This is bird note.

If you've already done things around the home with birds in mind,

like hanging up bird feeders or nest boxes,

turning off the lights at night during migration, keeping cats indoors,

consider one more action that might be less obvious.

Turning the thermostat down a degree or two in the colder months and up a degree in the warmer months

might seem more about personal preference or energy bills than birds.

But climate change is a grave threat to birds,

putting two-thirds of North American bird species

at risk of extinction.

So anything that decreases carbon emissions is a step towards a better future

for birds, not to mention people. Of course, not everyone can change their thermostat

settings depending on building policies and health concerns.

But if you are able to, turning thermostats down in winter and up in summer and using alternative ways to stay comfortable can save up to 10% on a home's

yearly energy costs. And programmable thermostats can help keep your heating and cooling

efficient without much input from you.

Bird Note is on a mission to inspire a million people to take action to help birds over the next three years. To learn more, visit birdnote.org.

I'm Ariana Remmel.