Thursday, November 8, 2007

First Frost

This morning, frost was on the ground and on the rooftops. Last night, the temps were just slightly above freezing. I still have yet to turn on my heater. I've been employing passive solar heating. And it didn't cost a penny.

The way my home is placed, it receives a lot of sun during the day. Simply by opening all the blinds and curtains on the south, east, and west sides, the sunlight streams in and heats up the house.

During the summer, it is the opposite. What has hurt me the past couple of years is the trees that were damaged during Hurricane Katrina. I keep watching my oaks and they are recovering but it will be few more years before the shade will once again help keep done cooling costs.

But in the meantime, I'll enjoy the heating savings. There are many things people can do to keep fueling costs down and conserve energy without changing lifestyles dramatically. If you commute by interstate like I do, the most fuel-efficient speeds for driving are between 45mph and 65mph. I read about this a couple of years ago but cannot find the link. But I do know that by traveling between 60-65 in my commute, I can go 412 miles without having to refuel. Going over 65, I have to refuel at 389 miles. I kept track of it to see it would really work and it does.

Conserving water doesn't take all that much effort either. Do not run water constantly when brushing teeth. Same for dish washing. And I think I'm going to try something I read in the comments sections at Tim Blair's: By using a hose attached to the washing machine and redirecting it, I can use that water for my garden.

By reading this, you might think I'm some sort of green nut. But it is not the case. Being a single mom, I've learned how to save costs and I also believe that each one of us should do our part to conserve natural resources. It can be done with simple, yet effective changes.

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