HOW DO YOU CONSERVE????

[Wilma]

There is one thing I have that conserves water and laundry products.  That is my front loading washer.  When I was getting ready to move over here, I decided to buy new appliances.  My appliances were 20 years old.  The appliances in this house were every bit as old and the washer wasn't working right.  So off to Sears I went and looked at what they had.  What I saw was a front loading washer with dryer to match with the controls on the front of the machines.  I saw the benefit of this to me in that I wouldn't have to stand up to unload it or set the controls.  What I didn't realize until later was that a front loader doesn't use as much water.  It weighs the load and uses only the amount of water that is needed.  Using less water requires less detergent and softener.  I am using only about 1/4 the amount of detergent for a full load that I did with my top loader.  I don't know about the electricity.  It is probably about the same.  But using less water also saves on the gas used to heat the water.  I never use hot water, but medium.  My clothes aren't dirty enough to require hot water like my husband's greasy jeans used to.

[frawin]

Sally, I know absolutely nothing about your habits or your fuel usage and I don't think I ever said anything about it. I have never pointed out anything about any individual on the forum, the only time I have said anything about an individual on any subject was something good about them. I do not know what you are referring to. I want to add that I do not care what any individual's fuel usage is that is each person's business I only try to point out what I think is happening and what we need to do as a nation to preserve the future for our children and grandchildren.
Frank Winn

[greatguns]

I am an American.  I didn't mean that you had said anything about Sally.

[Tobina+1]

I, too, work from home, so I feel like I'm helping to conserve gas.  Electricty, is a different story... with all the computer, electronics, internet, printer stuff that I have, I sometimes feel like my office is just glowing and the meter is spinning!  During the summer, I usually sit in my office in the dark.  We have good windows that let a lot of light in.  Or I'll work from the living room where it's lighter (like today).  Growing up in the country taught me how to stock-pile food and necessities, and the importance of making lists before shopping.  Sometimes it's hard for me to conserve money, though, since I don't shop all that often... many things get me off track and I end up buying them!

[Joanna]

Wilma, I agree on the washer!  We researched the options and got front-loading washer & dryer when ours was beyond repair this spring. We got a set of Frigidaire Affinity which was half or less the cost of the pretty colored ones everyone has advertised, and had much better reviews! The washer uses a fraction of the water (average 6 gallon vs. over 30 gallon)  The machine is EnergyStar rated too, so it uses less electricity and, like Wilma said, a much less quantity of detergent.  I switched to vinegar instead of fabric softener (at you-all's recommendation) so that saves me money and my towels are more absorbent   The washer and dryer both run about half as long as our old ones, so it must reduce our electricity use.

As they burn out, we switch most of our light bulbs to the new kind, and that has helped a lot (some of our fixtures where we need more light won't hold the larger bulbs.) The new bulbs don't get burning-hot like the old ones ~ that's great for my reading lamp!  And we use ceiling fans to keep the air stirred in the summer and bring the warm air down from the ceiling in the winter.

We try to recycle as much as we can... I know we can do better, but it's a training process and we'll keep working on it.  I just found out a month ago that I can recycle junk mail and scrap paper too ~ that was a surprise to me.  I am SO THANKFUL to have the recycling trailer here twice a month, very few places have that available to them and we are really lucky!  It's cut our trash quantity well over half and makes me more aware when I'm shopping to choose recyclables when there's an option.  Now if I could just make myself start composting instead of "thinking" about it...

I'm trying to cut down on using disposable things, zipper bags, paper towels, paper cups etc.  We have a big garden and hope to put up some stuff; if I don't eat it all while I'm out there weeding... .  Don't worry Tobina, the okra is safe from me! )  I have tons of canning jars in storage so that will be a big project later in the year.

Tobina, you made a good point.  I think most of us don't realize how much electricity our electronics and appliances use and I worry about that too.  I did start turning the power strip off things that we don't use daily, and try to remember to turn the cable box off as well as the tv.  Our stereo has to be unplugged because it has a light to tell you when it's off as well as one for when it's on ~ who would have thought? And I read that things like cell phone chargers use electricity even when they are not being used!

My husband switched jobs and cut out a 76 mile round trip commute per day... Okay, that wasn't strictly in the interest of conservation, but it's going to make our marriage last much longer!

We are very concious of keeping the house weather proofed, and that helped TONS on the heating gas in winter and electricity to cool in summer.  There's still a lot to be done, but we're working on it a bit at a time.  The trees that shade our house are a big part of our conservation too~ helps keep the house much cooler than it would be otherwise (I know it's cheating, some places just don't have trees.)  We don't have central air, so Marty usually opens windows after dark and then shuts them again before 8 in the morning to help keep things cooler.  Okay, that doesn't really work by late July or early August, but till then it helps a lot!

I am slowly getting better about my shopping habits and impulse buying.  I don't go shopping (other than groceries) very often, but when I do, I get carried away sometimes!  I'm sure I drive more than I need to, and that's another in the long list of things I need to work on improving... but if I was perfect I'd be an insufferable boor.  Ha! My sister thinks I am already   Just kidding Sis! (I hope!)

[Wilma]

I have one more thing to add to this.  As some of you remember, I had a metal roof put on my house last fall.  I did notice that it was easier to keep the house warm during the winter, but this summer is really telling the difference.  The house stays cool for a much longer time each day.  It isn't until mid afternoon that I feel the outside heat and that is when the sun hits the west side of the house.  Much different from last summer.  Has to be the metal roof.  The other benefit is that I didn't worry about stray fire works landing on my house this year as I have previous years.

[Rudy Taylor]

Living in a small, rural town offers an advantage that one wouldn't find in larger cities --- we can convert to the use of golf carts for our in-town driving.  I know a man in my hometown who uses a really nice golf cart for all his travel. Because of some limitations, he can't drive out of town anyway.  But regardless, I watch him with envy as he buzzes around town in an electric golf cart. He tells me it is capable of going 15-20 miles on an overnight charge.

Obviously, the vehicle would need to be legally tagged, with headlights, horn, seat belts, and that's all available when you buy a golf cart.

Just go to a senior citizen retirement community in Arizona, south Texas, etc., and you'll see lots of carts that are used for local transportation.

You can buy a new one for around $5,000 and I've bought used ones for as low as $400.

The problem is: Who will be first?  My wife says she will gladly take this route but she's not going to be the first little lady in our hometown to do it.

Again, it's an opportunity for really small town residents. You might not want to try this in Wichita or Dallas.

[flo]

I've seen two or three golf carts being driven around Howard by older ladies.  If I had the money to buy one, I would in a New York minute.    you know, I've heard that phrase hundreds of times and never stopped to think about it.    what's the difference between a New York minute and a Kansas minute?  Is one shorter than the other? Don't think I've ever heard anyone say "quicker than a Kansas minute".  Guess that should go under a "points to ponder". 

[Diane Amberg]

I saw a lady running around Elk Falls on one. I doubt it was tagged. But there, who cares?
By the way, a "New York Minute" is about the blink of an eye... much, much faster than a Kansas minute.

[W. Gray]

In this area, the Smart fortwo has been seen with increasing frequency.

It is a three cylinder gas automobile, a few inches longer than a golf cart and holds two people.

According to the manufacturer, "The 2008 smart fortwo achieved the highest ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for front and side crashworthiness."

Cost starts at $11,590.

Transmission is five speed manual.

Fuel tank capacity is 8.5 gallons.

It gets thirty-three in the city and forty-one on the road but needs premium fuel.

Mercedes-Benz is the maker.

There are other cars with better mileage, but they are probably not as cute (or ugly depending on your view).