With rising energy costs and concern over carbon footprints, out-greening your neighbors has replaced keeping up with them.

Being energy- and resource-conscious can seem daunting. You long ago replaced your light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights, but what else can you do to save watts and see your power bill drop?

The Times-News talked with professionals on how to conserve at home. Here’s what we found:

Smart landscape, tip one

Planting a few trees does more than increase your microclimate’s oxygen level. Choose the right varieties and plant them correctly, and trees can be a way to save energy.

Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your home, said Mack McKenzie, landscape architect with Southern Idaho Landscape Center, to see 10 to 15 percent savings in cooling costs.

“In the summer, when full of leaves, deciduous trees provide much-needed shade and cool your home naturally,” McKenzie said. “In the winter, when dormant, the trees allow the sun’s rays to hit your home, providing heat.”

Just be careful to plan ahead, said Wendell Tree Committee chairman Louie Bay.

“One of the biggest mistakes I see in town are trees planted too close to the home. Make sure and research the tree you want and plant it out, allowing for growth. It takes decades for some trees to reach their full potential,” Bay said.

For instance, elm trees can grow more than 100 feet tall and wide; a young sapling planted six feet from your home will only be a nuisance down the road.

More landscape tips

Camouflage outdoor air conditioning units with a shrub, suggests McKenzie. (He likes evergreen bushes, but a blooming bush such as a lilac might be prettier.) Why?A unit kept in the shade runs more efficiently.

And plant a row of evergreens between your home and the prevailing winds. A windbreak will protect your home from cold or hot winds and minimize the surge of energy needed for your air conditioning or furnace to combat the temperature effect to your home.

Computers and gadgets: energy hogs

•Allow the monitor to dim, instead of using a screen saver, when not in use. Screen savers look cool but use more energy than letting the screen go dark.

The brightest screen setting uses twice as much power as the dimmest; turn it down and crank up the savings.

•Unplug power cords after charging your cell phone, iPod and other electronics; even if they aren’t plugged into devices, they’re consuming energy anyway.

•Never place lamps, televisions or computer screens near your thermostat, because heat coming off the devices will interfere with the reading, making your air conditioner run longer than it needs to.

Schedule an energy house call

Idaho Power Co. provides a free service for those living in manufactured housing, said communication specialist Helena Fowler: It tests and seals duct system air leaks, installs CFL bulbs, replaces air filters and checks the hot water temperature.

“This is an underutilized opportunity that definitely helps people conserve energy,” Fowler said.

Idaho Power estimates that 90 percent of all manufactured homes have leaky heating ducts.

Information: idahopower.com or 1-800-827-8161.

Do it yourself

Shane George — owner of Energy Solutions, an energy house call contractor for Idaho Power — said people can do their own home evaluations.

•To test your hot water temperature, run a hot-water-only bath and use a cooking thermometer. If the water is hotter than 120 degrees, turn down the water heater.

•Change your furnace filter every 30 to 60 days. Once the filter is visibly collecting lint and dust, it’s time for a change.

•Replace appliances 15 years and older with Energy Star models. Check with Idaho Power for special rebates and incentives.

•Install an attic vent, like Filer resident Rich Carlson did. Heat rises, meaning trapped hot air in an attic can make the entire home miserably hot. Blowing hot air out of the attic space can cut air conditioning bills and extend shingle life.

“It’s really going help cool the house,” Carlson said.

Check out a Kill A Watt meter

Just how much energy does your television, computer, refrigerator or washing machine burn? Check out a Kill A Watt meter at your local library and find out.

Avista, Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power have teamed up with the Idaho Commission for Libraries to make these devices available for public use. Simply plug in the meter, then plug an appliance into the meter to assess energy usage. The device comes with a booklet with efficiency tips and instructions on how to monitor your energy usage.

Information: lili.org/energy.