Pennsylvania residents now have the opportunity learn more about how to keep their homes more energy efficient, thanks to a new webinar series developed by the state's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

In a news release from last month, the DEP stated that their goal would be to host live webinars quarterly with different themes every season. The first webinar was broadcast to residents on June 27 at 7 p.m. via the DEP's website.

"Environmental protection starts at home [so] providing these webinars is an important step in educating Pennsylvanians about how to make that principle a reality," Mike Krancer, Secretary of the DEP, said in the release.

The first installment introduces homeowners to energy efficient practices that will be beneficial both to the environment and to the health and safety of living spaces to those who use them. Called "Summertime Advisories," this webinar gives instructions on how to heed warnings from state agencies, lower energy costs related to the warmer weather and introduce watchers to the webinar format.

Each installment in the series will feature new advice and last no longer than an hour, the health agency said in its release.

The next webinar will be held in August and will cover practices for maintaining private wells and septic systems. Subsequent webinars are expected to be broadcast in October and January 2013, and will feature information about lowering electric costs and testing for radon.

Those who miss the live broadcasts can watch them on the DEP's website, which will be archiving them as they are produced, meaning the opportunity to become more energy efficient isn't limited to Pennsylvania residents.

By getting an energy audit from a home inspection contractor, homeowners anywhere can learn how to prepare for the warm summer weather by making their houses more environmentally friendly.