What you can do now
Try keeping cool with these actions
Set the thermostat
If you do need to turn on the air conditioner, set the thermostat to no less than 26°C in summer. For every two degrees higher you set the thermostat, you can save up to 1,400 balloons of greenhouse gas emissions a year. For every degree you decrease the thermostat setting in summer, your bill can increase by up to 15 percent.
Keep things clean
Clogged filters reduce air flow and efficiency. Clean filters help keep an air conditioning unit in good working condition.
Stay cool by sealing the gaps
Up to 10 percent of a home's heat gain comes through gaps and cracks. Make sure that all gaps in windows and doors are sealed by weather stripping windows and putting draught stoppers under doors.
Close the house to the sun
Shut your curtains, blinds and shades in the morning so they block the sun during the hottest part of the day.
Open the house to the breeze
When it cools down outside, open your doors and windows to let in the cooler air and to encourage cross-ventilation.
Turn on the fan instead of the air conditioner
Fans keep temperatures down, move air through the house and only use a fraction of the energy and money needed to run an air conditioner. Using a fan instead of an air conditioner can save up to $49 and 8,200 balloons a year.
My Actions
Select an action and see how much green house gas you will save this year.
YOU SAVED:
