k.moore blog

I’m no environmental freak, I keep the water running when I brush my teeth and have no qualms about leaving a couple of lamps turned on when I’m not home.  One more thing:  I cannot sleep without the television on, I guess it is a guilty pleasure. 

However, I do know, that coal is going to run out eventually, and oil too, is going to run out eventually.  But before that even, the world we know may fall into a pollution induced freeze, oh yeah, an ice age.  Now, I like to think that I will never have to witness these atrocities in my lifetime.  Nonetheless, in researching for this entry, I did learn some valuable energy conserving tips that are good for the earth and good for my pocket.  I, for once, will take some of my own advice.  I hope you do the same.

 A first and easy idea has to do with showering. Now, I’m not suggesting anyone eliminate bathing altogether, but, instead of sitting in a pool of your own filth in a water consuming bath, opt for a shower, which generally requires 5-15 fewer gallons of water. Better still, use low flow shower heads, just be careful about proper rinsing of hair.  Seinfeld fans will know what I’m talking about.

Items like VCR’s, DVD players, televisions and gaming systems draw electricity even when they’re not being used.  By unplugging these items, or better still, plugging them all into one power bar which can convieniently be switched off, both your money and electricity will be saved.

It could be presumptious, but I would venture that everyone has lived in or seen someone else who lived in an apartment/house with drafty, old windows.  I live in one right now.  An easy way to save some energy is to professionally weather strip the windows, or if you’re a poor college kid, just put some plastic over them for the cold months.  Another good idea is to only heat the rooms being used.  If you only use your bedroom to sleep in, don’t heat it all day long.  Likewise in the summer;  if you use air conditioning, only cool the rooms being used.

sweet discman, dude! 

While technology has avanced to a point where we use batteries less in general (does anyone still have a DiscMan) its still nice to replace the throw aways with rechargable ones. 

This years high costs for natural gas, propane and home heating oil have been some of, if not the higest of all time.  Last October, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman announced a  national campaign called “Easy Ways to Save Energy.”  This campaign is brought home with a mascot called the “Energy Hog.”

My last point will transportation.  Utilize your local bus system.Here in Albany, we have the CDTA, with its schedule posted online.  Try to car pool with friends occasionally.  Most public busses don’t cost more than a couple bucks, which, in the longer run is a huge savings on gasoline. 

For more ideas on energy conservation, check any one of these hundreds of webistes.