350 WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY

If you've just bought a frost-free freezer it's too late to be told that both automatics and manuals use 40 percent less energy -- however there are ways to lower the power drain on your other major appliances like clothes dryers (remove garments while still slightly damp; the latter stage is when the machine works hardest) and dishwashers (air drying will save about half the energy, and you already know about full loads). The crunch is no fad, the authors stress -- although a good case could be made re culpability -- and cutting back calls for adjustments more serious than simply dimming the lights. Starting with insulation (if you can slip a dollar bill through a crack you're losing too much energy), the authors explain the ""R"" (resistance) value of the materials you'll need to correct the problems; they go on to heating and why you felt cold last winter with the thermostat set at 68 (indoor design temperatures, now 75, have increased one degree each decade since the '20's); and they discuss other electrical devices from blankets to TV (you'll be surprised to learn that instant-on sets are ""on"" even when off). Indoors and out -- a third of the book is devoted to the automobile -- the authors offer more practical advice than you're apt to think of on your own, suggestions that will make less seem much less oppressive.