Winter's coming, and that means between turning up our heaters, lighting up our fireplaces and warming up all that hot water - we'll be spewing a lot of greenhouse gas emission into the air.

What can you do about it? Here's NBC'S Jena Kim with some answers, as part of NBC'S "Green Week."

We all like to stay as warm and cozy as possible during the winter months. But how you heat your home can have a major impact on the environment.

"A lot of people don't know - heating and cooling account for more than half of the total energy use from your home," said Shannon Raj, Seirra Club said

Energy use means your electric company burns more coal, which pollutes the air and leads to global warming. So we asked Shannon Raj of the sierra club to give us some simple tips for "greening your winter."

"Take a good look at your windows."

If you can't afford to upgrade your windows , raj says a simple caulking job can seal the drafts. And.. "make sure you get drapes. These windows have blinds and blinds are good for keeping the sunlight out, but not so good for insulating your home."

A little drape can go a long way - and so can a ceiling fan.

"Using a slow moving fan is actually a great way to circulate the heat in your home."

The fan pushes the rising hot air back down. Pushing the thermostat down helps too.

"You might not know that just turning down your thermostat 5 degrees can cut down your energy costs over the winter season by up to 10%."

How about heating your home the old fashioned way?

"Using a fireplace is actually not the best way to go. For one thing, it's incredibly inefficient."

And smoke equals greenhouse gas emissions. But if you must burn, look for logs that don't use petroleum byproducts. Or better yet, get java logs, which are made of coffee.

"And these burn 7 times more cleanly than wood does."

Raj also suggests insulating your water heater, and weather stripping your doors. Simple things you can do right now - to prepare for an earth-friendly winter ahead.