What are you doing to reduce our dependence on *everything*?

[Dem Agog]

In a non-Katrina, but Katrina-inspired thread: What are you doing to reduce your dependence on oil? Anything?

It struck me this past week that the best way to get back at Boy Hitler and his ilk in the government is to do everything I can to conserve. Conserve everything!

In our household this week we have made a start:

1. We're recycling everything we can. Glass, cans, paper, etc.

2. We're digging through piles of boxes from our move last year and finding all sorts of things we "forgot" we had. Shampoos, soaps, other products. We're stashing away all of this so we won't be buying as much this month.

3. We're cleaning up and boxing up things to give to Goodwill and the American Red Cross.

4. We are buying a Prius. Have a line on one coming into port next week. Selling my husband's sports car. We've thought about this and contemplated it for a long while, but this past week caused us to "pull the trigger" on the deal.

5. My husband and I are going to start carpooling. I work 7 miles northeast of him and so we've only given it a passing thought, but we're going to give it a whirl to see if it's 'doable', thus reducing our gas consumption.

6. We're turning off more lights and turning up the AC to keep it from coming on as much to use less energy.

7. We're cutting coupons and really starting to use them. We have many BOGO (buy one get one free or half off) offers at restaurants. We eat out once a week and plan to use these exclusively (but tip on the full amt of course, you should always do that).

8. Doing the same thing with food. Lots of shopping in bulk at Costco (for gas too) and judicious use of coupons at the register.

9. We have decided to not keep the maid service we had. Being that we both work we used to have a service in every two weeks for $80 a pop. Now we spend 1.5h on Sunday morning cleaning. He does the downstairs, I do the upstairs.

10. We're starting to split any lunches we eat out. One sub sandwich or panini and soda is plenty for the both of us. This also is because we're watching our diets in general, but this Super Sizing of the nation's ridiculous.

We're a couple of DINKs with plenty of disposable income but now that I see how little my government cares for its citizens I've decided to zip up my pocketbook and start living frugally. Better to look out after my own interests, and the interests of the environment.

Has this disaster drastically changed your living habits in any way?

PS: Edited to add the only place we HAVE opened our wallet this week is to donate to charities. We have donated several times and as we continue to see savings I expect we will donate more.

[natrat]

1. wtg

we were going to go to costco and buy 3 weeks of food and water, and probably still will; but it seems so friggin pointless. Gave to the red cross and found out it is just an arm of the government. I grieve all those kind souls lost and grieve for any decency in america we once had. this place blows

[Dem Agog]

2. i know the frustration re: the red cross

but my local paper showed some photos of stranded residents being brought into our town via the Red Cross and seeing dozens of people in Red Cross uniforms handing out food to hundreds of people made me feel I'd done at least some of the right thing by donating to them.

[mcscajun]

3. I know how you feel about the American Red Cross...

...many do. But in a disaster like this, it's still the biggest player on the block.

I gave them all my airmiles, hoping they do right with them.