Category Archives: energy saving

say bye-bye to extra refrigerators and freezers (especially if they’re from the ’80s or older) and save $

Posted on March 4, 2010 by

During an  energy audit today*, I was surprised to see the resident’s electricity usage on a recent utility bill. It was about “average” for a household in the area, but seemed  high for an elder one-person household. Most bulbs were … Continue reading →

Posted in energy efficiency, energy saving, environment, everyday, kitchen, utilities | Tagged , | 4 Comments

UPS delivers by bicycle!

Posted on December 11, 2009 by

I’ve had a soft spot in my heart for UPS since they supported the AIDS Ride (bike fundraiser from San Francisco to Los Angeles) that I did many years ago. THIS just makes me love them more. They are addressing … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycling, conservation, energy saving, environment, everyday, sustainable, transportation | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

how to get extra life from a printer toner cartridge: black tape

Posted on July 30, 2009 by

Don’t you hate having to replace the toner cartridge, especially when the printing seems to be fine? Surely, there must be more life in the toner. Well, here’s a workaround in the spirit of responsible consumption: use up what you … Continue reading →

Posted in conservation, efficiency, energy saving, everyday, office, paper, sustainability, sustainable | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

when was the last time you vacuumed your refrigerator?

Posted on May 22, 2009 by

NEVER, probably. At least that was true for me until recently, when I cleaned the heat-exchange condenser coils, which are what cool your refrigerator by releasing heat. If the coils are covered in a blanket of dust, the refrigerator has … Continue reading →

Posted in cleaning, energy saving, everyday, food, health, kitchen, sustainability, sustainable, utilities | Leave a comment

Google, please map my bike route!

Posted on May 21, 2009 by

SIGN THIS PETITION if you, too, want Google Maps to add a “Bike There” option to their maps. 47,000 people already have. I wonder how may they need to be convinced? Or maybe they’re already working on it…?  I’m excited … Continue reading →

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are you biking (or walking) to work on Thursday?

Posted on May 12, 2009 by

Maybe you already ride your bike to work. If you do, you are a member of an elite group: 0.4% of commuters nationwide. If you live in Portland, Oregon, you’re part of a larger crowd–3.5%–, but you already know this. … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycling, energy saving, environment, everyday, health, sustainable | Tagged , | 2 Comments

earth day: pick your battles

Posted on April 22, 2009 by

Today is Earth Day, so lots of attention is being paid to earth-friendly efforts. Fortunately, the interest in energy-saving and CO2-reducing efforts is increasing every day. But really, isn’t it Earth Day every day? Since the topic of this blog … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycling, conservation, energy saving, environment, everyday, health, sustainable, utilities, walkability, water | Tagged , | Leave a comment

line drying: good for the earth, good for your clothes

Posted on April 21, 2009 by

90-degree April days, a perfect time to inaugurate my new clothesline. Did you know your clothes dryer accounts for about 10-15% of your house’s energy consumption? Do you know where all that lint comes from? YOUR CLOTHES! Have you noticed … Continue reading →

Posted in cleaning, clothing, energy saving, environment, everyday, sustainable, utilities | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

water audit

Posted on March 17, 2009 by

Take shorter showers! That’s the big take-away for today’s Water Wise House Call. The Ssnta Clara Valley Water District offers it free as part of their water conservation program. I signed up a few weeks ago as part of my … Continue reading →

Posted in conservation, energy saving, environment, everyday, kitchen, sustainability, sustainable, utilities, water | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

water: how hot is too hot?

Posted on March 10, 2009 by

138ºF  water. Scalding hot. Waste-of-energy hot. Hurts-my-hands-to-wash-dishes hot. Risky-to-jump-in-the-shower hot. Sure, it’s better than the other way around–no hot water–but my guess was the water heater in my house was set too high. The recommended temp is 120 F. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in energy saving, environment, everyday, kitchen, sustainable, utilities, water | Tagged | Leave a comment