Good article with a lot of good recommendations, but why not provide some details on the cost of that solar water heater? I looked at installing one in my house and the cost was so high that it meant a ten-year payback when compared to my monthly electric bill. (I'll bet the payback is much longer for natural gas.) Plus, it needed routine maintenance such as pump replacement and occasionally, tank replacement. If you crunched the numbers over twenty years, the only real advantage was in reducing demand from Progress Energy. I would be saving nothing. A far cheaper alternative is to add a timer to your water heater. Have it cut off at 11 PM and back on at 4 AM. If the house is empty all day, you can also have it cut off at 8 AM and come back on at 4 PM. It cuts your electric bill and extends the life of your heating elements.