For many parts of the nation, it’s cold. Very cold. In times like these, it’s very tempting to turn up the thermostat.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests several ways to cut down on pollution at home and one of the recommendations is to turn down the thermostat in the winter.

The suggested setting is 68 degrees when you’re awake, and 10-15 degrees lower when you’re sleeping.

If you think that having the thermostat set to 75 is no big deal, check out the EPA’s Individual Emissions Calculator to find out your greenhouse gas emissions.

While jacking up the temp may seem to be the easiest way to keep warm, there is another way to stay toasty without using extra emissions. Instead, use extra clothes.

It’s called layering. Why not wear a pair of leggings or stockings under your pants? For men, I suggest long johns.

On top, you could wear a long sleeved t-shirt under your shirt. And throw a sweater or flannel shirt on over your clothes

You could wear two pairs of socks while at home. And if you’re sitting at your computer or watching TV, why not cover up with a blanket?

The Weather and Health course sponsored by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) and the COMET Program reports that layering your clothing is the most effective way to keep warm. They say multiple layers are better at trapping air and insulating the body than just one layer, like a thick coat.

What do you do to stay warm in the winter? Do you layer, exercise more often, drink hot tea or coffee? I’d love any tips or recommendations!

Welcome to 2009! We hope you had a great holiday and can’t wait to help you fulfill your New Year’s resolution to integrate more acts of green into your lives. 

Below is a pledge for you to sign which we are certain will help you up your green ante over the course of the year. While the list may be daunting at first, consider incorporating just a few new eco-friendly tasks each month. Over the course of the year, you will have made great strides towards reducing your carbon footprint and deepening your shade of green.

At home, I pledge to…

• turn off lights and appliances when not in use
• unplug chargers  and appliances that are not in use
• use computer sleep mode and turn off monitors when not in use
• open the dishwasher and air dry dishes instead of using the hot air dry cycle, run only full loads
• dry laundry on a clothesline
• wash clothes on cold cycle, wash only full loads
• turn down my hot water heater to 120F
• shorten showers by a few minutes to conserve hot water
• lower my thermostat by at least 1F during the winter season
• install a digital, programmable thermostat. Set it and forget it
• adjust thermostat when I leave the house (10F down in winter, 10F up in summer) (if you install the programmable thermostat and set it, you can check this one off too!)
• keep up with basic furnace maintenance- have it professionally tuned and cleaned, replace air filters regularly
• cook more efficiently- cover pots, use a pressure cooker when appropriate, keep burners clean, cook several dishes at a time in the oven, use microwave to heat food, for small meals – use a toaster convection oven instead of heating up your larger oven
• keep drapes or blinds closed at night in winter and during the day in the summer to reduce heating and cooling needs
• clean refrigerator coil every 4-6 months
• replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
• when bulbs blow out, dispose of them properly or recycle if possible
• install light dimmers
• install faucet aerators in sinks to reduce hot water use
• install low-flow shower heads to conserve hot water
• install low-flow toilets to reduce water use
• insulate 4 ft of hot water pipes closest to hot water heater
• insulate all hot water pipes
• caulk and weatherstrip all my doors and windows
• have a professional seal my heating ducts to reduce loss of heated air
• replace old inefficient dishwasher (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
• replace old inefficient refrigerator (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
• replace old inefficient clothes washing machine (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
• improve my home’s insulation
• replace old furnace with efficient Energy Star model
• install a solar hot water heater
• eat one less beef meal per week
• eat organic food as much as your budget allows
• eat as local as possible; maybe eating “100 miler meals” – food that hasn’t traveled more than 100 miles
• compost food and yard wastes
• recycle paper, bottles, cans and other reusable materials
• buy recycled products whenever possible
• buy products that use as little packaging as possible
• take clothing and small appliances to charity thrift stores or other donation centers
• join a volunteer organization, or an environmental organization
• participate in government so I have a voice in sustainability issues and decisions
• register to vote so I can create help change in environmental policy decisions
• tell a friend

For my transportation, I pledge to:

• take public transportation to work or school instead of driving at least 1 day a week
• carpool to work or school at least 1 day a week
• replace at least 5 miles of driving with biking or walking per week
• inflate car tires properly, use recommended motor oil and keep car well tuned
• buy a fuel efficient vehicle (30 mpg)

For my workplace, I pledge to:

• make double sided copies
• only print when I really need the hard copy
• use the blank side of old documents for scrap paper
• buy recycled copy/printer paper.
• turn off my computer at night

The Green Ribbon Pledge will compute your energy savings for energy saving specific points. Thanks to the Stonybrook Green Pledge.

What are suggestions you can add to creating a greener 2009?  Please tell us below in the comments!