Keep your house one or two degree cooler in winter, and put on some slippers or an extra blanket. In the summer, sleep with a fan instead of air conditioning. Use curtains to insulate your house from the cold and the heat. Don’t waste money heating or air conditioning rooms when you’re not using them.

Those are some easy and incremental ways to consume less electricity. Other ways include using off-peak electricity, proper use of a programmable thermostat, weatherstripping windows and doors, replacing incandescent light bulbs with LEDs, and using aerators on faucets and shower heads. If you do enough of these little things it will add up to big savings and the planet will thank you for it.

For more information see this Consumer’s Guide to Home Energy Upgrades, which includes getting an energy audit, choosing the right contractor, and lots of tips for sustainable improvements. For some sustainable architecture designs click on the image below.