The Good Life #2: Energy habits
Little did I know, yesterday was Change a Light Day, so in honor of that missed holiday, I’d like to share some of the things I’m doing now to start conserving energy…
Replacing light bulbs with CFLs: I’ve replaced a couple of the bulbs in my apartment with CFLs. Honestly, though, I got them at IKEA, and while they’re supposed to be bright enough, they still feel pretty dim. Anyone have any suggestions of good CFL brands?
Turning off the lights when I leave the room: I’ve been doing this for years, but I decided to include it on the list, since I know a lot of people who leave lights, radios, and TVs on when they leave the room. Stop it, silly!
Unplugging unnecessary equipment: After reading this great New York Times article, I started unplugging unnecessary equipment, like my DVD recorder, VCR, and XBox. I labeled the cables and put the power strip in a convenient (reachable) place, and now I’m not wasting power keeping that little standby light on.
Non-powered gadgets: I’ve started looking for non-powered replacements for some of my powered gadgets. Who wouldn’t want to ditch the noisy paper shredder for the freaky-looking SHREDDER HAND! I replaced my plug-in bedside alarm clock with a battery-powered clock, and while it may not be any better for the environment, it definitely cuts down on the unsightly cords.
Air-drying clothes: I dry about half of the clothes I wash on a fold-up drying rack. I do it because it’s good for my clothes, but it also saves me at least one dryer load a week… less power AND less water used!
Turning off my computer at work every day: Not only does this save power, it makes it easier to leave at night (”Sorry guys, can’t stay. Look, the computer’s off!”). In the morning, I get a little bit of extra time to settle in at my desk before checking email.
Opting to read more and watch TV less: I don’t have cable, but I do have Netflix. I also have a heavily-used library card. I watch a lot of DVDs, but I try to balance it with non-TV time. Books are fun, too.
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