Wahoo! We cut our electric usage by 20% over last year!

[funflower]

Thanks for the great suggestions some of you offered a while back. I haven't even implemented all of them yet, but I'm already seeing a big drop in our electric use as compared w/ last year. Now I'm gonna put some of that savings to good use by signing up for Green Mountain Energy (no greenhouse gases, no dead salmon, lots of new windfarms).

Thanks a lot, E&E people!

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. And what were some of those ideas?

[lateo]

2. Indeed...

Got a link to the original thread?

[funflower]

4. Here's the original thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=23773&mesg_id=23773


A lot of it was just old-fashioned stuff like "turn off the freaking lights" and "close the doors." Some was more techie. I've got a way to go to really slim down the old electric bill, but I'm very encouraged by the results so far!

[FloridaPat]

7. Thanks

[babylonsister]

3. Yes, please share. And here's a website I used

to change my energy company
www.powertochoose.com

[funflower]

5. Interesting. Here in Oregon, we have only our local electric company

(the Portland area one is an Enron subsidiary), but they must offer a "green" alternative, which is Green Mountain Energy Company. Just signed up. I figure it will cost $6-12 extra per month based on last year's usage, and, of course, this year's usage is going to be lower, lower, lower, so it will probably cost us less than that to buy nearly pollution-free electricity.

[AValdoux]

6. While building our house

we plumbed it so our grey water is pumped onto our lawn or wherever we put the hose. The only water going to my septic tank is from the toilet. I have to be careful of the detergeants I use but our lawn has never looked better. We couldn't get this permitted by the city if we lived in town.


AValdoux

[leveymg]

8. And, still, how much more did you pay? n/t

[funflower]

9. Electric bill was down 25% (I just realized we actually cut use by 27%)

so their was an increase in rates. Natural gas use, however was down by 15% and there was an increase in our bill (haven't crunched the numbers to determine how much).

[skids]

10. Congrats -- and don't forget.

...to dust off your refrigerator coils 4 times a year :-)

There's new stuff in this forum so take some time to browse the latest threads.

[funflower]

11. Ah. Thanks for your wisdom. I'll put on the "honey-do" list!

:evilgrin: