Given the diversity of this incredible community we all love, many Gwinnettians celebrate the holidays a little differently. However, the one similarity we all share this time of year is the need to stay warm.  No matter if you hang stockings on your mantle, light the candles on your menorah, or make handmade gifts for the Karamu, the eco-experts at Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful have curated a low-emissions list of ways for all of us to celebrate “cozy season.”

Layer Up

We’re starting with the simplest way to stay warm during the coldest months in Georgia. Whether layering up your clothes, adding extra layers of blankets to your family members’ beds, or making sure throws are easily accessible on your sofas and chairs, all three are highly effective, zero-emissions tactics. If you’d really like to flex that eco-focused muscle and find yourself short on sweaters, consider picking up a few new ones at your local thrift store.

Seal Air Leaks

Spend a little time cruising around the inside of your home to check your windows and doors for unexpected breezes. If you feel airflow around the edges of a closed door or window, it may be time to replace your weather stripping and caulk any cracks in the frame. While this task is a tad more taxing than layering up, it may pay big dividends by lowering your power bills. By sealing air leaks, you’ll keep the warm air in and cold air out during the winter and cool air in and warm air out during the summer. For an added measure, blackout curtains can also serve as insulation around your windows on the coldest days. You can also close the interior doors to rooms you aren’t using.

Reverse Your Fan Blades

This often-overlooked step is another easy one to tackle! Tour the rooms of your home that feature ceiling fans to ensure your blades are spinning in the right direction. If you’ve got your heater on but you’re not feeling the warmth the way you should, it’s important to remember that hot air rises.  By reversing your fan blades from the cooling mode you traditionally enjoy during the warmer months, you’ll pull any warm air down from the ceiling and circulate it around the room. This is a more energy-efficient practice than continually bumping up the heat on your thermostat.

Test the Temps

Speaking of bumping up the heat on your thermostat… we recommend that you bump it DOWN. Employ all the steps above and find the “sweet spot” on your thermostat where everyone is comfortable. Heating your home is a BIG energy sucker. To save energy (and potentially money with lower energy bills), the ideal daytime/main living space temperatures during the winter months are somewhere in the range of 66-68 degrees. Overnight, lower them even further to 62-64 degrees for a good night’s sleep. If you and your family are away for work or school during the day, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that you could save up to ten percent a year on heating by adjusting your thermostats back 7–10 degrees for eight hours a day.

Kick It Old-School

There was a time when Americans DIDN’T have central heating and air conditioning to keep their homes cozy. Take a cue from some time-honored practices to stay warm. Curl up with a good book and a hot water bottle. Gather firewood for a fire in your wood-burning fireplace. Put on a kettle for a nice cup of tea or hot cocoa. Prepare a hot meal in your crockpot that will warm your family members from the inside out at dinnertime. Do chores, exercise, and stay active to keep warm.

While it may be too late to incorporate the following measures into THIS “cozy season,” you can start taking steps to ensure they’re in place for next year:

• Enhance Your Home’s Insulation – in Your Attic and Around Your Water Pipes
• Install Energy Efficient Windows and Doors
• Incorporate Programmable Smart Home Thermostats
• Employ Solar Energy
• Install a Heat Pump
• Swap your Current HVAC System for an Energy Star System

For even more eco-friendly tips and ideas, be sure to bookmark the Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful blog and visit it often! You can also follow us on Facebook (@gwinnettcb), Instagram (@greengwinnett), LinkedIn (@gwinnett-clean-beautiful), and X (@gogreengwinnett). 

From All of Us Here at Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful, No Matter How You Celebrate, We Wish You All the Warmth of a Happy Holiday Season!