The transfusion of autologous blood remains a potentially controllable complication of open-heart surgery. The most important element in a blood conservation program is an attitude on the part of the Cardiac team to simply avoid unnecessary transfusions.  If the entire team is devoted to blood conservation, the greatest reduction in transfusion and largest benefit to the patient can be achieved. Here, our team sets forth 50 techniques that can contribute to blood conservation during open heart surgery. While some of these techniques may seem obvious, trivial or mundane, it is our opinion that blood conservation stems from not one big thing, but multiple smaller endeavors.