It's getting darker, the temperature's dropping, and the energy bills begin to climb. Short of turning up the sun and rushing the seasons, what can you do?

Quite a bit, says Bob Collins, energy resources analyst with the Yukon government.

"Most of the ideas aren't new, but I think people need reminding," he says. "I do, and I work in the business."

You can do a lot to cut your energy costs simply by eliminating drafts. No fancy equipment is necessary -- just a quick trip to the hardware store for shrink-wrap plastic to insulate windows, sealant to block cracks around window and door frames, and weather-stripping to stop air leakage around doors.

"Any kind of air-leak sealing will pay back quickly," says Collins. "With window plastic, you'll get your money back in one winter."

You can also reduce the amount you spend on heat, and the amount of greenhouse gases you contribute to the atmosphere, by making sure you are heating as efficiently as possible, he says.

Oil furnaces should be serviced at least once a year and their filters changed regularly. Propane furnaces needn't be serviced as often because they burn more cleanly and have fewer moving parts, but they should still be checked regularly.

If you have electric heat, Collins suggests contacting Yukon Housing and asking about its program to encourage conversion from electricity to another form of heating.

"You can't improve the efficiency of electric heat," he says, "but it's expensive and it contributes a lot to greenhouse gas emissions through the burning of diesel to generate electricity."

With wood heat, it's important to make sure the chimney is clean, more for safety reasons than energy efficiency. A build-up of creosote in the chimney can be both a health hazard and a fire hazard.

"If you don't want to do it, there are companies out there that will do it for you," says Collins.

Pellet-burning stoves are an efficient alternative to the traditional wood stoves. Wood pellets are now being manufactured in the Yukon, Collins says, and a couple of companies sell pellet stoves.

Lighting is another major drain on the energy budget in a Yukon winter. As the days get shorter, lights come on and the electricity bill shoots up.

Using compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of the traditional incandescent bulbs will help hold the bills down, Collins says.

"Fluorescent lighting is four to five times as efficient as incandescent," he says. "They cost a little bit more to buy, but not a lot. Plus, fluorescent bulbs last roughly ten times as long."

Based on a fairly conservative estimate, each compact fluorescent bulb will result in a net saving of about $70 over its lifetime, he says.

There are some disadvantages to fluorescent lights. For example, they can't be used on a dimmer and they don't fit some lamp shades. If fluorescents simply won't work in some locations, Collins suggests trying halogen bulbs, which fall between fluorescent and incandescent bulbs in their efficiency.

Another electricity-gobbler in Yukon winter is the block heater that helps your car start on those cold mornings when nothing wants to move. While it's difficult to avoid block heaters, they can often be used more efficiently, Collins says.

A power-saver cord is a good start. It senses the temperature of the engine and only supplies power when the engine temperature drops below a set level.

Even in the coldest temperatures, the block heater needs to run only three or four hours to get the engine up to starting temperature. By using a timer on the heater's power connection, you can start the warming process a few hours before you need the car in the morning, and save hours of wasted heat during the night.

For more information about energy and how to save it, contact the Yukon government at 667-5466.