Category Archives: utilities

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

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 →

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10% water use reduction: what does that mean?

Posted on May 18, 2009 by

Here in drought-reality California, we’re being told to reduce our water usage, voluntarily. I’m all for water conservation, but what does a 10% reduction look like? My household of two uses 145 gallons per day*, so 10% means 14.5 gallons … Continue reading →

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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 →

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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 →

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fill your fridge, save energy and money

Posted on March 4, 2009 by

Two climate change-fighting volunteers from Green@Home came by for a housecall today. I learned, among other things, that my refrigerator is too empty. Why is this a problem? Because –here comes my simplified explanation–an empty(ish) fridge has little to “hold” … Continue reading →

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drafty doors: plug them up

Posted on February 17, 2009 by

This house is drafty. It’s 90-years old. It has beautiful original but super-leaky windows. Inside doors look like they were cut to pass trays of soupy dinners. As part of my continuing effort to increase comfort and decrease the energy … Continue reading →

Posted in design, energy saving, environment, everyday, reuse, sustainable, utilities | Tagged | 2 Comments

save money with the heating vent dance

Posted on February 10, 2009 by

I just got the utility bill at the house I moved into a month ago. YIKES! (It’s not apartment-living, that’s for sure. Another check in the high-density housing column.) Of the utilities, the gas bill was the highest, and I’m … Continue reading →

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