Have YOU Done Anything to Ease Energy Consumption?

[BPSCG]

Riffing off tmy's thread with a similar name...

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?

Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?

Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?

Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?

Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?

Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?

When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?

Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse?

Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?

When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter?

Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?

[The Don]

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?
Yes, one light in each occupied room. The exception is once a month when we leave the smoke alarms on to charge (they're charged from the ceiling lights)
Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?
Yes, a full shut down
Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?
Never, all electical equipment is off (rather than on standby) when not in use
Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?
Car pool whenever possible
Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?
Oh yes, and then some
Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?
Yes, the thermostat is set to 16C (61F)
Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?
We have no cooling in the house apart from the windows
Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?
It's set to about 5 degrees warmer so that when it hits a cold sink it cools to a little more than 45C
When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?
Our cats are indoor only cats in the winter. They go out in the summer only
Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse?
We keep the refrigerator and freezer door open for the absolute minumum time, defrost it regularly and keep the kitchen as cool as possible
Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?
All curtains are open all day and closed as soon as it gets dark (or as soon as somone's home). Excessive heat isn't a problem in Bristol.
When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter?
It's serviced annually each September. It's being replaced this year because it's 10 years old and will probably be getting less efficient
Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?
Over the past 3 years as a bulb goes, it's replaced with a fluorescent one

[timhau]

We shelled out about $2000 extra to get an economical and environmentally friendly diesel engine to the subcompact car we recently ordered. So screw those fluorescent bulbs.

[IllegalArgument]

I drive a Prius, I know there's debate over it, but for me it counts.

Thermostat never gets above 68 in the winter.

Yes, to most the electronic items to mentioned, minimal lighting, frig doesn't left open, etc

Exception, I leave the computer on 24-7, but it's using a low power LCD monitor.

Furnance filter was replaced last month.

The majority of the lights in the house are now compact fluorescent blubs.

[Jaggy Bunnet]

Riffing off tmy's thread with a similar name...

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?

Yes and No - one room but lit by a number of lights (not possible to have some on/some off).

Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?

Nope

Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?

Nope, but might be guilty of this with radios.

Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?

Currently public transport, but getting a new car. Have already discussed car pooling.

Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health? Nope

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?

Kind of - my girlfriend would have a sweatshirt on, I have a high tolerance for low temperatures possibly due to the answer to the question above.

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?

Is this assuming air conditioning? No need as it doesn't get that warm.

Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it? Yep

When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day? No cat.

Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse? Open, remove beer, close. Repeat at regular intervals.

Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?

Yes to the cold, doesn't get hot enough to worry about.

When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter? My what?

Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones? No. I only have three incandescent bulbs, the rest are halogen.

[andyandy]

meh, China'll have built another new coal power station in a few days....

individual energy consumption savings.....what's the point? :)


yes if everyone thought like that yada yada yada....

[Darth Rotor]

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?
Most often, though now and again the kids get yelled at for leaving lights on.
Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it? Yes
Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching? No.
Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?
Wish I could do the last one, as I once had a job where I could walk to work. It was wonderful.
Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?
No.
Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt? According to my wife, yes.
Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?Mine is set at 74-76. High humidity requires lots of cooling/refrig.
Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?Stupid question. You use less hot water when the water is hotter, since your knobs mix it with regular cold water. The point is to adjust the mixture.
When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?
If I had a cat it would be dead.
Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse?
Open, get, shut. Browsing gets the kids yelled at.
Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?
Yes.
When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter? Each month.
Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?
About half of them. I don't handle eye strain well.

DR

[Beerina]

Riffing off tmy's thread with a similar name...

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?

As I am the payer of the bills, yes. Certain children have a tough time "remembering" to shut off their TV and video games after they're done.


Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?


Most of the time, unless I know someone will be using it within an hour. Then I leave it on, mainly to prevent one more cooling/heating cycle stressing thirty thousand solder joints.

Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?

No, although again the children have a tough time remembering if they're the last one walking away from the TV.

Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?

No, I am a true suburbanite, driving everywhere. But I live in farm country (if in a sub) and there's nothing commercial within walking distance, or even within reasonable riding distance of a bike. There's a liquor store about 3 miles away, if you don't mind riding on the shoulder of a 55 mph country road. You'll be passing the spot where a bike rider's guts were laying after getting hit just outside my sub, by the way. No thanks.

Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?

And then some!

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?

Yes, in fact, everyone is mad at me. 65 in the day and 62 at night. $300/month combined electricity/gas bills in winter have successfully kicked my ass.

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?

Electricity is cheaper, so I do keep it somewhat cool, maybe 72, with liberal use of fans.

Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?

We have four people who need a shower in the morning. I already paid for the extra large water tank when I built the house. We barely make it through without losing heat for the shower as it is, thanks.

When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?

I don't let him out in winter (though he sometimes gets out with the dogs) because he just wants back in again in 20 minutes thanks to it being 20 degrees out.

Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse?

Depends on what I need to do, of course. I wonder if this really costs all that much, though. The energy kept in the air in there is far, far less than that in the walls and produce, which out-masses it by probably 20 times or more. Were you to swap it all with room temp. air, I'd bet the mass would cool it down while only losing a few degrees itself.

Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?

We have closed white blinds in all the southern windows except the girl's room, which has them on the upper half. This is winter and summer, though. I suppose I should open them for winter, eh?

When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter?

We have a huge stack. Go find them for 25 cents a ton at Home Depot or some similar place. It's disturbing how cheap they are.

Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?

Yes, actually we have.


But if you shave 10% off your usage, you're doing well, but you've only offset the need for energy growth by about 3 years (assuming 3% growth a year.) The real solution is good, old-fashioned, government-hands-off capitalism generating new solutions as are economically needed.

[daredelvis]

Riffing off tmy's thread with a similar name...

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?

Almost always yes.

Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?

At home yes, at work I am using it almost all day.


Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?

No.


Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?

I biked to work before the "war on terror" regularly, and exclusively after. It pissed me off to see huge 4-wheel drive SUVs that never left city streets drive around with yellow magnets declaring support of the troops (apparently support does not reach the level of where one would actually mar their car with a sticker). So I put my feet, and bike where my mouth was and stopped driving to work. Since moving to Houston, I have had to modify that approach and occasionally take public transportation, but have not once driven to work in the last 4 years.

I must point out that I owned the mother of all SUVs (a 4-wheel drive truck that was used as a 4wheel drive truck). But I did not use it as a daily commuting vehicle. That strikes me as stupid. My wife and I recently drove out of town on the weekend at about rush hour. While we cruised along in the HOV lane at about 55 mph we were surrounded by "cars" (this is Texas, so they are about 80% SUVs and Trucks) moving at about 25 mph for a good thirty minutes. Of course almost all of them had only one occupant in them. I don't care what political party you belong to that is a f*&$ing waste, and not likely something that can go on forever.


Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?

I wish.


Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?

64 from 6:15AM to 7:30AM and 67 from 6PM to 11PM 55 outside of those times.


Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?

You bet. I live in Texas where electricity has been deregulated, so it is cost about twice a kilowatt hour what it cost in Arizona. Been a real boon to the consumer.


Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?

Why have it hotter? When this one goes out I will install an on-demand water heater.


When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?

Cat stays inside. Three reasons, 1) Too many coyotes in Arizona (he would not have made it a week). Also, can you say "vet bills"? 2) I am afraid he would show his devotion to me by bringing home "presents" if I let him out now (where he would be safe, but nothing smaller them him would) and 3) Cats are horrible destructive animals. They really have a huge impact on the bird population (that's why coyotes are so good).


Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse?

Personally I don't think this is a huge energy waster. Most of the thermal mass is in the contents of the frig, and little is in the air. BUT, I still have that ping pong ball commercial from my childhood stuck in my head.


Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?

Got me on that one.


When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter?

About a month ago


Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?

Not all of them, but the three that are on most of the time, yes.

Funny how energy conservation has gone from a "personal virtue" to a point in the STOTU speech... Any chance that if CAFE standards had been raised over the last 8 years, the U.S. car companies would be making some cars that people actually want to buy?

Daredelvis

[wunky]

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?
Yes
Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?
No
Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?
No
Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?
Metro
Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?
No
Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?
Yes- but only when I have company to keep me warm
Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?
Yes
Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?
Yes
When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?
No cat, and the boyfriend is house-broken
Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again? Or do you browse?
Yes. No
Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?
Yes
When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter?
Four months ago
Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?
No.

[Twilek]

Is there only one light burning in your house after dark - the light in the room you occupy?

Except for a nightlight at the top of the stairs, yes.

Do you shut off your computer when you're not using it?

No, it's nearly always being used.

Do you have a TV - or two or three - running all day long when you're home, even if you're not actually watching?

No. We barely watch one hour of TV a day.

Do you car-pool to work, or take public transportation, or move to an address within walking distance every time you change jobs?

No, but my husband and I work together so we have only one car doing one commute. There's no subway to the West Island and the train and bus system would take us hours. (We would prefer to live in town to be closer to everything, but can't afford it yet.)

Do you injest the minimum amount of calories each day to sustain good health?
Yes.

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably cool in winter unless you're wearing a sweatshirt?

It's at 70 in the bedroom and about 62 in the rest of the house, and I don't find it uncomfortably cool - I don't like it hot. I don't understand people who crank it up to 80 in the winter "because it's freezing out" and then sit around in their underwear.

Do you have your thermostat set so your house is uncomfortably warm in summer unless you're wearing just a t-shirt and shorts?

We have a ductless A/C system that is set at about 75.

Is your your water heater set so that the hottest water coming out of your tap isn't unbearably hot? If not, why are you heating water so that you have to cool it again to use it?

It's hot, but I wouldn't say it's set too high.

When your cat demands to be let out, does he stay out for the rest of the day? Or do you let him in and out - along with the outside air - a dozen times a day?

<----- He's an indoor cat. When I'm home I sometimes allow him in and out of the enclosed patio area outback, but in winter he doesn't want to go out anyway because of the cold and snow. In summer when the A/C is running, I close the door behind him to keep the cool air in.

Do you open the refrigerator, quickly get what you need, and shut it again?

Yes.

Do you selectively open and shut curtains to let the sun in on cold days (or block it on hot ones)?

Yes, especially in the summer. Our house is at such an angle that little sun comes into the windows during winter.

When was the last time you replaced your furnace filter?

We have electric baseboard heating.

Have you replaced the incandescent light bulbs in your house with fluorescent ones?

Some.

[BPSCG]

And then there's this (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/nyregion/24limos.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin):
January 24, 2007

Once Around the Block, James, and Pick Me Up After My Nap


By ERIC KONIGSBERG (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/eric_konigsberg/index.html?inline=nyt-per)

The cars gather in front of the 92nd Street Y (http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/n/ninetysecond_street_y/index.html?inline=nyt-org) in Manhattan about 8:30 a.m. In the front seats sit hired drivers (nobody uses the term chauffeur anymore). The cars are mostly big and mostly black luxury-edition sport utility vehicles like the Mercedes GL-Class or the GMC Yukon Denali. They fill the lanes in front of the Y’s entrance on Lexington Avenue, often two or three rows deep.

It looks like the outside of an arbitrage house just before trading hours, or perhaps the Knicks’ private entrance to Madison Square Garden on game day.

Until, that is, the drivers open the back-seat doors and the passengers’ feet emerge.

These are not the feet of profit-takers or N.B.A. players. These feet wear Sonnet Maryjanes and Primigi sneakers with Velcro closure straps.

These feet are only a half-foot long.

The children — ages 3 through 5 — are enrolled at the Y’s famous nursery school. The livery convention on Lexington Avenue occurs most every weekday. Neighbors of the Y and parents with children in the nursery school say they have seen the number of cars and drivers increase considerably over the past couple of years.

In exasperation, the director of the school, Nancy Schulman, drafted a letter to all families insisting that the drivers wait somewhere else while parents or baby sitters take the children in: find a legal parking space, or take their cars for a few spins around the block.

In the letter, which parents received once in the spring of 2006 and twice this school year, Ms. Schulman played perhaps the only bargaining chip she has, stating that failure to observe this rule could hinder their children’s chances of getting into the kindergarten of their choice.

The letter said that idling cars posed a safety risk, several parents said, and reminded families that one assessment Ms. Schulman and her colleagues are asked to make by lower-school admissions officers is whether the applicant’s parents have been “cooperative” with the school’s requests.

[daredelvis]

And then there's this (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/nyregion/24limos.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin):

Do you have a point?

Daredelvis

[Twilek]

...While we cruised along in the HOV lane at about 55 mph we were surrounded by "cars" (this is Texas, so they are about 80% SUVs and Trucks) moving at about 25 mph for a good thirty minutes. Of course almost all of them had only one occupant in them. I don't care what political party you belong to that is a f*&$ing waste, and not likely something that can go on forever.

I don't miss that, Arizona is much the same way. I used to bike to work and would entertain myself while waiting at redlights by counting the massive vehicles driving by with one occupant.... And then trying to avoid getting run down by them when the light changed. The only time I got hit was by a huge Dodge pickup, because the driver couldn't see over the hood while I was crossing in front of him on a green light, while he was inching up to make a right on the red.

Anyway, it's nice in Montreal to usually be able to see around the car in front of you. It was one of the first things I noticed when I came here.

[BPSCG]

Do you have a point?

DaredelvisWhat, you don't think it speaks for itself?