Chances are you're looking for ways to start living a greener lifestyle, but maybe the thought of getting up on your roof to install solar panels, or creating a lovely lawn ornament that doubles as a wind turbine so you can go off the grid is still a little much. Never fear. There's something way easier, definitely cheaper, and even I could install one (if you knew me you'd know what a big deal that is—they usually don't trust me even with a screwdriver).
It's a programmable thermostat. Ta da! Does your home have one? It probably should: the average household spends thousands per year on energy bills. You can save 30% or more a year by spending some time installing and setting up a programmable thermostat ($40 and up) and maintaining those settings. The idea is to asses your lifestyle and dial back your heating or cooling when you don't actually need it. For instance, you can easily set the temperature back at night when everyone is asleep (hand round extra blankets if needed), and you can do the same when everyone's away during the day. In addition, how much heating and cooling do you really need? I set my winter heating to about 65 and dress accordingly. I've totally embraced the layering concept. (In summer when I had A/C I set it at 80.)
Still not sure? Energy Star published some tips and tricks about programmable thermostats.
Need more? A step up from programmable thermostats are the newer interactive "smart" thermostats. They talk to your power company, take phone orders from you while you're away, and provide internet interactivity by checking the latest gas/electric rates and adjusting usage accordingly, avoiding running the dishwasher, for instance, during peak-usage times. In addition, these smart thermostats alert you in various ways. They don't come cheap, though ($150-400), and they require the services of an HVAC specialist for installation.
So set back your thermostat, put on a sweater, and kick back and relax, knowing that you're saving money and using less of the planet's resources. Ahh.
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But you have to remember to keep your eye on the clock! If the electricity goes out, the thermostat clock stops and the program gets out of whack. A couple of outages and a shift to/from daily saving time and next thing you know your bathroom is freezing when you get up in the morning and nice and toasty about mid-morning after you've left the house for the day.