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Saving electricity

I got a letter from my electricity company the other day, warning me that my power bill was going to go up, and advising me on simple steps I can take to reduce my power usage. I don't have air conditioning, or heaters, so I can't save there. I've already replaced 90% of my light globes with the "green" ones, so all that we left (of the three suggestions) is turning off my electrical appliances at the switch when I'm not using them.

This is all well and good, and should save me something, but it might cost me in other ways. In frustration, for instance, when I find that the oven hasn't pre-heated, or my water boiled because I forgot to switch the stupid oven on at the wall. And not being able to tell the time from wherever I'm sitting, as the microwave and VCR clocks unset themselves when they're switched off at the wall.

I'm also trying not to use as many lights (I've only got a few to start with, but I can always be more diligent), but it's lead to a bit of stumbling and standing on things/animals (I have a black cat and a predominantly black dog). I should get them little glow-in-the-dark jumpers or something. And get Dexter to pick up the pegs on the laundry floor (ouch).

I used to use candles a lot, in order to save on electricity (I can read comfortably by the light of three candles), but that was Before Freddy. The first time I had candles going when I got Fred, he went to investigate and ended up with singed whiskers. I haven't been game to try again, at least not without finding something to put between Fred and the candle flames.

Back when I was living in England I had some candle holders that had glass chimneys on them, probably to protect the flame from the wind rather than cat's whiskers from the flame, but the result would be the same. Of course, that was back in the Olden Dayes (the 1980s), so I expect they are obsolete now. I should trawl a few flea markets to see if I can find something like it....

Failing that, I could get some of those night-vision goggles (always a good look). Anything to try to save electricity and ensure that I can still pay my bills!

Comments

  1. I think you’re doing pretty well already. Compared the air conditioner you’re not using, a few compact-flouorescent or LED lights is not going to cost much electricity. And don’t forget that while candles may displace some electricity, in the big picture they have their own manufacturing and transportation energy costs, and are probably composed of paraffin from fossil fuels. I’m not saying don’t use candles, but I don’t think they are automatically more eco than a well-designed CFL. You could probably make a bigger difference by adjusting your day to maximise the use of natural light.

    Having said that, my biggest change recently is fairly feeble—I switched from ready meals and pizza heated in the oven to stir-frying on the top of the stove, on the grounds it would use less gas.

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