Heating and cooling are the largest energy expenses in most homes–comprising 35-50 percent of the annual electricity bill. They also account for a significant portion of an individual’s impact on the climate.
It’s easy to make a few small changes to save money. And easier still to spread the word and multiply your actions by enlisting friends and neighbors to join in.
Quick Win:
Push a few buttons to reprogram your thermostat.
During cold weather months, program your thermostat to 68 degrees while people are home and 58 degrees while everyone is sleeping or away. In the warm months, go for 78 degrees when people are home and up to 85 degrees when everyone is out. Doing this will save you hundreds or thousands of dollars and reduce your impact on the climate. Learn more at energy.gov.
More Useful:
Install a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat automatically adjusts heating and cooling temperature settings in your home for optimal performance. And you can control your home’s heating and cooling remotely through your smartphone. The Energy Star website has the details.
Best of All:
A neighborhood with smart thermostats is better than one without. The price of these devices keeps plummeting, and you’ll be doing your friends a favor if you mention one the next time you’re over for tea.
PS Earth Hero is an app you can check out and share.
(Have you seen these suggestions before? If so, that’s a good thing. Forming good Carbon Action habits takes time and repetition. We sometimes repeat things to help make habits stick.)