Please recycle.  If nothing else, you will save on the use of plastic garbage bags.

1/9/07:  It has been some time since I shopped for low-wattage bulbs.  You know, the coily
ones?  The price was not bad in the supermarket.  Sales lately...they must be coming up with
new-improved versions.  I did notice they have 3-ways now and went on line and found some
for use with dimmer switches and outdoor floods!  When I am really desperate, I will go for
those.  I have already saved $$ on my electric bill by not having lights on in a room if I am not
going back within a half hour.  That is an old rule, owing to the inrush current of electricity
each time you turn something on.  I understand it is 5x the current needed to keep the older
bulb glowing. This information is from a site I visit occasionally. Another answer I received
is that the power wasted is negligible.  But if you add up the millions of homes alone and
the numerous times each day that this occurs... There's one for you engineers out there,
a device that would offset the inrush current.  It would save a heck of a lot of energy.  The
guy or gal who comes up with that one should go down in the books with Edison.  

     Wish they would do something with the surges also.  Have had a few minor incidents
that created ozone smell.  Scary.

     One of the pluses for the slide dimmers is that you avoid that boost in current.  In a
way, I am fortunate having photo phobia.  There are several of those variable switches
throughout the house.  The phobia (a misnomer) causes a somewhat painful reaction to
light when I first get up in the morning.  At six a.m. we go dimly down the hallway, through
the kitchen and toward the back door to let Kelsy out every morning.  By the time I feed
her, make my breakfast and relax in the Dining Room, I can turn up the light and read. 
Crazy, no?  
    
     If you want to know anything and everything about light bulbs, go to www.CR4.com.  
As Joankelsy, I had asked about surges on the Electrical Engineering section of the site.  
Scroll down the answers.  This is an outstanding site.  Good information/excellent writing.
  
        This brings me to the question, do you save any power by turning the dimmer switch
down?  Electricians I have talked to have come up with guess answers over the years,
usually "No".  One, I suspected, did not guess.  Dave, a retired teacher who taught women
about home repairs in night school.  (He had Electrical and Plumbing licenses, besides being
an excellent carpenter.) His answer, "Yes!"  I went to Ask.com for their opinion.  Dave was
right.  On the internet, I sometimes find it hard to phrase the questions, but would suspect
that you save on the light bulbs, whatever type, also. 

1/10/08: Lunched on my usual bagel with cream cheese (talk about cheap) while my car
was being serviced today.   Dunkin' Donuts have nice hanging fixtures for lighting and use
fluorescent bulbs.  Coils are covered with round opaque glass that look just like decorator
style incandescents of a few short years ago.  Cool.
 
    Have not gotten into the car thing yet.  Bring back the original RAV and put batteries
in it. (Including a plug-in)
and I'll buy it.

    Obtained a Black and Decker mower and gave my gas-powered number to a friend. 
She will probably get into electric after the gas one poops.  I am told the mowers do a world-
class polluting job.  In the long run, savings will pay for the purchase.  No maintenance and
pennies to run.  It cuts great and easy to use if you follow a pattern that leaves the wire in
your wake.  This is easy with a reversable handle.

    Since I have been baking bread, the refrigerator and freezer have been utilized to keep 
it fresh.  I use sealable plastic bags up the whatsoo (sp?).  Was just informed that washing
and hot water rinse not a good idea, as mold forms on the bags from bread.  I was reusing
the bags in the interest of keeping plastic out of the environment and saving but was told by
a biologist it is best to recycle bags instead.  Shucks.

1/18/08:  Went to a local discount store yesterday looking for energy saver bulbs.  Was
clued in by a guy who said they would go on sale Sunday.  "Better yet," he said, "Go down
to Aubuchon's Hardware.  They are selling for 79 cents each."  How could I resist?  Seems
they are getting rid of the little-known manufacturer and will carry GEs from now on.  Both
are made in China.  So, there is little choice.  Can't help the economy.  I decided to help my
pocketbook and the environment.  A little less dependence on fuel can't hurt either. 
    Asked the manager (who is well versed in the electrical area) about the surge thing. 
I was talking about the boost of energy that happens when you turn something on. 
"It's only a little bit," he stated.  "Yes," I said , "but think of all the millions of people
throughout the country who use just a little bit."  One fellow said that the problem had
been corrected some years back.  If so, I stand corrected.  Please let me know.
    It drives you crazy.  No one in Washington has addressed issues like this in a meaning-
ful way, to encourage the little and the big guy to come up with really great ways to avoid
energy guzzling and pollution.  There have been solutions out there since I was a kid.  If
you remember, they did their best to destroy the electric car models produced, instead of
fixing whatever problem there was.  
    Don't you feel like we have been in stall mode on this energy thing?  You feel like
throwing every politician out...allow limited election contributions from individuals only!  
Get the lobbyists out so we can move on. 

1/27/08: Just received an update from www.catalog choice.org.  They help eliminate those
unwanted catalogs that keep showing up to drive you crazy.  With their help, the mailbox
is less stuffed lately.  They are fairly new but doing well as far as subscribers go.  We wish
them luck.  Please give the site a try and maybe we can save trees and even some gasoline. 
They do have to be trucked around.
5/5/08: Update.  Wonder if the catalog people are ignoring the requests.  I have unlimited
phone service, so I call these companies while peddling on my exercise bank.  Since I have
eliminated the TV service where the bike is located,  the calling keeps me from getting too
bored.  Time flies when you're saving the planet.



Autumn throws crisp, clear color at you.  Photo taken at the entrance to our home early
in the A.M. 

Saving the Planet in the future: www.greentechnolog.com .  Let's hope those Yahoos in
Washington do not hold things up, but help instead. It might even keep us out of a war or two.

[4/6/08: Had seen an article in greentechnolog about using a water devices to cut the dryer
power usage by 50%. That was early this year.  Went to their site and searched
"clothes dryers" but came up empty.  Will try to contact them re: this.]

3/30/08: "Saving the planet".  This can happen serendipitously.  Bought one of those little
battery powered sweepers and it worked nicely for a while.  Something stringlike must have
wound into the mechanism, as one brush cylinder will not move.  The tool will head for the
trash, so I now sweep using the dry mop with disposable cloths.  Really easy and maybe half
as stressful to my back.  Less wasteful and polluting than batteries, in any event. Use the new
Dyson only occasionally on the bare floors.
     If you knew me, you would realize I will do anything to avoid boring housework.  I lived
with a saint, who came up with the idea to let me handle the kitchen from shopping to
cooking to cleanup and she would handle the routine dusting, vacuuming and even the wash.
My specialty was scrubbing down showers or doing other occasional heavy duty cleaning. 
     The slowing down process has set into my body, so will probably need help in the future,
as I did in the last stages of Sharon's illness, when, fortunately, long-term care paid for
assistance.  I had not realized the toll it was taking on me.  When Sharon passed, I couldn't
handle things so a few times a month, called one of the helpers and had her thoroughly
clean the house.  That was a nice luxury.  Makes you wonder why you hadn't been born rich.
But that is something that never drove me crazy.
 
4/7/08: On-demand water heater looks interesting.  See hotwatersource.com, especially if
you want to practice your math.  Best site I have found for explaining, showing choices. 
Savings in long run, but initial outlay is a bit steep.  Have looked at sites where unit and
parts are available.  Experience has shown me that it is not exactly wise to order plumbing
on my own.  Getting them through a reliable plumber pays off if something goes wrong. 
Just getting an idea about cost...will have to include pipe installation and construction costs
to install venting pipe.  Should save on the oil bill but how much for gas? Electric?  These
tankless heaters are popular in Europe.  Now that our fuel has gone off the charts, it may
be time.  If you factor in the cost of the unit and installation, wonder if it will pay for itself in
a few years.  You might want to forget about that trip on an airline this year and invest in 
this smart device instead.

4/18/08: Comment that was broadcast on cnn.com this morning: I just said that I started
conserving last year, using energy-saving bulbs, drying only half my wash in the dryer and 
turning in my Vue for a Prius. As you can see, it is not that hard.  It was imply put, so they
paid attention.  Try it.

5/2/08:  Recently tried to add my house insurance to my auto, as discounts are available
for multiple insurance...but wait a minute...My auto ins. co. does not handle houses in
Barnstable County and certain other areas.  Why? Because we're located near water. 
Hurricane fear!  What next?  Difficult to obtain auto insurance in Mass.  Fortunately, the
house has been with MetLife since we've been here (eight years).  Did a little bundling and
came up with a discount..  Go ahead, Electric Insurance, ask me why I left you.  It's because
I have become quite fickle...not to save the planet.  It's to save my wallet.

5/5/08: Here's one for you. May have mentioned this elsewhere on the blog.
Check out your local health food store for things like honey, fresh ground peanut butter,
oatmeal, other grains.  Many of these stores sell by the pound.  Good prices.  These items
have not been processed to death, packaged and advertised.  Keeps the prices
down.  Try their herbs and spices, too.  Buy what you need only! Beats throwing out those
old bottles in the closet every year.  No comparison in flavor either.
   Save a dollar here and there.  And don't forget the cloth bag when you go shopping. 
Save a plastic tree. 

5/6/08: The Prius. Where is it written that one must go over the speed limit?  The Book of
Goofus?  My home thermostat stays down in my house, even on cold/damp Cape Spring days. 
I do collective shopping to save trips.  I hang wash out to dry to lessen the dryer bill.  Driving
uphill uses a lot of energy unless I run downhill @99.9 miles per, then use the momentum to
glide up when the road demands.  What sort of sign should I paste on the back bumper? 
       I diid not buy this car to make you happy.  
       Leave your house earlier to save gas.  
       Go tell it to Bush. 
       Go slower.  It might lower your blood pressure. 
There are others...
    
What I might do is have flames painted on and add a fireman using an extinguisher. 
Some days I feel so creative.