THIS BLOG WAS
a place to share and explore the choices, questions, tools, and actions that I and others make as we navigate how to live “everyday sustainable."
This blog has officially closed, but the conversation continues in its new incarnation here.- bicycling children cleaning clothing community conservation energy saving environment everyday Everyday Sustainable Practice (ESP) food green products health kitchen local office packaging paper plastic recycle reuse shopping sustainability sustainable technology transportation Uncategorized utilities walkability water
Archives
Category Archives: energy saving
say bye-bye to extra refrigerators and freezers (especially if they’re from the ’80s or older) and save $
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 freezer, refrigerator
4 Comments
UPS delivers by bicycle!
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 bike, corporate responsibility, delivery, innovative
1 Comment
how to get extra life from a printer toner cartridge: black tape
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 printer, printing, toner cartridge
7 Comments
when was the last time you vacuumed your refrigerator?
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
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Google, please map my bike route!
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
Posted in bicycling, energy saving, sustainable, transportation
Tagged commute, Google Maps, petition. Bike There
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are you biking (or walking) to work on Thursday?
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 Bike to Work Day, commute
2 Comments
earth day: pick your battles
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 behavioral change, Earth Day
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line drying: good for the earth, good for your clothes
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 clothesline, dry line, Project Laundry List
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water audit
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 aerators, faucet, irrigation system, low-flow, shower, water audit
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water: how hot is too hot?
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 water heater
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