As winter fast approaches, so does the cold, and with it rising energy usage, taking a toll on the environment and your wallet. As a child, I used to love winters for those days at home when I could curl up on the couch with a book, a heavy blanket, and a hot cup of hot chocolate or tea. It didn?t bother me that the air was colder.

So steam heat up some tea or chocolate and start using these basic tips to keep energy consumption low when upgrading your home is not possible.

The Air – A lot of your energy consumption comes from heating costs. Install a programmable thermostat to maintain different temperatures when you are home and when you are away. When running heaters with automatic control, close doors leading to empty rooms. Open curtains facing the sun when it is shining to take advantage of passive solar heating, and at nighttime or on cloudy days keep them drawn to hold in the heat, especially if you don?t have energy-saving windows.

Also, keep your furnace nice and tuned. Replace or clean furnace filters once a month. You can save up to 5 percent on heating costs by keeping your furnace lubricated and stocked with a clean filter. Turn your central heating down by 1 degree and you can save up to 10 percent on heating costs. Replace weather stripping on windows and caulk drafty air leaks to make sure you?re keeping warm air in and cold air out.

The Water – I know…I know. The last thing anyone wants is give up hot showers when the air is chilly. Still, most people keep their water too hot. Keep your hot water heater set at 120 degrees. Many manufacturers set their heaters at 140 before sending them from the factory, but this is completely unnecessary in the average home. You can also insulate your hot water heater to keep the heat from dissipating. Click here for some tips.

Another great way to make your heated water usage as efficient as possible is to install a hot water heater timer so you it is only warm at the times of day when it is needed. It is crucial to most of us to have hot water flowing in the winter, but it is it really necessary 24 hours a day? Here are some great tips on insulating.

Your Body – When it comes to warmth in the home, you’re really worried about yourself. Make the most of your body heat and bundle up. Get comfortable when hanging around the house – no one is going to see you. Wear a beanie, nice warm pajamas, and wool socks. Keep some down comforters near the couch for when you’re watching television.

Keep in mind that layering provides more warmth than thick clothing. The first time I went to Europe I found this out and made it through a month of backpacking in snowed-over German cities without a jacket. And where I?m from it doesn?t even snow.

Also, there is a common misconception that people sleep better when they crank up the heat, but research shows reasonably cool temperatures to be more conducive to healthy REM. If you?ve ever tossed and turned in sweaty blankets in the summer heat or the tropics, this makes perfect sense. Don?t go too extreme though?really cold temperatures can be disruptive?and keep your socks on because having cold feet will not make you sleep better.

Most importantly, stay active. When you?re home, work around the house. Get involved with the community when you?re not working. Play sports or join a club. When you?re constantly on the move, you don?t have time to get cold, and it is a lot healthier in many ways than sitting around all day in a heated home watching television.

By employing these simple tips, you can have a comfortable winter without cranking up the energy costs. You will find that you don?t even notice the differences in the water temperature, and even if you drastically reduce the air temperatures you will soon get used to it. Staying warm as the weather fouls doesn?t have to mean Neanderthals hunched around a fire in a small cave – just use your brain.

I’ve compiled a list of small things you can do in your home and everyday life to live a Greener life. Some of these tips are tried and true (turning off the tap), while others are just gaining momentum (replacing incandescent light bulbs). Try a few and remember, even if your contribution to the green movement seems small, every little thing helps.

1. Bring your own reusable bags to the grocery store – or any store for that matter. According to the EPA, Americans consume over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps every year. Those plastic bags end up in trees, waterways, and in the stomaches of animals – hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales and other marine life die from ingesting plastic bags. Even if you reuse plastic bags (for garbage, cat litter, etc), chances are that you don’t end up using ALL of the bags you bring home – so mix it up and bring reusable bags when you shop.

2. Put down the keys when you’re going less than a mile. The less you drive, the less gasoline you use, the less Carbon Monoxide (CO) is released into the atmosphere. If you live in a walkable (or bike-friendly) area, try walking or biking when you go for coffee, cigarettes, beer or other sundries. Even if it takes a few minutes longer to walk (it takes about 20 minutes to walk a mile), the benefits of walking well outweigh the inconveniences.

3. Unplug your charging devices. You know all of those pesky chargers laying around the house – cell phones, wireless mice, battery chargers – when they’re plugged into the wall, they’re using energy. Try pulling the plug when you’re done charging your devices and reduce your energy consumption – even if just by a little -only 5% of power drawn from chargers is used to charge devices – the other 95% is wasted.

4. Turn off your lights and replace burnt-out incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs are 4 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, and use 50-80% less energy. While the expense of buying all new bulbs seems high (I would recommend replacing bulbs as the old ones burn out), consider that you’ll be saving money through decreased energy consumption and increased lifespan of the bulbs.

5. Plant flowers, vegetables, shrubs, tress – anything but grass! Maintaining a grass lawn is environmentally damaging – according to the EPA, up to 5% of US carbon emissions are produced by lawn mowers. And to power all of those mowers, Americans use 800 million gallons of gasoline! By planting your yard full of flowers, vegetables and trees, you reduce the amount of grass you need to maintain and diversify your habitat. The more flowers you grow, the more likely you are to invite birds, butterflies and other small creatures into your yard. Trees shade your home and clean the air, are fun to play in and are habitats for squirrels, birds and insects. And by growing vegetables and fruits, you provide food for your family and rely less on agribusiness for your dietary needs.

6. Throw a heavy blanket on the bed and turn down the thermostat while you sleep. The more you set back your thermostat at night, the more heat you save overall. By setting your thermostat back 5 degrees during your nightly 8-hour slumber, you save 5% in energy costs. The recommended thermostat setting is 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night during winter months – settings which will save you 13% in energy costs.

7. Buy Local. From food and drink to clothing, crafts and furniture, the more locally-based businesses you frequent, the more green you can consider your purchases. By cutting out the need for your products to be shipped (via truck, train or airplane), you reduce the carbon footprint of your purchases. Plus, the more money you spend locally, the more likely that money is to stay in your region and boost your local economy.

8. Pick up trash when you go for a walk. Don’t be embarrassed to reach down and pick up someone else’s discarded drink bottle or plastic bag, be embarrassed that the trash is on your streets. By picking up your neighborhood you show a commitment to keeping the earth clean and beautiful, and you encourage the behavior in your neighbors.

9. Turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or washing the dishes. Every minute you run the faucet, 1.3 gallons of water runs out. By switching the faucet off while brushing, washing dishes or shaving, you save small amounts of water that add up over time. Check out other water conservation tips here.

10. Read your newspapers online. Newspapers are widely recycled – over 88% of all newspapers are diverted to recycling plants. At the same time, 12% of newspapers aren’t recycled and that contributes to the largest category of solid waste in landfills – paper and paper products. While there is a certain romanticism to reading the newspaper around the breakfast table, on the subway, or in bed on Sunday mornings, is that romanticism really justified given the environmental impact of tossing out the news?