When I talk to folks around town, it’s clear that people are worried about the climate crisis. And with good reason. Rising sea levels, extreme weather and uncomfortably hot temperatures are a real threat to our way of life here in Hawaii.

But when people talk about what they’re doing to help, there’s a real disconnect. They may be putting solar panels on their roof and driving electric cars, but they’re not using energy-efficient appliances or turning out the lights when they leave the room.

There is a direct connection between the efficiency of our buildings and the climate crisis that is happening right now. But with so much talk about renewables, energy efficiency has sometimes been left out of the conversation.

It’s easy to understand how things like gas cars and airplanes contribute to climate change. But did you know that buildings contribute a lot of greenhouse gases, too? Between lights, appliances, air conditioning and all those chargers for electronic gadgets, buildings are actually huge users of energy. And the reality is, most of that energy still comes from fossil fuels burned in power plants.

In fact, buildings are responsible for 40% of our current carbon emissions. And improving the energy efficiency of our buildings is the cheapest and arguably the easiest way to reduce our climate impact.

One study found that the U.S. could reduce its overall energy use from current levels by 40% to 60% by midcentury, simply by using better technologies and eliminating waste. Another report found that aggressively pursuing energy efficiency can get us halfway to our climate goals.

Renewable energy is an important part of the process, but it is not enough to get us all the way there. For one thing, they’re more expensive. Hawaii Energy has calculated that it costs 10 to 12 cents per kilowatt hour generated through renewable sources, versus 2 cents per kWh saved through energy efficiency.

But cost aside, we simply can’t get where we need to go with renewables alone. One study found that we would not be able to meet our 100% renewable energy goal on Oahu, even if all available open space was used for things like solar and wind farms.

Think of it as a matter of fixing the leak before you fill up the tank. As long as we continue wasting energy, our demand for power will far exceed what we can supply with renewables. But improving our energy efficiency can make our state’s energy goals attainable.

Energy efficiency doesn’t have to mean making a sacrifice or going without. It just means reducing waste and that’s something we can all do, often at little or no cost.

There are many simple actions you can take to make a difference:

>> When it’s time to replace an old appliance, pick a new efficient one that’s ENERGY STAR labeled.

>> Replace lights with LEDs.

>> Unplug your devices when they’re not in use or use a smart power strip to reduce drain.

>> If you have air conditioning, service your unit regularly, and use it sparingly. Use a fan instead of AC when you can, and when you’re running the air conditioning, set the thermostat a bit higher and use fans to circulate the cool air.

>> And of course, turn off the lights when you leave the room.

In the face of this climate crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But we have the power to make a difference. Climate change affects everyone, and the only way we can do something about it is if everyone works together. By making energy efficiency a part of the climate conversation, we can help reach our goal of a 100% clean energy future.

Brian Kealoha is executive director of Hawaii Energy.