Energy Conservation Tips - How easy is energy conservation really?

I started thinking up small ways I would be willing to commit to to save energy. The more I thought about it I wondered really how much all these things could add up. I know that the electric company sometimes estimates my bill so I knew I'd probably have to learn to read the meter if I really wanted to know how much I was saving.

I am ashamed to admit that I have never really had the time nor the inclination to learn how to read my electric bill and how that relates to my meter. Only by chance do I even know where my meter is. See, I live in an apartment complex and well it's not as obvious as a house would be. I went over to the door where all the meters are kept and to my surprise I found it locked. The complex office is closed but I will be ringing them in the morning.

I am really curious to find out why the door is locked. I wonder if other people have asked to go in there. If they do let me in will I always need to call them to go in? This could get painful. lol.

Here is the short list I've come up with thus far and keep in mind these are things I'm willing to commit to:

• Unplug everything in the house that doesn't get used on a daily bases. 
• Unplug those things which are easy to unplug after use. 
• Turn off lights when leaving.
•  Replace light bulbs. (I still have a few of the old kind)
• Try not to leave my cell phone charging for hours.

My heat is free here. While it still consumes power there isn't a way to track it so I will commit to trying to keep it a few degrees below what I would find comfortable and use a blanket. As it happens I do have AC and as much as I hate to say it I am going to have to leave AC limits out of this. I literally have to blast my AC all day long to keep my plants cool enough and even now they are dieing :( I should at least be able to make a good stab at that electric bill as I do know I consume a crazy amount of electricity for such a tiny apartment.

Compromising on Energy

To me the energy problem seems pretty straight forward. We need power.
The power we are currently using is killing our atmosphere.
The cost to make dirty energy cleaner is expensive.
Green energy is expensive.

On one side of the plate we are in a economic depression. Yes, it's a depression. Making 12k a year I feel I have the right to call it a depression.
Obama has really been pushing for not only greener energy but lowering the emissions from unclean sources of power.
This in turn has raised he cost of energy. Power companies need to comply with new codes and this means the consumer pays the bill for new technology upgrades.
So why not shut them down and only go with green energy?
Green energy costs money too!
How can someone With my income think about investing in solar panels?

If I'm contributing to the problem and I can't afford to stop using energy or go green.... why not just give up?

Many people run into this perdicument....... and many people just give up.

Let's talk about energy conservation than. It seems to be one of the only options for those of us who understand the problem but simply can't afford to change completely.

In the next few posts I hope to explore some new ideas on this subject.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

How to Make Green Cleaning Products

Take two seconds out of your day to mix up one of these cleaning products! Not only are they less expensive than brand name products they work just as well.

Bathroom Cleaner

50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water

10-20 drops of fragrance oil (for a typical spray bottle size)

Shake before use

Kitchen Counter Cleaner

50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water

10-20 drops of fragrance oil (for a typical spray bottle size)

Shake before use

These recopies are meant to be as simple as possible. Making products like this to save money and the earth only work if you actually take the time to make them.

As with everything we buy now days we need to think of the source. Using these cleaning alternatives is only one step in a long line. I challenge you to think about where the products you are buying to make your greener cleaning products come from. How are they packaged? What waste is created when they are being made?