0rdinary People Saving Energy

Most of these tips came to me from listening to what other folks were doing. They may be “old hat” or new to you but I think they’re worth mentioning.

If you live in a normally hot, dry area like I do, you need to water your plants. Since there’s water dripping from the air conditioner condensate, I have a bucket under it catching the constant drip. The 5 gallon can is full in about a day and a half and this water can be used to water trees and flowers. My husband also has about a 55 gallon drum catching rain water to water grapevines. If collecting water for edible plants, be sure to use a clean container that hasn't been used for chemical products and is not rusty.

With these collection methods, not enough accumulates to water the yard. I could install a drip system to maintain a green lawn but decided it would be too wasteful. And, my neighbors with nice lawns have expensive water bills. When it rains, my grass is green. When it doesn’t, it’s brown.

To save water when showering, start by rinsing off the body and wetting the washcloth, then turn off the water. Wash the body with a soapy washcloth before turning the water on again to rinse off the body. This saves even more water than turning off the water when brushing your teeth, a suggestion I’ve heard from a number of electric companies.

Whenever time allows, think about combining errands. For example, when I go to my exercise class, I often make other stops before or after class. By planning ahead, I can stop to get gasoline, pick up a package at the post office or a few items from the grocery store. Why make two trips when I can go a little out of my way and do at least two things in one outing? It saves on gasoline and the time spent going out a second time.

Need a new piece of furniture? Why not look in the resale stores before getting new? Luckily, I think furniture built 20 or more years ago is often better quality anyway. I find items I love, they’re less expensive, and I recycle for my own use. If resale stores don’t have what you want, then look at new items.

This works both ways if you don’t need a piece of furniture anymore. Is it still in decent condition? If it is, those same resale stores will sell your used furniture and you’ll end up with a little money. Or, the Salvation Army or Goodwill will take your unneeded item and do good things with the money they receive by selling it. And, you didn’t trash something that could be used to furnish someone else’s home.

A lot of people save heating and cooling costs by having the house a little cooler in the cold months and warmer in the summer months. We know a sweater will keep us warm if the house is colder and sleeveless shirts are more appropriate for summer wear. I don’t go overboard in extremes but find 78 is quite comfortable in the summer and 68 degrees is acceptable in the winter. Opening up doors and windows in the early morning also helps keep my house comfortable. I do this when the temperature outside is less than about 73. Some people live in areas where they wouldn’t feel safe with windows and doors open. We need to do what is appropriate for where we live.

There are so many ways to save energy in our daily routines. Find what works for you; I’ve mentioned some saving tips that work for me.

I'd love to hear about ways to save energy or protect our environment that I haven't mentioned.