It was rainy this morning. My daughter had set her alarm
and was getting dressed in hopes that I would let her go to school, for they
were having a play today. The child slept most of yesterday and was obviously
still ill, so I kept her home. She cried and was upset. I am so thankful that I
have a daughter who wants to go to school!
It seems a bit quieter in here with one less computer
running at all times. Every little thing I manage to turn off is one less thing
adding to my electric bill. I tell myself this every day.
My microwave and toaster oven are both without those
digital displays so common in the machines. My cook stove has an electric
clock, but it is not digital. I wonder if digital one would use less energy but
it would cost more to replace this perfectly functional stove than I would
save. Perhaps one day should this one fail I can invest in a propane stove and
oven. There are some videos about a man who has salvaged a propane stove and
refrigerator from a camper and is now using them in a cabin he built:
“I have 6 video clips on you tube describing my simple
solar homestead, solar cabin, and the systems I use to run the homestead.
Each clip is about 5 minutes long. you can watch them all
or pick the ones you are interested in.
1- Solar Homesteading Introduction:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch? v=lXu45MHrnTk
2- Simple Solar Homesteading Intro continued…
http://www.youtube.
com/watch? v=QyPkT5P5ysQ
3- Solar electrical system:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch? v=KLnZLypphgk
4- Cabin Interior:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch? v=FacIm3bHbYc
5- Composting
toilet and solar tv:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch? v=QdG6hOqFTd0
6- Loft and office:
http://www.youtube.
com/watch? v=UZLJ3CkgdZE“
I hope you like those videos! I hope to use some of his
ideas to reduce my current electric usage more. Perhaps if I create a small
solar setup I can use it to provide electricity to my smaller devices like the
laptop and the cellphone?
My electric bill last month, even using air conditioning
on the rainy (and sweltering) days was $51. That also included running the
clothes dryer for my obsessive cleaning. I do not have extraneous items like
electric clocks – my alarm clock is my cell phone and our two wall clocks are
battery operated, only requiring a AA battery once a year (which I recharge).
We don’t have a television, DVD, VCR or game machines, but we do have a desktop
computer that we use for radio, television etc. Eventually that desktop will be
replaced with a more energy-efficient laptop. Since there are two of us and we
both tend to use the computer simultaneously at times, two computers are a must
at this point.
I am in hopes to keep it down year round, but all I have
to go on is the previous occupant – he said the highest electric bill he ever
had here was in winter – and that it was $184. The goal this winter is to keep
from going over that amount. Perhaps by closing off the back bedroom I will
accomplish that goal? The room is 12 foot square, so that will reduce the
square footage by 1/5 if I close that room off.
I moved the coffee table into the back room yesterday, and
have placed the rattan loveseat back there today and brought my futon out here
and closed that room off. I will still have to go into that room for my clothes
and various items, but if I keep the door closed it will still save energy. The
living room looks quite bohemian! I took a picture of the new couch and
uploaded it here. It is low-slung, but works for us.
I told my auntie what I was doing, moving my futon into
the living room and closing off the back bedroom for this winter, and amazingly
she thought it was a wonderful idea! At first that surprised me, but come to
think of it my grandparents did the same thing in the winter – I remember going
to their house and discovering a full-size bed in one corner of the living room
– perhaps that is where the idea came from, just from watching my frugal
grandparents!
I repurposed some white plastic bags to seal off the vent
in the back bedroom, and plan to use more of them to insulate the area that
contains an unused central air return duct.
I am researching more options to save on energy this
winter. If anyone has any ideas please leave them in the comments.