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.
Record high gas prices have prompted a new evaluation of cars. Consumer Reports has just come out with a listing of the best fuel-efficient vehicles on the road. It's based on the price paid divided by overall miles per gallon.
Booker Conley bought his Toyota Prius 10 months ago.
"I had no idea that gas was going to get as high as it is right now," Conley said.
Now Conley can't go anywhere without answering questions.
"People stop me all the time and ask me what kind of gas mileage do I get and I tell them and they're surprised about it," Conley said.
"Most of our customers tell us they get between 45 and 50. The Environmental Protection Agency rates the car 48 in town, 45 on the highway and 46 combined," said Robert Cardosi, general manager of Classic Toyota in Round Rock.
Since gas mileage is becoming just as important as sticker price, Cardosi is not surprised the Prius Hybrid is number 3 on Consumer Reports' list of most fuel efficient vehicles. Consumer Reports took the price paid for vehicles and divided it by the overall miles per gallon to come up with the price per gallon.
Number 4 on the list is the Mazda 3 with a manual transmission. The rankings matter to those who do their research, according to James Brewer, master sales and leasing/floor manager of Roger Beazley Mazda.
"They find that this car is being received and accepted by all the magazines and Consumers Reports and Car Digest and Automobile Magazine," he said.
When it comes to better gas savings, the number 2 spot goes to the Honda Fit and number 1 is the Honda Fit Sport with a manual transmission.
"They're asking when can they get one? That's the first thing they ask," said Curtis Salter, general manager of the Honda Division of Classic Automotive in Round Rock.
Buyers may have to wait a month for a Honda Fit, and six months to year for a Toyota Prius, but the Mazda 3 is ready to roll off dealership lots now.
The best fuel-efficient cars -- as judged by Consumer Reports -- may be a tight fit, but Conley says it's a small price to pay.
"I'm 6'2" and on long trips I kind of get a little tight but other than that it’s great. [Reporter: But on long trips you're also saving money, right?] I'm saving a whole lot of money."
