How I'm Reducing Electricity Over the Summer

Okay, so I've set a goal to reduce electric usage by 20% over the next 6 months. Since I already know I have increased usage in June, it's going to be a tough goal to achieve. Last night I did some brainstorming and researching.

• Thermostat: it's been set at 78 degrees while I'm home and turned completely off when I'm not. I will adjust the thermostat first to 79 degrees and then see if I can handle 80 degrees.
• Energy Vampires: I'm already diligent about unplugging most things when not in use (what's known as vampire energy can suck electricity even when something, such as the TV, is turned off). I'll be even more mindful, especially with the computer.
• Appliances: I'm going to try air-drying my clothes again. I did this once before but I got lazy. I will air dry most of my clothes instead of using the dryer.
• I'll research other ways to save. For example, I only use mini-blinds on all but one of the windows in my house. I'll look into whether adding curtains to the other windows will keep the house cooler and, therefore, reduce my A/C usage.