I tend to keep an eye on the pennies and have been analysing my electricity bills lately. We could go to solar power (at least partly) and certainly when we move we will consider this and other green sources. Interesting that my bill for conventional power is about 30% less today than it was 10 years ago, even given the effects of deregulation, pricing, etc. So, after analysing my rubbish, I looked at how I used power, and got an idea of where I have made savings.

We boil a kettle with one or two cups of water in it rather than full (very significant saving)
We use energy saving light bulbs everywhere (significant saving)
Like the Queen, I tend to turn off lights where they are not needed
We use candles (savings plus romantic benefits)
We don't use the tumble drier as much
We have a energy saving (but expensive) washing machine

I'm sure we can do better but it's a start - any other ideas welcome



J.

Fruitbat,

Have you tried turning down the heating and wearing a few more layers?

much more fun when coupled with the candles

other sources to consider

Rechargeable batteries, big savings for those portable appliances

SPof52

Bathe with a friend?

Rae-o-sunshine
x

Spo52 and Rae,

thanks for those excellent and practical ideas... I will try them out and report back!

(Hardly ever take a bath - but have a double-sized shower - all in the name of saving the planet)

A difficult one to implement is the 'layers' suggestion, where the vote is split in the household - I have a partner who likes to sit around in vests and underwear in deepest, darkest winter

This results in a not very green approach to heating, but I haven't been focussed enough to try to change this

After all, it's winter, it's dark, it's dreary...

Luckily it's now spring and we have all the doors and windows in the house open and no heating at all



J.

Ok, a more serious and hopefully, helpful post now!

Major loss of heat in the home is draughts - front doors, windows etc. If you haven't got double glazing then get some thick curtains from your Freecycle friends .

I ASSume your loft and immersion tank insulation is good?.A tank that loses lots of heat is eating up your electricity (making an assumption you have electric heating here of course).

Leaving appliances on standby - big no no.........TURN 'EM OFF! If you keep forgetting, it's worth investing in one of those thingies that turns everything off for you at night.

Heating water - just an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon / evening should suffice for washing up (OMG - you run a dishwasher right?? Hmmmm, then make sure it is FULL before you switch it on and don't be so lazy with that rinse-and-hold programme; rinse them by hand under the cold tap). Then just boost it if you want a bath rather than leave the immersion running all the time.

If your freezer is not full then stuff it full of newspapers and keep it well defrosted.

Electric cooker? With mine, I turn the rings off about 10 minutes before I want the meal ready; there's enough heat in the rings to keep on cookin'. In fact, I discovered something great the other week in a power cut. I had *just* bought some rice to the boil when the electricity went off (we get about 1 a week around here), I left the lid on the pan and within half an hour I had perfectly cooked rice - neat huhn?

Use a slow cooker and / or steamer - complete meals for a fraction of the electricity consumption and no, don't use your microwave - bad, bad, bad for your immune system (imnsho)

If you bake, do a weeks (nah, forget it, you don't bake do you??)

You really don't need to use the tumble drier AT ALL......

Only wash on a full load, despite what your expensive washing maching promises it does for you. (what me, a complete skeptic??!! ) and most washes only need to go in on 40degrees

There quite a difference between CRT consumption and LCD screens if that's applicable (huge benefits to your health too, but I won't go there)

Close warm cuddles and hot water bottles instead of that electric blanket........

Dimmer switches on your lights?

Great topic Fruity - you've got me thinking too, but this week I'm focusing on my rubbish!

Rae x

OK, I have laid myself bare and feel suitably admonished by the Miss Whiplash of the Eco Living forum... oor-err missus! I feel a Frankie Howerd moment coming on...

Rae, you raise some important points and these are aspects where I can improve drastically... you have homed into some lifestyle choices which need refining. Educating Fruitbat has only just started in this area...

At least I've never had an electric blanket... so can feel slightly smug - can't I?



J.

Tough on the outside maybe, but just a big softy at heart......

10/10 for the lack of electric blanket (but that's 'cos your bedroom is 25degrees huhn?!)

Rae x

i try really quite hard to use electricity wisely however do you have an answer for getting hubby to do the same? it really is like

If he comes up to bed after me i can guarantee he will leave several lights on all night and the tv on standby

Does an auto switch off husband devise exsist (if it does not then it should.

Sal (got a headache now)

You have my full empathy here Sal - it *is* tough when two of you are on differing paths and the interest is just not there from our partners.

However, having a good chat with dh and showing that i) this felt really important to me right now and ii) that I fully validated his needs / desires too, meant that we could work on compromises......
Luckily, we *have* to be frugal with electricity due to financial constraints, so even if dh doesn't do it for 'green' reasons, then he will do it for monetary ones......

Have a good chat with your hubbie and perhaps try and explain to him how important this is to you.

Love Rae x

Oh dear, I don't feel very eco friendly after reading this thread .

Although I did find that lining the outside walls (no need to do the inside ones unless padding is required ) with 5mm polystyrene helps keep the heat in the house.
It's cheap, easy to use and you can wallpaper over it no bother.

love & light
JuniperSky