Anyone there have ideas on the little things we can do to save energy? Comment them here. We need all the help we can get - keep in mind not all of us live in California. Share what we know, and we all win!
The best hints are the ones where any doofus can do it without spending a bunch of money, and don't lose lifestyle points at the same time.
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My husband and I were just talking about the carbon footprint in our household. We are basically very cheap, and like to do little things to save money. It's such an integral part of who we are that we rarely even think of it as "saving." It's just what we do.
* I wash all clothing in cold water. All of it. If it wrinkles and can't take cold water, I probably use it for everyday and just cope.
* I hang clothes on the clothes line outside. I do put some things through the dryer to soften them, but I often hang them first and then just leave them in the dryer 10 or 15 minutes rather than 40 or 50 minutes it would take right out of the washer.
*I never use the heating element to dry the dishes in the dishwasher. I open the door and let them air dry.
* We use "vintage" when we can. Our furniture is almost always used (Matresses excepted)
When we were just starting out, we bought our stuff at garage sales or the Good Will, and rather than transporting them across states when we moved, we donated them back and bought more used when we got to the new city. That changed some when we inherited some things.
FASHION is irrelevant to me. If it is comfortable, fits the space, is clean and sturdy, I can live with it being last year's color.)
*We don't use paper or plastic. We use canvas.
*I go to the trouble of putting up a reflective screen in the west windows in the afternoons in the summer, rather than just turning up the air conditioner. It takes a trip outside, and I do sometimes get side-tracked, but I do it so routinely that it is like checking the mail.
*We do not use the air-conditioner much in the summer. After dark we open the windows and put up box fans. In the morning when it's warmer outside than inside, we take the fans down, close the windows and the curtains.
* We heat and cool the rooms we use and close the vents to the rest of the rooms unless we are actually using those rooms. We plan to install pocket doors to close nearly half the house off at night. In our previous house, we installed doors on the hallway so that only the bedrooms were heated at night.
*We keep the thermostat low at home. We wear sweaters in the winter. I also keep the thermostat much higher than many people would find comfortable in the summer.
Now, humidity is NOT a problem for us here. That makes some of our economies possible. If we lived in Arkansas instead of Texas, some of our procedures wouldn't be as effective.
Cars - we do not require that the cars be "new." We know enough about maintaining them that we keep them running ourselves. By not buying a new vehicle, we enjoy the advantages of not having to manufacture, smelt the metal for, or even mine the ore for the new car. We also never pay to finance a new car, but that's not a "save the planet" issue as much as it is our just hating finance charges. If we can't pay for it, we don't buy it. Our cars are all relatively efficient. An SUV would offer no more safety or space and comfort than our minivan, but the minivan isn't seen to be as good by some consumers. We know we are driving for transportation, not for personal worth. When you have the functions of possessions clear in your mind, it's easier not to care about the invidious distinctions our society often set up.
We have hopes of converting one or more to electric in the next few years.
*When I can, I walk. I also ride a bike. My husband works a 15 minute walk from our house. When I couldn't walk, I made arrangements to carpool 4 or 5 days most weeks. We probably averaged out to 4 days a week.
*Keep the freezer full. If you are low on supplies, freeze water in empty pop bottles. The energy to freeze and then maintain the water is less than the energy lost every time we open the freezer door and have to re-cool the room temperature air that fills the space when the cold air pours out.
* Avoid convenience foods. Not only are they usually not as good for you, they are more costly in terms of manufacture and processing. When possible, cook larger meals and save the left-overs to be re-heated in the microwave rather than cooked from scratch at every meal-time. Breads and dishes that have to be baked but can be frozen are good for this. You do not have to re-heat the oven for each dish.
*When possible, lower the temperature control and let the existing heat in the oven or burner finish off a dish. This doesn't work for some dishes, but many, like rice and some cakes are fine with this 5 or ten minute "no new heat" procedure.
*Keep air filters clean.
*Use overhead fans rather than A/C.
*Shop local foods when possible.
*Reuse, recycle.
*turn out lights in room that are not occupied. Convert to compact fluorescent bulbs, too.
*If you can, landscape for the climate you are in rather than for the neighbors. For example, I put more than half of the back yard into a desert garden. I do not water it now that the plants are established. We used to water the heck out of that part of the yard trying to keep the grass green. In our previous house, much of the back yard was a garden that didn't need water past the natural rain, and it was a cool place in the bargain. We really like sitting out in the current garden too.
*Put power strips on your tv/vcr/dvd and computer. When you are not using them, turn the power strip off, not just the appliance.
And other stuff.
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