Want to save money on your electric bill? The simple stuff goes a long way.

To cool solar radiation from a room can be as much as 40-45 percent of the total cooling load. Simply using the blinds and shades will help you bring the temp down and easy the AC.

In the winter, you can open your blinds and shades to gain heat during the day, lessening the work of your heater.

Moral of the story: Blinds open= more heat. Blinds closed = more cool.

Source: Flickr

array(1) {
  [0]=>
  object(WP_Term)#12731 (10) {
    ["term_id"]=>
    int(3203)
    ["name"]=>
    string(10) "Quick Tips"
    ["slug"]=>
    string(10) "quick-tips"
    ["term_group"]=>
    int(0)
    ["term_taxonomy_id"]=>
    int(897)
    ["taxonomy"]=>
    string(8) "post_tag"
    ["description"]=>
    string(0) ""
    ["parent"]=>
    int(0)
    ["count"]=>
    int(60)
    ["filter"]=>
    string(3) "raw"
  }
}

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher