What are you doing to conserver energy?

[Annie]

I'm driving much less in the summer, but the end of August will cause usage to go up again, it's over 20 miles each way to school and no public trans.

Nearly all my lights have been switch to the new ones, though I must say, I don't like the light. Too dull, even with 'larger illume equivalency.'

We recycle all that we can.

Donate lightly used clothes, appliances, books, etc.

Haven't used air conditioning once this summer, my kids hate me.

Try to 'buy local foods.'

Have used the crock pot more than the grill this summer.

My association waters the lawn and plants. *shrug*

If I need just a quart of milk or loaf of bread, I walk the 2 miles to get it and home again, (Problem, sometimes I get there and start buying, have to call a kid up to get the groceries. )

Not running dishwasher or clothes washer without 'full loads.'

 

[Charles_Main]

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

Wrong, electric mower

but I have saved some time and electricity

 

[Zoomie1980]

I'm driving much less in the summer, but the end of August will cause usage to go up again, it's over 20 miles each way to school and no public trans.

Nearly all my lights have been switch to the new ones, though I must say, I don't like the light. Too dull, even with 'larger illume equivalency.'

We recycle all that we can.

Donate lightly used clothes, appliances, books, etc.

Haven't used air conditioning once this summer, my kids hate me.

Try to 'buy local foods.'

Have used the crock pot more than the grill this summer.

My association waters the lawn and plants. *shrug*

If I need just a quart of milk or loaf of bread, I walk the 2 miles to get it and home again, (Problem, sometimes I get there and start buying, have to call a kid up to get the groceries. )

Not running dishwasher or clothes washer without 'full loads.'

If it were up to me I'd not use air at all, but the wife would divorce me. Except when she in the the car with me, I have never turned the air on once. And yes, here it gets over 100 once in a while and usually up near 90 most days.

We use the new bulbs.

Got an SUV but it's a four cyl.

I finnally broke down and watered the grass for the first time this summer. It's been reasonably rainy but it's been two weeks and it's dieing nd I don't want to reseed the thing from scratch

I will buy a residential wind turbine when the come down.

And an electric car

 

[editec]

You mean recently? A lot of what we can do I did a long time ago to converse money more than because I was thinking about the environment

I stopped keeping my computer on if I'm not going back to it in five minutes or less.

I'm turning off the taps instead of letting them run when I'd doing the dishes.

I'm taking shorter showers.

I've moved my office into the house from the shedquarters I used to have to heat and light.

I'm driving even less than the 6,000 miles I drove a year for the last decade or so.

None of these things will reap me or the environment especially huge bennies, but they're something.

There is a diminished return to conservation once you've eliminated the really big energy wastinghabits we probably all had at one time.

All really larger conservative moves will cost a lot of money in the short run, and the bennies come over the longer run, so they're not likely to happen this year.

 

[DiamondDave]

1) I use fluorescent bulbs everywhere except my family room and bedroom, in the winter. I have SAD and need to use 'natural light' bulbs when there is less sunlight.
2) Engine improvements on my vehicles for better mileage.
3) Ride the motorcycle as primary transportation except when I have the kids and the weather does not permit riding it.
4) Use a programmable thermostat to not waste heat or AC when I am not in the house.
5) Research the most economical vehicle in the class that I need or want, when looking to purchase a new vehicle.


and a few more things

Also.. recycling does not really save energy.... it saves resources

 

[Chris]

I only mow the lawn every two weeks.

Oh.....wait.......

That's because I'm lazy.

 

[Charles_Main]

I only mow the lawn every two weeks.

Oh.....wait.......

That's because I'm lazy.

I make my wife and kids cut the lawn with nail clippers for the same reason!

 

[wihosa]

I'm an environmentalist from the days it was known as the 'ecology' movement.

I've always driven fuel efficient vehicles, never owned a vehicle with a V-8 engine even the truck I drive for work (I'm a building contractor). Checked my tire pressure the other day thanks to Baeak Obama's reminder (he's already making a difference, ha ha).

I don't have air conditioning in my home. We keep quite cool thanks to super insulation (approx. R50) in the roof, exposed hard flooring over concrete slab (for thermal mass) and use of fans to exhaust warm air and bring in cool air at night.

We don't use any incandescent lighting and we recycle everything we can.

I'd love to install PV panels on the roof but can't afford it . We need to spur production of PV panels so competition will drive the cost down.

Legislation requiring new buildings to produce a percentage of their electrical usage, say 10%, would create a large market for PV. Market forces would take over from there. Would also need to require electricity providers to install two way metering upon request.

 

[Alpha1]

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?

You guys need to send Al Gore a letter ...tell him how you are personally doing without so he can heat his Olympic pool and continue to use 20 times the normal amount of electricity that normal households use ... he'll be so proud of you, as he laughs his ass off at your stupidity and gullibility....

Royalty loves nothing better than stupid peasants....

 

[Charles_Main]

You guys need to send Al Gore a letter ...tell him how you are personally doing without so he can heat his Olympic pool and continue to use 20 times the normal amount of electricity that normal households use ... he'll be so proud of you, as he laughs his ass off at your stupidity and gullibility....

Royalty loves nothing better than stupid peasants....

I could care less what that asshole AL GORE is doing, Clearly he is a hypocritical asshole. I do what I do because I can, not because AL the Asshole Gore wants me to.

 

[random3434]

Royalty loves nothing better than stupid peasants....

Then they must REALLY, REALLY, REALLY Love YOU!

 

[wihosa]

You guys do realize that the "twenty times the normal amount of electricity" includes all the power for his office and office staff.

Oh never mind, why spoil a good righty urban myth.

 

[AllieBaba]

I quit blow drying my hair.
Well, I did that before, but it's a good one.
I drive much, MUCH less than I did...and living out in the boonies, that really has an impact on our lives.

 

[Charles_Main]

You guys do realize that the "twenty times the normal amount of electricity" includes all the power for his office and office staff.

Oh never mind, why spoil a good righty urban myth.

Sure sure, it is all because of the office. I guess the SUV's and Private jets are ok with you too eh.

Screw that BS, Gore is a flaming Hypocrite looking to make a buck off of Carbon Credit trading schemes.

 

[wihosa]

That's it, Gore's just trying to sell a book. You global warming deniers look as silly as evolution deniers, oops, you're not one of those are you?

 

[Charles_Main]

That's it, Gore's just trying to sell a book. You global warming deniers look as silly as evolution deniers, oops, you're not one of those are you?

Oh it is more than a book. He also made millions of his movie. He is making money off his Carbon Credit Company, and he wants to make Millions of a global Mandated Carbon Credit Trading Scheme.

He may care about the environment somewhere down deep, but his real motivators are Money, and attention.

OH and stop being an asshole. Just because I Think Gore is a hypocrite does not mean I am a global warming Denier. Quit using the standard Left wing attack policy of labeling anyone who questions anything about the subject a denier.

I am on record repeatedly on this board admitting that Global warming is happening, and I am sick and tired of Lame ass dick weeds calling me a denier everytime I have the nerve to question anything about it.

Finally only religious MORONS deny evolution and I am definitely not one of those either.

 

[thrimironaxe]

People in my neighborhood expand/upgrade/change their property all the time ... and lots of "in the way" trees have to come down. I am the guy that knocks on doors and hauls their wood away for free ... for my wood stove.

I burn hot and clean, with zero smoke (my neighbors don't even know I heat with wood). I save 800 gallons of fuel oil every year.

Last year wood started getting scarce and I ran out in early March ... and this year looks even worse. The sad thing is knowing most of this wood is going to be burned inefficiently in normal fireplaces, making lots of toxic smoke and in most cases causing an increase in heating bills (most fireplaces have negative efficiency, since the air that goes up the flue has to be replaced with cold outside air).

Sigh.

 

[Anguille]

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?

Why would you need air conditioning in Northern Michigan?

 

[Zoomie1980]

You guys do realize that the "twenty times the normal amount of electricity" includes all the power for his office and office staff.

Oh never mind, why spoil a good righty urban myth.

Al Gore's Tennessee mansion alone consumes 20 times the amount of electricity than the average American single family detached house. He also drives a Suburban, a TRADITIONAL gasoline powered one. And he doesn;t even use a heat pump, just a standard gas furnace.

 

[Denny Crane]

It's sad that Gore doesn't practice what he preaches. If he did his message might get a better reception. I do give him credit for at least getting folks talking about the issue.

We heat with wood, about 4 cords a year.

We have fluorescent bulbs in 75% of the house. The other 25% I'm not giving up because there are a few places in the house I just don't like the way the flourescents light certain areas.

We dry our clothes outside on a clothesline.

We haven't run our 96 Blazer for a year now. We live close to a grocery store so I ride a bicycle for the odd item we run short on. We hitch a ride with family members to shop for items at the larger stores and pay bills. Besides, it's a way to protest against the high registration fees in our state.

We recycle when possible and the woodstove is a great for burning paper as a fire starter.

In the warmer days of summer (2 whole weeks this year) we use the cool air in our cellar circulated from a fan on our out of service furnace to cool the house.

We keep any lights not being used turned off.

I'm not sure what my carbon footprint is but I'm treading as lightly as possible.