There are days when I think the concept of “going green” is just too overwhelming. I feel that to make any sort of difference at all in the environment, I ought to sell my house, build some teeny-tiny, 100% sustainable, recycled wood hut in the mountains with solar panels for electricity and water gathered fresh from a mountain stream. That I should grow my own food and hunt for meat. And then when I realize that most of that is not feasible (or in my case, even smart right now), I get depressed. Like, if I can’t do it big, why bother? But then I remind myself of the truth: every little bit counts. Turning off the water when I brush my teeth does make a difference. Spending 12 cents a pound extra on local, does make a difference. Turning down my thermostat in the winter and up in the summer, it does count. Little by little, in the every single, seemingly non-life or earth-altering action, we are, at the very least, not making things worse. So, in light of fall’s gorgeous, cozy arrival and the imminent sight of winter, I’m all about the small, basic day-to-day energy savings.

Day to Day Energy Saving Tips

These tips I’m going to share might not alter the environment in a way that you will see. But they are making a difference. If you do them, you are making the difference. And over time, those little things make a really big thing. They make all the difference. So, join with me, make this the season where you grasp every opportunity, no matter how big or how small, to save and reduce your energy usage. Need some help getting started? No problem. I’ve got 10 starter tips so easy they’re three sentences or less, promise!

1.) Down Two: Knock that thermostat down by two degrees. Your body will adjust in no time and save a significant amount of energy over the next 5 months.

2.) Watch the Oven Door: Don’t open it until the food is done, really done! You lose precious heat you have to re-create every time you open the door to peek. But, when you are done? Leave that door wide open and take advantage of that heat!

3.) Change Your Filters: Replace your furnace filters monthly during the heating season to keep them dirt and debris free. It’ll make air movement easier, requiring less energy to push the hot air out.

4.) Change up Your Fan: When winter hits, make sure your fan is set to reverse. It’ll push rising hot air back down to where you can feel it.

5.) Sleep without the Heat: Turn off your heat altogether during the night. Use a small room heater or an electric blanket instead.

6.) Go Low Flow: Switch your faucets and shower heads to low flow to save the amount of hot water you power through in a day.

7.) Tinsel & Tinfoil: Decorate! Cover the wall behind radiators with tinfoil to reflect heat back at the radiator and make it more efficient.

8.) Dress for the Season: It’s cold out baby! Dress appropriately in layers and thick warm sweaters; keep socks and shoes on at all times. You’ll be able to get away with lower house temps easy.

9.) Create Your own Body Heat: Warm yourself up with exercise instead of a thermostat hike! You’ll get warm instantly, in addition to upping your metabolism to keep you warmer all day long.

10.) Adopt a Room: Instead of heating your entire home all day, turn off the central heat, plant yourself in just one or two rooms for the majority of the time and stay warm with a small, more energy efficient portable heater.

As you can see, none of these tips require you to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to install something newer or “greener.” Nor do they require massive time investments on your part. They’re simple ways to reduce energy usage, but they matter and they really add up. They will make a difference, guaranteed!

Freelancer Jocelyn Anne works for Heater Home and helps families ensure they keep their homes warm with the least amount of energy and cost required, particularly with energy efficient electrical heaters.