That’s roughly the same amount of natural gas that New York City consumes in three months, or what Hungary or the Czech Republic consumes over a year.

Lower temperatures indoors are something you can get used to. In Australia, for example, people are advised by the Climate Council to warm their homes to 18°-20°C. Sometimes Australians live in those temperatures simply because it’s hard to heat houses well there — many aren’t set up for the cold weather and insulation can be poor. Still, people manage.

“Having better control over our heating systems doesn’t cost anything to do, and it would immediately reduce our bills,” Will Rivers from the UK-based Carbon Trust, a group that provides solutions to the climate crisis, told CNN.

Fit some solar panels

Whether or not you can do this will depend on if you own your own property. Solar panels are more effective in houses with roofs, but some companies can install panels for apartments, too.

Solar energy is renewable, and its panels — also known as photovoltaics (PV) — are a good source of cheap energy in many countries. The panels capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity, which can be used to power appliances in homes directly or stored in a battery for later use. If some of that electricity is not used or stored, the excess power can typically be sold back to a central power grid. On a good run of sunny days, you could even make money from the energy you sell.

The panels do not need direct sunlight to work, so they can still be effective on cloudy days, as solar radiation is still present. However, the stronger the sun, the more electricity will be generated.

The Energy Saving Trust, a UK organization promoting energy efficiency, says a home solar PV system could cut electricity bills by up to 15-25% in the UK.

Solar panels are able to provide power to run a heat pump (more on that below) and other household appliances, as well as directly for heating water and air.

“This way, all of your space heating, water heating, lighting and appliances will use electricity, and solar PV will become well utilized in your house all year round. It’s a zero-carbon set-up,” he said.

There are a number of factors that determine the cost of a solar panel system, such as the system size, equipment used, roof characteristics, labor involved in installation and location. According to Energy Sage, solar panels in the US cost about $20,474 for a 10 kilowatt (kW) system, which will give a large family home adequate power. On average, it takes seven to eight years to see a return on investment. But many countries, states or even local authorities offer subsidies, so you could break even much sooner.

heat pumps

Energy experts CNN spoke to said the best way to reduce your carbon footprint at home is through the “electrification of heat.” In fact, “electrify everything” in general is a mantra for many advocates of climate action. That’s because you can power most things now with electricity from clean, renewable energy sources, and that means less need for coal and gas for power, or oil for cars.

“We need to get off gas, and the best way to do that is to switch to heat pumps. That way, you are completely removing gas from the property,” said Ed Matthew, a campaigns director from European think tank E3G.

The IEA said that doubling the current EU installation rates of heat pumps would save an additional 2 billion cubic meters of gas use in one year. This could also reduce a household’s gas consumption by 90%. And as the EU imports most of its gas, that’s an action that could greatly reduce reliance on Russia for energy.

Heat pumps work particularly well in very cold climates. Nordic countries, including Finland, Sweden and Norway, have the highest heat pump installation rate in Europe, said Matthew.

The pump itself and installation, however, can be expensive — an average of around $10,000 — so depending on your current heating system, it can be a while before you break even. But a lot of countries and states offer good rebates to install heat pumps, in which case, you’ll start to see savings more quickly.

Get better insulation

To keep energy bills low and reduce carbon emissions, installing insulation is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to keep buildings warm.

One way to improve the energy efficiency of our homes is to insulate them from the roof down to their foundation, E3G’s Matthew said. Home insulation involves materials used to prevent heat from escaping or entering.

“There are different kinds of insulation measures,” Matthew told CNN. “Cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and draft-proofing are very cost-effective, while solid wall installation is much more complex and expensive.”

Cavity walls are insulated by a professional who injects materials into the cavity or space in the wall. Solid walls can be insulated from the outside — a technique used to keep older homes warmer for longer.

To insulate the roof, a mineral fiber material is laid between and over the joists. This material captures heat and prevents any drafts from getting in. Flooring can also be improved by laying down new insulation.

Insulating water tanks, pipes and radiators, and draft-proofing using sealant, are other easy and quick ways to save money on energy bills.

Around one-third of all heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls, while up to 25% can be lost through the roof. While the exact impact of insulation will differ between households, Rivers from the Carbon Trust says it could reduce heat demand by up to 50% in some cases.

It’s worth doing this before switching to renewable energy. Heat pumps, for example, are far more effective with robust insulation.

Underfloor heating

OK, so this one involves tearing up your floors, but if you find yourself in a position to do that, underfloor heating is a great option.

Historically considered a luxury, it’s actually one of the most cost-effective and energy-efficient ways to heat your home.

Underfloor heating operates at a lower temperature than standard radiators, it regulates heat in a larger space, it’s quick to heat up a room and can retain heat for a good length of time after it’s switched off.

There are two main types of underfloor heating — water-based and dry. Both can be powered using solar panels or wind turbines. Water-based underfloor heating uses heat pumps, while dry underfloor heating uses electricity and is easier to install than water pipes. But beware — if your electricity comes mostly from coal or gas, this isn’t a green option, and may not even save you much money.

Reducing reliance on Russian gas will not be simple, Matthew explains, but it’s clearer now than ever that the world needs to use less natural gas.

“The crisis in Ukraine is a wake-up call for the powers in the US and Europe to accelerate the transition away from gas. Not just for the climate, but for our energy security too,” he said.

Of course, if you rent or own an apartment, your options to make many of these changes may be limited. But you can always contact your landlord or building management to express your preference for cleaner ways of heating over natural gas. These measures should dramatically cut down your energy bills, too.