From the Alliance for Climate Protection, a nonprofit group whose objective is to halt global warming, here are some tips for how to keep your house cool – and therefore less expensive – this summer:

¢ Don’t turn on the a/c. There are other good alternatives: Close the shades or use an awning to keep the direct sun out.

¢ If you must use an air conditioner, choose one room for it. Make sure to size the air conditioner properly by knowing your room dimensions. Rather than cooling your entire house, it will cool the room you spend the most time in or the one that gets the hottest.

¢ Use the power of trees. If you can, plant trees in places where your house gets the most direct sunlight. Trees in the right place can save up to 25 percent of a typical household’s energy used for cooling by providing shade.

¢ Check those bulbs. Compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) are more efficient than incandescent bulbs. They are up to four times more efficient and last about ten times longer. They also use more than 50 percent less energy than incandescent ones.