random musings from Devon - on life the universe and everything ( including the weather )
caution can be controversial at times
caution can be controversial at times
energy survivor
Posted 17-May-2008 at 19:59 by brett
makes me laugh all this energy paranoia - we are all moaning about the cost but what do most of us do ? squander the stuff - we use tumble driers when we could air dry - dishwashers - central heating - computers left on all day and night - lights left on in unused rooms , car journeys where you could walk or cycle
- and why ?? because we are too used to our easy way of living - too used to our conveniences - too used to our "lifestyle aspirations" - to impress friends and neighbors who really don't give a ( insert word of choice here) - basically peeps we have gotten lazy
I have used just 6.23 units of electricity each day over the last 15 days - which even by my standards is low - and i don't skimp - but i also don't waste the stuff either - so a few tips for all those who have high bills
turn off lights
use LED lights for general tasks - a LED uses about 1 -2 watts per hour and is quite good enough to see by - i have double fitted in each of the main rooms led and standard type lights - if i need bright light then i can if not led gives enough light to move and work with safely
turn off the PC and all the rest at night - do you really need it on
ditto telly -and other entertainment stuff - OK some firms say to leave it on for updates etc - but are they paying your bill ??
do washing at low temp and when you have a full load - air dry it - saves a fortune on tumble dryers
and if you really want to amuse yourself - take your meter readings once a week and see just how much you are using - or better still get a power monitor - that will frighten you if you put it some where you can see it at all times - you can get ones that work wirelessly - and are simple to fit
OK i will get the "but you live alone and don't have kids etc etc " but with a little thought and application - you too can cut your bills down a lot - heck of a lot
the question you have to ask as i have is " is this power usage REALLY necessary ??"
now i ain't some tree hugging Green - i am on a limited income - concentrates the mind wonderfully
and it makes me cringe when you get 2 car owing families with every light on in the place on TV - bemoaning their lot about rising energy costs - like am i supposed to feel sorry for them ?? - am i heck - if you use it - expect to pay for it - but it is soooo simple to save the stuff - if you really want to
brett ( skinflint extraordinaire
)
- and why ?? because we are too used to our easy way of living - too used to our conveniences - too used to our "lifestyle aspirations" - to impress friends and neighbors who really don't give a ( insert word of choice here) - basically peeps we have gotten lazy
I have used just 6.23 units of electricity each day over the last 15 days - which even by my standards is low - and i don't skimp - but i also don't waste the stuff either - so a few tips for all those who have high bills
turn off lights
use LED lights for general tasks - a LED uses about 1 -2 watts per hour and is quite good enough to see by - i have double fitted in each of the main rooms led and standard type lights - if i need bright light then i can if not led gives enough light to move and work with safely
turn off the PC and all the rest at night - do you really need it on
ditto telly -and other entertainment stuff - OK some firms say to leave it on for updates etc - but are they paying your bill ??
do washing at low temp and when you have a full load - air dry it - saves a fortune on tumble dryers
and if you really want to amuse yourself - take your meter readings once a week and see just how much you are using - or better still get a power monitor - that will frighten you if you put it some where you can see it at all times - you can get ones that work wirelessly - and are simple to fit
OK i will get the "but you live alone and don't have kids etc etc " but with a little thought and application - you too can cut your bills down a lot - heck of a lot
the question you have to ask as i have is " is this power usage REALLY necessary ??"
now i ain't some tree hugging Green - i am on a limited income - concentrates the mind wonderfully
and it makes me cringe when you get 2 car owing families with every light on in the place on TV - bemoaning their lot about rising energy costs - like am i supposed to feel sorry for them ?? - am i heck - if you use it - expect to pay for it - but it is soooo simple to save the stuff - if you really want to
brett ( skinflint extraordinaire
)
Total Comments 5
Comments
 | hi Brett, interesting blog - we don't have a dishwasher and have stuck to the old "sink and tea towel" ways of washing the dishes.  I take the bus when I can, especially when popping into Maidstone (my nearest town) which is 9 miles away and costs about £6 for a return ticket - a bit expensive but if more people were to use the bus then it might come down a bit! However I am limited to arranging my trip to town as we are only served once an hour, and our village is nearly the size of a small town, which i feel isn't adequate.Signs have been put up on all main road entrances to Maidstone (A20 both ways, A26, A229 both ways, A274) advertising Kent Care Share - recent surveys suggest that Maidstone will be completely gridlocked by 2011, so the motto on their signs are "Cut the queues...travel in twos".  One thing that does annoy me though, when i come home from school early, i have to walk past my old primary school which is only 2 minutes from my house - and there are tonnes of cars parked on the roads around the school. Not only are there so many cars, but a lot of their engines are on and they're just sitting there! I'm pretty sure not every parent needs to take the car to pick their kid(s) up from school...  |
Posted 17-May-2008 at 21:30 by Dollsworth  |
| | I completely agree with you both Brett and Dolly. We are very lucky (!, ?) living in the " Big City" because we have decent public transport. We can get a bus into the city centre nearly every 5 mins, and just a short walk away. When I used to work in the city centre, it used to be a nightmare getting into work though. I DID have to use the car though to get there as my knee gives me a load of jip if I walk to far, and using the bus did entail walking a fair distance as well. During term time to get into work for 9ish would take me well over an hour to do less than 15 miles. And yet in the school holidays it would only take me 20 mins to get too work. This happened over a perid of nearly 2 years so the data is well researched  . So it proves that the majority of the traffic was taken off the roads when the schools weren't open. Now I know that mant parents have an issue of security for their children walking to and from school. Well my answer is.....if your that concerned then walk with them. We are also on Pre-payment meters for Gas and electric where we live (rented). There is no option to go onto normal meters. Now the plus point is that we only use the power that we have paid already paid for. This in away makes us energy conscious. We have the new 5 watt energy saver bulbs ( 40 watt equiv) in every lamp and light socket and manage fine. And have to make sure that EVERYTHING that is not essential is switched off at the wall before going to bed. I am seriously thinking off trying to get one of those electric monitor devices to actually monitor the usage. (But am also saving every penny to try and buy a Lightening Detector as well !!) oh well somethings going to have to give somewhere.....will let you know how things go !! Mitch |
| Posted 18-May-2008 at 15:09 by Mitch69 |
| | Well Brett, considering you are a self procalimed "Skin-flint extraordinaire"... I think it somewhat hypocritical to give out money saving advice whilst wasting money on pipe tobacco? ( or is it just an ornamental pipe my dear Sherlock?) not to mention the burden smokers make on the NHS. And Mitch, I also think many parents would walk their kids to school but have to clock-in for work before school starts. I find Brett's blogs interesting and thought provoking but on this one.... people in glass houses...shouldn't own a catapult! Shardy |
| Posted 18-May-2008 at 17:26 by Shardy |
| | well i don't usually reply to my own blogs but - two points for you to ponder shardy - one if i smoke that's my choice and as i don't drink - gamble and or chase females - i have to have one vice or i would be perfect .lol and smokers pay enough tax to run the NHS in a year - and if you condemn me then you must equally condemn drinkers - drunk drivers ( each road traffic accident for instance costs costs the country upwards of 30,000 a time - fact ) - drug abusers - and any one who plays sport and especially those who do extreme sports - etc etc - we pay for the NHS trough taxes - which i have paid since i left school at 15 and still get charged on my medical retirement pension - and serving my community for 22 + years as a retained fire fighter - has a lot to do with some of my current medical problems ( arthritis etc ) - so may be my one indulgence in life is not so bad after all - ?? - the subject was after all saving money and about carbon footprints etc - not my personal habits . regards brett . |
| Posted 18-May-2008 at 19:52 by brett |
| | Point taken Brett and thanks for an informed reply. Shardy |
| Posted 18-May-2008 at 19:58 by Shardy |
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