This article was first published in Albuquerque's Local IQ. Archives are available at Issuu.
The problem with saving the world is that sometimes it's hard to figure out where to start. And even harder to figure out where to quit. The size of the problem is so overwhelming procrastination and denial becomes a healthy coping mechanism -- "business as usual" is certainly preferable to curling up in the fetal position and staying there.
But today I offer you a different deal. Upon completion of this project you will have earned your scouts-badge in Economics, Sustainability and Carbon Management, and be in the 92% US percentile (that's an "A", for the math challenged). Wait! There's more -- partial credit -- while you have to complete all 10 steps to earn your scout badge, for each one of these steps you complete, the energy fairy will sneak extra money into your checking account.
Start at #1, end at #10. Save the world.
1. Replace all the bulbs in your house with either CFLs or LEDs. Dimmer lights and recessed sockets should get the more expensive LEDs. Shop for color -- you could buy low Kelvin LEDs or CFLs that make you look like Frankenstein or 2700-3000 Kelvin lights that make you look ten years younger.
2. Wash clothes on cold. Hang them out to dry. Use your dishwasher only with full loads (without pre-rinsing). Turn off the heated dry feature.
3. Buy and install a programmable thermostat (if you don’t have a heat pump). Set the thermostat in the winter to turn the heat down while you are asleep and at work and during the summer to use less AC when you are not at home.
4. Buy a Kill-a-watt meter ($25) and several power strips and go through your house room to room to measure the power of each appliance when it is on and when it is off. "Vampire appliances" draw a low level of current when you think they are off. Vampire appliance have an impact out of proportion to their size. Because they are "base-load", i.e. always on, they are consuming 100% coal produced electricity. (NOT TRUE IN BC) Plug them into the power strip and use the switch on the strip to turn them off.
5. Buy a meat/candy thermometer ($10) and measure the temperature of the hot water coming out of your faucets. If it is higher than 120ºF degrees, turn it down at the water heater.
6. Put wind chill to work for you. Install an overhead fan in the rooms you spend most of your time in. During the summer let them fool you into thinking it is cooler. During the winter, if you have high ceilings, leave them on low so that heat doesn't collect at the ceiling.
7. Your old fridge hasn't broken yet, but the energy it guzzles each month means you are effectively renting it. For gods sakes, don't buy a new one and put the old one in your garage or give it to your nephew, make sure it goes all the way to the landfill. Cut the plug off so it can't suck anyone else dry. You should make this call for the clothes washer, dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, water heater and any room AC units.
7. Buy two refrigerator/freezer thermometers ($10) and use them to set the fridge to 37 degrees F and the freezer to 3 degrees F.
8. Get the air filter out of your heater -- go to the hardware store and buy six of them. Label them October, November, December, January, February, March and replace them each month so that your heater isn't working so hard to force air through the gunk.
9. Put more insulation in your attic. If you have a flat roof without an attic, get an estimate for foam insulation to be sprayed on the outside of the roof.
10. Find the leaks around the windows and the doors. To detect leaks you can use a) your finger and a glass of water, b) a narrow strip of plastic bag taped to a toothpick or c) a stick of incense. Add weather stripping to doors, and caulk to window frames. Then add plastic or storm windows to create a second barrier.
Articles on Teaspoon Energy by Kristy Dyer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License Please contact Kristy for other uses.
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| This article first appeared in Local IQ, Albuquerque NM |
But today I offer you a different deal. Upon completion of this project you will have earned your scouts-badge in Economics, Sustainability and Carbon Management, and be in the 92% US percentile (that's an "A", for the math challenged). Wait! There's more -- partial credit -- while you have to complete all 10 steps to earn your scout badge, for each one of these steps you complete, the energy fairy will sneak extra money into your checking account.
Start at #1, end at #10. Save the world.
1. Replace all the bulbs in your house with either CFLs or LEDs. Dimmer lights and recessed sockets should get the more expensive LEDs. Shop for color -- you could buy low Kelvin LEDs or CFLs that make you look like Frankenstein or 2700-3000 Kelvin lights that make you look ten years younger.
2. Wash clothes on cold. Hang them out to dry. Use your dishwasher only with full loads (without pre-rinsing). Turn off the heated dry feature.
3. Buy and install a programmable thermostat (if you don’t have a heat pump). Set the thermostat in the winter to turn the heat down while you are asleep and at work and during the summer to use less AC when you are not at home.
4. Buy a Kill-a-watt meter ($25) and several power strips and go through your house room to room to measure the power of each appliance when it is on and when it is off. "Vampire appliances" draw a low level of current when you think they are off. Vampire appliance have an impact out of proportion to their size. Because they are "base-load", i.e. always on, they are consuming 100% coal produced electricity. (NOT TRUE IN BC) Plug them into the power strip and use the switch on the strip to turn them off.
5. Buy a meat/candy thermometer ($10) and measure the temperature of the hot water coming out of your faucets. If it is higher than 120ºF degrees, turn it down at the water heater.
6. Put wind chill to work for you. Install an overhead fan in the rooms you spend most of your time in. During the summer let them fool you into thinking it is cooler. During the winter, if you have high ceilings, leave them on low so that heat doesn't collect at the ceiling.
7. Your old fridge hasn't broken yet, but the energy it guzzles each month means you are effectively renting it. For gods sakes, don't buy a new one and put the old one in your garage or give it to your nephew, make sure it goes all the way to the landfill. Cut the plug off so it can't suck anyone else dry. You should make this call for the clothes washer, dishwasher, refrigerator/freezer, water heater and any room AC units.
7. Buy two refrigerator/freezer thermometers ($10) and use them to set the fridge to 37 degrees F and the freezer to 3 degrees F.
8. Get the air filter out of your heater -- go to the hardware store and buy six of them. Label them October, November, December, January, February, March and replace them each month so that your heater isn't working so hard to force air through the gunk.
9. Put more insulation in your attic. If you have a flat roof without an attic, get an estimate for foam insulation to be sprayed on the outside of the roof.
10. Find the leaks around the windows and the doors. To detect leaks you can use a) your finger and a glass of water, b) a narrow strip of plastic bag taped to a toothpick or c) a stick of incense. Add weather stripping to doors, and caulk to window frames. Then add plastic or storm windows to create a second barrier.
Articles on Teaspoon Energy by Kristy Dyer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License Please contact Kristy for other uses.
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