to pick up a car for a day at various locations around town. In this way, members can save money by not having to pay for their own private car (and consequently not having to pay for insurance, gas, maintenance and parking!). It also helps reduce the amount of air pollution in the city by reducing the amount of automobile traffic in the city.

Finally, there is Good Common Sense, an online store founded by well-known and highly respected Austin musician Chris Searles. Formerly a drummer for such notable artists as Alejandro Escovedo and Shawn Colvin, Searles founded Good Common Sense in an effort to help consumers make the kinds of choices that will help make the world a greener, safer place to live and work. His store offers products that are environmentally friendlier than many products consumers might find in regular stores and shops. Consumers can find home weatherizing products, compostable dinnerware, fuel enhancer devices, and all kinds of recycled products.

Ki helps clients looking for green and environmentally friendly homes in the Austin real estate market. Potential buyers can use his site to search the Austin MLS along with using his free mortgage calculator.