Energy management?

Turn your A/C to a tolerable setting. Check to make sure your doors and windows do not have gaps in them, and walk around naked…..

I guess it depends on where you live… In Arizona, we just knuckle down and take it on the chin.
I bought a programmable thermostat, and I turn it up to about 79 during peak hours, and keep the ceiling fans running. I also leave all the lights off during the day, and wait till post-peak hours until running the washer etc.
I can’t walk around naked though. It scares the fish.

From a utility company in Shrewsbury MA:

Summer Energy Saving Tips

* Remember that light colors reflect heat and dark colors absorb it.
* Close draperies or shades during the day to block the sun especially on windows that face south or west. Open them in the evening to let cool air in.
* Keep cool air in by installing insulation and weather-stripping.
* Turn off lights when not in use. Switch incandescent bulbs to cooler compact fluorescent ones (CFLs use just 25% of the energy incandescent bulbs use!).
* Cook on the grill to keep cooking heat outside. When using the stove, vent cooking heat outside with a range hood.
* Use a microwave instead of an oven. Microwaves use less than half the power of a conventional oven and cook food in about one-fourth the time. Ovens also heat up the kitchen, making your cooling system and refrigerator work harder.
* Postpone doing laundry and dishwashing until nighttime to avoid peak-electric use hours. Hang laundry outside to dry.
* Use the air-dry feature on dishwashers.
* Service air conditioners annually and be sure the air conditioner is the right size for the area. Change the filter regularly. Choose an air conditioner with the Energy Star label when buying a new one.
* Turn the air conditioner thermostat up to at least 76° or higher or use a programmable thermostat. Close doors to unused rooms. Turn air conditioners off when no one is home.
* Use an attic fan to draw hot air out of the attic. Use a whole-house fan to draw fresh air in through windows and exhaust it out roof vents.
* Use ceiling fans to circulate air.

my electrician said to not turn off your air conditioner, but instead to keep in on at the highest temperature. it takes more energy to turn it on than to switch it to another setting. another thing is unplug your laptop when its 100% charged. dont paint your house in the summer. it releases fumes that heat the air and make your air conditioner work harder (i learned the hard way). read instead of watching tv. scratch that, since its summer, go outside and play. if you travel, offset your carbon emissions if the airline permits it. if you dont have a job, sleep in, because you use less energy when sleeping. when you leave the house, leave the windows open a crack, and do not use the air conditioner. maybe have a communal beer storage system with your neighbor, so that both of you don’t need to turn your fridge to max capacity to make ice. drink spirits, not beer because it doesn’t need to be cold.

@Mtl zack…What? No beer? Whaaat?
My very, very sound theory is that the atmosphere is cooled fractionally every time I take one out of the fridge and pop it, thus alleviating the pressure on my already overworked AC. I am absolutely sure I’ll be completely vindicated on that point.
You still get a “great answer” for the paint thing, never would’a thunk.

but when you have a beer, the carbon dioxide that makes it carbonated goes into the atmosphere and causes more greenhouse gases.
im such a hypocrite hehe