What are you doing to conserver energy?

[Charles_Main]

I think we all can agree, we need to use less energy. I am for drilling here, and for alternative fuels, But I think the quickest way for us to make a difference is to simply use less energy.

So far I have.

Replaced every light bulb in my house with energy efficient bulbs.

Installed a tank less hot water heater.

Talked the wife into using cloths lines to dry cloths when ever possible.

Parked my 95 dodge truck and taken to only driving my Saturn.

Only installed 1 of 3 window Air conditioners. (only one I installed was in the babies room. She sleeps much better with it, and it is only on when it is very hot, and she is trying to sleep)

Allowed my lawn to turn brown and die from lack of watering.

Cut my driving by nearly 50% compared to previous years (Normally I put about 15000 a year on the Saturn alone, so far this year only 3800 miles on it)

Been much more vigilant about making sure lights are not on needlessly, Shut the computer off when ever I am not at it.

I am also looking into installing Solar panels on my roof, not sure how much this will help in Northern Michigan but I am looking into it.

I know it is not much, but it is something.

So what have you done so far to use less?

 

[Charles_Main]

14 views and no responses? where are you global warming alarmist now, what are you doing to cut back ?

 

[jillian]

I've been driving less and going shorter distances. And when I drive, I'm really trying not to be a leadfoot. Turning off lights when not being used is a biggie, too. Not running water unnecessarily. (I know that isn't energy, per se, but it is conservation).

 

[Charles_Main]

I've been driving less and going shorter distances. And when I drive, I'm really trying not to be a leadfoot. Turning off lights when not being used is a biggie, too. Not running water unnecessarily. (I know that isn't energy, per se, but it is conservation).

it is energy too, most water uses an electric pump to get to where it is going. Even if it is city water, somewhere there are pumps running.

Good for you Jillian, like I said my lawn is dead and brown cause I wont let the wife water it

 

[jillian]

it is energy too, most water uses an electric pump to get to where it is going. Even if it is city water, somewhere there are pumps running.

Good for you Jillian, like I said my lawn is dead and brown cause I wont let the wife water it

We water the terrace garden. (of course, it's just a few flower pots and some herbs for the bunny).

 

[dilloduck]

14 views and no responses? where are you global warming alarmist now, what are you doing to cut back ?

Maybe the alarmists turned off their 'puters to save energy ?? If one was really serious about it wouldn't that be a great idea?

 

[Glori.B]

Maybe the alarmists turned off their 'puters to save energy ?? If one was really serious about it wouldn't that be a great idea?

naaaaaaaah!

 

[Toro]

When my wife is away, I turn off the air conditioner in the house during the day when I'm at work. I used to let it run so my dog could stay cool, but no more. I've decided to sacrifice in the name of the national interest.

 

[dilloduck]

naaaaaaaah!

Well where the hell are they then dammit? Charles is feeling a bit ignored. Me ? I just dont buy anything I don't need. Best way in the world to conserve. It would kill our economy if everyone did it but that's not really the point is it.

 

[Gunny]

We water the terrace garden. (of course, it's just a few flower pots and some herbs for the bunny).

"Herbs" for the bunny. Yeah, right.

 

[Glori.B]

"Herbs" for the bunny. Yeah, right.

LOL indulge the poor bunny...

 

[dilloduck]

LOL indulge the poor bunny...

bull--put that bunny in a wheel to run the blender or something. No free rides when it comes to saving the planet !!

 

[Charles_Main]

Damn I was hoping this thread would be a bit more constructive

 

[Wow]

I have reduced my gasoline consumption by 60% (Internet). I have reduced 80% of the paper in my business (Computer).
My home has the latest insulating materials.
20% of my energy comes from nuclear power. I read that another 15% of power will be coming from wind farms and the expanded nuclear plant.

It's obvious, I do not live in a Liberal state.

 

[Article 15]

I'm marrying into an Amish community.

 

[DeeJ1971]

I think we all can agree, we need to use less energy. I am for drilling here, and for alternative fuels, But I think the quickest way for us to make a difference is to simply use less energy.

So far I have.

Replaced every light bulb in my house with energy efficient bulbs.

Installed a tank less hot water heater.

Talked the wife into using cloths lines to dry cloths when ever possible.

Parked my 95 dodge truck and taken to only driving my Saturn.

Only installed 1 of 3 window Air conditioners. (only one I installed was in the babies room. She sleeps much better with it, and it is only on when it is very hot, and she is trying to sleep)

Allowed my lawn to turn brown and die from lack of watering.

Cut my driving by nearly 50% compared to previous years (Normally I put about 15000 a year on the Saturn alone, so far this year only 3800 miles on it)

Been much more vigilant about making sure lights are not on needlessly, Shut the computer off when ever I am not at it.

I am also looking into installing Solar panels on my roof, not sure how much this will help in Northern Michigan but I am looking into it.

I know it is not much, but it is something.

So what have you done so far to use less?

And all of what you've done will not make up for the one illegal that crossed our border in the time it took you to type out the measures you've taken. The illegal that will buy some sort of car, live in govt subsidized housing, consume energy, produce waste, and probably produce at-least 4 children.

 

[DeeJ1971]

To answer the question, instead of buying the new mustang I wanted, I bought a much more fuel efficient econo-box. We go to great lengths to drive the econo-box almost everywhere and try to keep the Yukon XL for pulling our toy hauler for camping trips with the dirtbikes. We take more local trips rather than far from home, and have reduced our discretionary spending significantly.

So we have one fuel efficient car and one non-efficient one but if we traded them both in for 2 prius hybrids, it wouldn't make up for the 3 illegals that would cross our borders in the time it would take us to fill out the paperwork on our new cars.

As long as my govt doesn't feel the problem is serious enough to warrant trying to reduce the number of people coming here to increase the size of their carbon footprint, I'm not going to reduce my carbon footprint anymore than I already have.

 

[Skull Pilot]

those compact fluorescent are not environmental panacea. Just look at the clean up guidelines.

http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/promotions/change_light/downloads/Fact_Sheet_Mercury.pdf

How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal
guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
 Have people and pets leave the room, and don't let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
 Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
 Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
 Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with
metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
 Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
 Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
 Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
 Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a
sealed plastic bag.
 Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
 If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
 Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic
bag.
4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
 If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside
the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or
bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
 You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken
CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not
come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
 If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off
with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for
disposal.
5. Disposal of Clean-up Materials
 Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash
pickup.
 Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
 Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not
allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a
local recycling center.
6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
 The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a
window before vacuuming.
 Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after
vacuuming is completed.


All that to clean up a broken "green" light bulb??????

Now you know as well as I that 99% of people won't dispose of these bulbs "properly" so all that extra mercury will just end up in the local landfill

 

[Ravi]

I stopped being afraid of fluorescent bulbs, which have been around for what, a century--and haven't managed to destroy the world yet.

 

[manifold]

...like I said my lawn is dead and brown cause I wont let the wife water it

And just think of all the gas you're saving by not having to mow it now.