STEP #7
Adjust Your Thermostat
How’s this for simple: You barely have to lift a finger to adjust your thermostat! A mere two-degree adjustment to your home’s thermostat setting (lower in winter, higher in summer) can prevent about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere every year.
Heating and cooling systems use more energy than any other system in our homes, accounting for 42 percent of the average family’s energy dollars. Heating (with gas or electric heaters) and cooling (with air conditioners or electric fans) requires the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, resulting in higher carbon dioxide emissions.
Programmable thermostats also go a long way to saving energy—especially when you are sleeping or out of the house—and can save about $100 each year on your utility bill. For some great ideas on how to cool or warm your home without fossil fuels, see Step 34, Turn Off Your Air Conditioner.
Remember, simple actions make great impacts.
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