By Emilie

May 28, 2008 12:03 PM | Link to this

Unless I have appointments away from the office, I am walking to and from my local job. I am carpooling with my daughter to my other job. We also bought two Hyundai Elantra’s in the last 2.5 years. The van stays in town most of the time. We walk to events & parties close to home, too. We used to drive. The 4 of us try to rearrange our schedules to avoid taking more than one car to events, parties, etc. At home we insulated, bought new windows, a better roof, and a more efficient air and heating system. We also use the new bulbs in several lamps. We have a programmable thermostat, too. We changed it’s settings a degree down in the winter and a degree higher in the summer. Plans are to do that again next heating season. We recycle everything we are allowed to recycle.I am using more cold water to wash clothes I once used warm for. I am using the cloth bags for my groceries. I talked with the IT person at work. He asked for information on whether it would be okay with a server in the building to shut all the computers off at the surge protectors at least over the weekend, and what the savings to the organization that would be. The next step is to eliminate the energy vampires in our house with switches and more accessible surge protectors. We already recycle at both my jobs. I am hoping we can soon afford to join the local organic food co-op. I plan on shopping more at the farmers’ market in season.

By Lee

May 28, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

What a great posting by Emilie - “energy vampires”. That’s so real and funny! I just refurbished my wife’s bicycle last week b/c she wants to ride to work at once or twice a week. I ride my bicycle to local coffee shops, visits nearby local business estabishments, and farmer’s market on weekends. I am looking for ways to retain rain water to water my flowers and yard in the summer - also try to make barrel look presentable to my neighbors (otherwise they may not want to talk to me again:).