There’s a chill in the air, and you know what that means – winter is coming! To help you prepare, we’re sharing 4 energy-efficient ways to warm your home that doesn’t involve turning on the heater. You’ll keep the electricity bill down and get some good alternatives to keep warm! Cozy up by the fire with a coffee or mulled wine (don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone) and read our warming tips.
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Electric & soy wax candles
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Candles not only provide light during the shorter days, but they also give your home some warmth. They look and smell amazing (if you’re into the scented ones) and create a cozy ambience in any room. You can find some amazing soy wax candles at any of your local shops (support those small businesses!). If wax candles aren’t your thing, use electric candles. They’re cost-effective since they’ll last longer and when your electric candles reach their end of their life, they can be recycled in British Columbia.
Cozy up by the fireplace
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Fireplaces are a great alternative to using your heater. The coziness of a real fire will give you all the warm and fuzzy feels during the cooler months. Grab a blanket, a warm drink, and your favorite book for a perfect winter evening. Surprisingly, a gas fireplace is more efficient than a traditional wood-burning fireplace. If you own a gas fireplace and have old fuel, you can recycle it for free! If you’re in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, you can also recycle your old camping fuel.
To ensure the safety in your home, make sure you’re preventing carbon monoxide poisoning for you and your loved ones. Carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless, colorless, and potentially fatal. Have your fireplace inspected by a licensed contractor once a year to prevent CO poisoning.
Warm up while baking
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One of the more energy-efficient ways to warm up a small home (or at least your kitchen), is to bake some of your favorite treats! You can find some amazing recipes online or in your favorite cookbook. We recommend sourcing your ingredients locally and checking out our Zero Waste Grocery Shopping Guide to find a zero-waste grocery store near you. The heat from your oven not only bakes your goodies, but also provides a great source of heat in the surrounding kitchen area.
As always, we recommend you keep your home fire safe. Make sure your smoke alarm is checked regularly (they should be checked once a month). If you’re in British Columbia and your smoke alarm is broken or expired, replace and recycle it at one of 200 locations across the province.
Light up your space
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Make sure you have the most energy-efficient lights in your home this winter. Lights may not literally warm-up your home, but they will provide and warm and cozy feel. Set the mood by utilizing smaller fixtureslike lamps, string lights, or under counter lights. It’s best (and most energy efficient) to use LED lights—. not only will they save energy, but they’ll also be more cost-effective over time. LEDs use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lights.
If you have burnt lights in your home, you can recycle them in British Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec, and Prince Edward Island. Fixtures like string lights, floor lamps, and chandeliers are also recyclable in British Columbia. Use our Recycling Locator tool to find a location near you.
Now that you’ve done some baking, cuddle up with your blankets, fuzzy socks, and a warm cup of coffee. Let the sunshine in and soak it up while you can! If you’re lucky enough to live in a non-gloomy city, we suggest opening up your blinds during the day to let the sunshine in. Close the blinds in the evening to retain the warmth. Light up a candle (whether that’s electric or ) and keep cozy solo or with a loved one. Happy Winter!
