The U. S. Department of Energy recommends setting our winter thermostats to 68 degrees when we are awake and lower when we are asleep or away from home. Electronic thermostats are available to automatically make these adjustments for our usual schedule. They are easy to read, accurate, and contain no mercury. Plus, when our needs stray from the pre-set, the settings can be overridden with the push of a button?

Get With the Program

Programmable thermostats bearing the Energy Star label divide the day into four periods. Each household can decide which settings most benefit them. Most of us are home in the evenings, so the recommended 68 degrees would be great then. We can drop the temperature much lower for sleeping, even allowing the temperature to start backing down while we are preparing for bed.

The key to successful winter setbacks is to schedule the system to restore the warmer temperatures before we need to exit our cozy beds each morning. Most households have no one home during a typical weekday, so temperatures can again be significantly lowered for most of the day and set to heat up in the hour before their return. Such families will want to look for thermostats that allow for different settings on the weekends.

Those who remain at home throughout the day might also be willing to back the temperature down a few degrees. Waking up to warm temperatures gets our bodies geared up so that we don't notice as much if we drop back the settings once we're dressed for the day.

Of course, not all days are typical. For example, holiday guests might be more comfortable with warmer temperatures. Pre-sets can be temporarily overridden before a dinner party by bumping up the current setting. The system will automatically reset to the standard temperatures at the next cycle, such as when we go to bed that night, without taxing our memories. We can similarly drop the temperature if we are Walking Through Bethlehem or enjoying the Singing Christmas Tree, Living Christmas Card, or City Market on the Green Handmade Holiday Celebration.

Holiday travels may take us away from home for extended periods of time. In this case we would want a longer-lasting override. Programmable thermostats usually have a button which allows us to "hold" the lower temperature and, when we get back home, easily return to our normal cycles while feeling good about having reduced waste.

Some homes use heat pumps to save energy. To increase their energy savings with automatic setbacks, however, a special thermostat should be used to enable only gradual temperature changes. Other considerations of programmable thermostats are discussed at www.EERE.energy.gov and installation tips can be found at www.EnergyStar.gov. Congregations also benefit from using programmable thermostats in sanctuaries, offices, and classrooms. Automatic setbacks carry energy savings into the summer months as well.

Keeping Cozy ‘Round the Clock

Lower thermostat settings do not have to leave us cold. Twenty-five years ago, President Jimmy Carter asked us to put on a sweater to save energy. We can continue to honor that request today as we dress each morning. Starting at dawn with hot tea and aerobic exercise prepares our bodies for the day ahead. We can care for the earth even during quiet time by snuggling up under a quilt made of worn out jeans and shirts while we reflect on Psalm 24, "The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it."

As the day progresses, good stewards open the blinds and let the sun in. These rooms absorb the sun's heat during daylight hours, especially if we have flooring designed for passive heat. This will help warm the home after the sun goes down. During the day, though, we can sew wings and tails for the pageant using the sun's natural lighting in these rooms. Furthermore, if laundry is in the dryer, an open door to the laundry room will allow the heat to warm the rest of the house.

Later, with dinner in the oven, we can gather in the kitchen, soaking up the "waste heat" while sipping mulled cider. As evening falls, caroling is even more enjoyable when we are cuddling on the couch under a soft afghan. After sunset, we close all the curtains to help our home keep its heat longer.

Climbing into a winter bed is less daunting if it has been preheated by an electric blanket, which many unplug before sleeping. Warming our toes while we drift off to sleep might also be as low-tech as carefully warming a brick in the oven, heating a rice sock in the microwave, or filling a hot water bottle from the tap.

Flannel sheets and an extra thermal blanket allow us to be comfy throughout a frosty night even as the surrounding air drops its heat.

Step by Step

Some family members might balk at the thought of installing a new thermostat or dropping the temperature back to 68 degrees, much less 60, even if no one is home. Perhaps it would be easier to start with smaller steps. Consider manually setting the thermostat back two degrees less than it has been. Using more of the comfort factors described above and enjoying the drop in the power bill, we can eventually drop our thermostat back even more without discomfort.

Advent and Christmas bring us time to remember all that our Father has given to us and to prayerfully consider how we will respond. We kneel in awe that we have been entrusted with the care of this wondrous creation. Let our fellowship warm the season not only with high spirits, but through our energy- efficient lifestyles.

Step by step our journey continues for His Creation.

Vicki Coulter is a volunteer with The Climate Project and gives Environmental Stewardship presentations in Middle Georgia.