I just went trippin' through the house gathering laundry and I

[Subdivisions]

found three lights on, though we have windows and it's a sunny day outside, and a ceiling fan on in a vacant bedroom. Oh, and it's not really all that hot outside (unusual for a Texas mid-July day), so I set the thermostat up a couple degrees.

I'm as guilty of it as anyone. Especially after Live Earth, I'm trying to make a conscious effort to notice these unnecessary uses of energy. I encourage, nay challenge, all of you to do the same.

<PSA />

[babylonsister]

1. I take it you're not in Houston; we're having a gully washer here!

Thunder, lightening, tons of rain, no satellite, the works!

Edit to add: everything but my 'puter is out over here. :)

[Subdivisions]

4. Nope. None of that here. Just a gorgeous day in N. Texas. n/t

[Tulum_Moon]

2. I always do this

There is always a light on somewhere that is being unused.

[fed-up]

3. I found myself turning off lights at a friend's house the other day :) nt

[Subdivisions]

6. Good for you! That's the way we'll spread the word, through our

example. And who could take offense at that?

[Lorien]

5. Thanks for the reminder

I just shut off two lights (both compact florescents, but still not necessary)! :hi:

[Subdivisions]

8. Yea, I actually considered leaving one burning in the living room

for the ambience and because it's a CFL. But I realized the logic in that and turned it off too.

[SharonRB]

18. We have two lamps on timers at night

They both have halogen bulbs and hubby insists on them being turned on, even though they stay on past the time we go to bed.

[madokie]

7. I've changed our lights to cfl's and make it a habit to turn off everything as needed

we're on a monthly average plan on our electric bill so it will take several months to see if I will be able to tell a difference but I just know we will

[wryter2000]

11. I have a couple of cfls

Need to get more. Are they more the size of "regular" lightbulbs now? The old ones won't fit under some of my fixtures.

[SharonRB]

16. They have various sizes.

I just bought some more last week at Costco and the new 60 watt ones are smaller than the ones I bought there a few months ago. Now all of our bulbs have been changed, including the floods in my kitchen, other than a few lamps that have halogen bulbs and the spots or floods in my track lighting in the family room. As soon as they come out with bulbs for those, they're going, too.

[madokie]

23. we have a couple fixtures that won't allow a cfl and we're going to be changing them out

they're showing their age anyway

[wryter2000]

9. I always turn off lights

PG&E doesn't get money from me if I can avoid it.

[rodeodance]

10. will do

[Jane Austin]

12. "Especially after Live Earth,"

Me too.

I always find the light over the kitchen sink on, even though we have a skylight in there and it's generally pretty bright.

Since Live Earth I've bought unbleached toilet paper, a few more flourescent bulbs and Ecover dishwasher tablets, which seem to do a great job.

Oh, and I found some "paper" plates and bowls that are made out of sugar cane starch.

And last week, I bought some Earth-friendly liquid clothes-washing detergent at Costco.

I didn't even think twice, because I know if Costco sells it, they've already determined it's a good product, and the price was comparable to their other brands.

So far so good on getting clothes clean.

I discovered that the 365 grape juice bottles (16 oz?) at Whole Foods are sturdy and do fine in the dishwasher, so I've started making herb tea by the gallon and just fill and wash and refill those bottles for my portable drinks.

[eleny]

13. "Ecover dishwasher tablets"

I'm going to look for those. Thanks! Also, I pack the dishwasher to the gills before using it.

And thanks for the idea of washing out plastic bottles in the dishwasher. The top shelf ought to be kind enough to them.

:hi:

[SharonRB]

17. I rarely use my dishwasher.

We have so few dishes at a time that I just hand wash them.

I recycle all of my plastic and paper. We have great curbside recycling.

[Jane Austin]

21. I have a couple of "ProPel" bottles that are too tall for the top shelf,

but I don't use heated drying, so they do fine, too.

[SharonRB]

15. I bought some of that clothes-washing stuff at Costco last week, too

but we haven't used it yet.

[SharonRB]

14. I'm turning into the energy Nazi in my house

I've been doing so much to conserve and my electrical usage on the bill I just got was 62% HIGHER than the same month last year. Maybe it's been a lot hotter, but I think it was pretty hot last June, too. I can't figure it out. I've changed all of my lightbulbs, unplugged a few appliances where the clock isn't that important (microwave, DVD player), my hubby is finally turning off his computer at night, etc. I just don't get it.

Well, next week I'm getting a new Energy Star refrigerator and washer and a dryer with an energy saver cycle (the dryers didn't have Energy Star ratings -- maybe because it's a gas dryer?). Hopefully that will help cut down some more.

[RC Quake]

19. At home...yes.

At work...a whole other issue. It's 100+ degrees outside, as it has been for a few weeks now, and my office is a freezer. I run my space heater at least 6 hours a day just to keep from getting sick. Furthermore, they won't let me block my vent.

[Sonicmedusa]

20. That's what happens when you do laundry while tripping.

That'll learn ya.

[Ilsa]

22. I'm further south. It's a warm day, but only 86 when it is usually 95.

It has been a cooler and wetter sumemr. My understanding is that tropical weather has spread further north. It might make it easier to live here unless we start getting alot more hurricanes. I'm trying to keep the thermostat up higher and lights out as well. And computers off. They generate alot of heat.