Sustainability Tip: Warm and Woolies

The weather change has once again got me thinking.  As the temperatures drop in other areas of the country, heat will start coming on.  It will seem like no time at all before our own heat comes on.  For some families, this can be a time of excess and waste of energy.  I know I'm usually guilty of that one.  I'll admit, I'm happiest when the temperature is about seventy-five.  In the summer, that's great!  I save a good deal on my electricity bill because my air conditioner isn't cranking as much as every other house on the block.  I'll be honest, in the summer I sometimes push my home temperature all the way up to eighty.  Some find it too warm, but I find the amount I save on electricity to be worth it.  In the winter, on the other hand, that's one of the worst things you can do.

When I was younger my family liked to keep the house warm.  I remember someone saying that they didn't feel right having to put on a sweater to keep warm in their own home.  They would rather be warm enough from the start.  In other people's homes I always felt quite chilly and I hated it.  I didn't see the point in keeping your home so uncomfortably cold.  It made more sense to keep warm on cold days.  I didn't realize then how many reasons there could be for this.

Keeping a house set at a cool temperature in the winter, of course, will save on your bill.  It's one way to shave off a few bucks on electricity, gas, or oil bill every winter, just as I do with my air conditioner in the summer.  That extra money can go to so many different things, towards financial freedom and living a debt free life to sustainability improvements to practical things like the grocery bill or savings.  This is a huge help to families who use oil heat, as oil can be quite expensive.

On another side of things, turning the heat down a bit in the winter will also help the environment.  No matter what you use to heat your house, there is a likelihood that it's related to some form of pollution.  Because of this use of electricity, gas, or oil, more must be produced or processed.  These facilities to produce or process that which brings us warmth produce their own impact on the environment.  Even wood burning and pellet stoves produce their own pollution.  Only those who use environmentally friendly means to heat their house, such as with solar heating, or use thermal insulation from the earth, can crank the heat however they like it without negative impact to the environment.

So remember as this year comes in, keep that thermostat turned down.  If you don't like living in a cold house, bust out the warm and woolies.  This is a perfect time to show off that cute pair of slippers you made for yourself.  What better time to pull out your favorite sweaters or sweatshirts?  Start the fashion trend of wearing a beret, hat, or even a decorative scarf or shawl in the house.  There's no reason dressing warm should make you feel like you've got to "dress like a mom".  Have fun with it.