Save and Conserve

energy conservation takes will power and it's also not fun. saving energy is like cleaning your room. remember how eager you were to tackle that project? unless you drive a prius, there's really no direct, selfish benefit to conserving. even if you get a warm fuzzy because you drive a prius, i've been reading some stuff recently that indicates a backlash against prius drivers. at any rate, the initial hybrid buzz appears to be waning ... anyway, saving and conserving generally costs more of your time, your energy and your freedom.

and by freedom, i mean the type of freedom that allows you to go where you want, when you want. not the freedom protected in the constitution.

i've been driving 60 mph on the highway for the past month because i know that improves my gas mileage, which means i squeeze more out of every gallon i pump into the car. in this way, i can justify spending $3.09 per gallon. this is smart and it is the type of behavior the economists refer to when they talk about reduced demand caused by high price. true in my case.

but you know what? it's pretty boring to drive 60 and get passed by every car on the road. in some ways, it may not even be safe to drive 60 as a rule. i've had more than a few weird close calls on the road recently ... likely due to my lower speed, which is unexpected by other drivers who are making millions of calculations and estimates in their brains as they navigate the roadway.

driving slower is actually like work. i find it takes quite a lot of concentration to keep my speed pegged at 60 on roads i am conditioned to drive 70 or higher. i'm glad i have cruise control.

bottom line: driving slower is a good example of why conservation frowned upon by americans. it just doesn't feel right. it feels downright unnatural.

this movement is gonna take a lot of time. i'm trying to think of ways to make conservation fun this week.

Posted by tom c. at 5:09 PM | Permalink

Simple, smart ways to save energy at home:

1. Use compact flourescent lightbulbs (CFLs). CFLs use fewer watts than normal lightbulbs, so they use much less energy. As a result, they also last longer. CFLs cost a bit more than normal bulbs, but they are well worth the investment. In the long run, they use less energy and save you money.

2. Turn off the lights, the TV, the computer, etc. This is a no-brainer. If you're not in a room doing something, why is the light left on? It shouldn't be. Be conscious of energy waste.

3. Use the dishwasher less, use elbow grease more. Only use the dishwasher when it is absolutely full. If you have only a couple plates/glasses to clean, do them by hand in the sink. Try to eliminate use of the dishwasher for an entire month. Compare electric bill. You'll see what I mean.

4. If you must use A/C, set the temp higher or go to economy mode. A/Cs are huge energy sucks. Enough said.

5. Turn the temp up in your refrigerator. The refrigerator is typically the single biggest energy suck in your house. Other ways to save include locating the frig away from a heat source like an oven, make sure the door seals are airtight and open/close the door less.

These tips can really reduce your monthly electric bill. These are simple things, common sense things. They require only the smallest commitment to change.

Posted by tom c. at 9:21 PM | Permalink

it's always good to step back and remind yourself that gas prices only seem to be high, mainly because the price of gas has been so low for so long (approximately 20 years now). when i first started driving in 1990, i could get a gallon of unleaded for about a dollar! filling up my mom's honda civic would only cost around 10 bucks back then. that was my introduction to gas prices.

that is just ridiculously cheap. consider there are 16 cups in a gallon. back in 1990, a cup of unleaded gas cost about 6 cents. today, with gas prices at my local stations around $3.09 on average, a cup of gas still only costs about 19 cents. what does a medium cup of coffee run? at least $1.25 ...

it's good to get this kind of perspective on gas prices and on energy prices as a whole. i think it's the reason we have not yet to see any real demand destruction in america. the stuff is still remarkably cheap ... even though it seems remarkably expensive.

somewhere deep in the recesses of our collective subconscious we know this is still a bargain. so we keep buying and we're not ready to adjust lifestyle. gas prices will need to go much higher before the stuff becomes a net loss to your wallet.

Posted by tom c. at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)