Don't get me started on Global Warming. In addition to being the dominant threat to all life on earth, it will make my personal comfort both more expensive (in dollars and carbon) and less possible (I can't fix outside to my preferences - and almost all humanity is unknowingly grateful for this.). But this time of year, thoughts turn toward improving the comfort of the few friends who visit my house.
Actually, they are uncomfortable in my house year round, as my thermostat is set to 68 degrees in the summer, and 60 degrees in the winter; I just have less chance of thinking about them being too chilly when I am too warm at 68. That meager comfort (for me) temperature range is all I have to work with. However, I can offer warming technology to my visitors. Here are my offerings in order of ascending carbon cost:
A reminder to wear more clothing when visiting
Extra coats, gloves, hats and lap robes
The comfort of a hot water bottle (slight delay in results)
An electric heating pad that lives on my couch which will toast you right up
My amazing Bed Jet https://bedjet.com/ system (if we have a close enough relationship)
Off the menu: either additional heating, or reduced cooling of entire house.
I use all of the above when I am chilly. This occurs daily during the cold season at about 9 am and lasts for a few hours. This condition would be very welcome at bed time, as that is when my off the charts self warming capabilities kick into high gear. I get to actually enjoy that feeling of snug warmth in a bed jet heated bed for a nap with my cat at this time of day. As I generally wake between 1 and 3 am (Why oh why?), I am often dozy at this hour. However, even in a 60 degree room, wearing a skimpy cotton night gown, covered by only light cotton covers, I must employ the cooling function of the bed jet so that I do not awake in a puddle.
If my life were not so replete with choice, comfort, and ease this trial would make the angels weep for me. But I am sure they do not so weep, if they in fact ARE.
PS: Actually (if they exist) they ARE weeping for me. I just googled: how much to lower heat at night and got an in depth analysis at https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/columns/straight-dope/article/13039881/straight-dope-does-setting-the-heat-lower-at-night-really. This has convinced me to go down to 54 overnight, with no concern that I will fail to raise it again when I get up.
PPS: Guaranteed side effect: increased feline apparent affection.
PPPS: I had a programmable thermostat which lost it's mind periodically, necessitating a tedious reprogramming ritual that annoyed this near Luddite.