The Merrie Month of May...

[lagilman]

and please, let it be merrie. I think we could all use a merrie month of May at this point, non?

Interesting thing about temperatures. I woke up this morning and put on a sleeveless tank and a pair of shorts. About half the windows in the apartment are open. I'm quite comfortable. The temperature in here is 61 degrees. The same 61 degrees that a few months ago had me wearing sweatpants and a fleecy jacket, and wondering if I should turn the thermostat up a bit higher.

Same temperature in the apartment. Totally different physical reactions. Always amuses me.

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Had a discussion last night with someone about reducing our greenhouse footprint, and he challenged me to come up with five ways, large or small, I've done something about it.

1. I walk distances of less than 2 miles, rather than driving, and use my bike for under 5 miles (okay, unless there's lugging of very heavy things involved or weather issues).
2. I air dry clothing where possible, rather than automatically dumping everything into the dryer.
3. when I leave a room for more than an hour, I turn off the power strips, so there is no power drain at all (amazing, how much energy even turned-off electronics can use, over time!)
4. I have my desk and working chair set up to take advantage of natural light, rather than having to use overhead or lamps during the day.
5. I have cut my use of the dry cleaner's by more than half, and stopped buying clothing that is dry clean only.

How about you?

Comments

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Same temperature in the apartment. Totally different physical reactions.

I do that too, and it makes me faintly crazy. "It's 75! Why am I shivering?"

[earthgoat.livejournal.com]

1. I've replaced all my light bulbs with CFL or long-lasting halogen (those darn dimmers!) bulbs.

2. I recycle everything I can at home and work, which cut the trash down in each location by 2/3 or more every week.

3. I compost rather than tossing food in the trash or down the disposal.

4. I'm researching energy efficient models to replace my furnace, water heater and washer (perhaps this doesn't quite count, but all three will need to be replaced sometime in the next year).

5. I buy organic and local produce whenever possible.

[lagilman]

oh yeah, CFLs, forgot about those. When I moved in here I replaced every bulb I could (it's an old house, not always possible to upgrade). A larger $-crunch up front, but far better in the long run. Even if it doe take them a while to get to full illumination (much like people, alas).

[debg.livejournal.com]

So far, not merrie.

Seriously not merrie.

[moon-happy.livejournal.com]

I've taken to laundering many garments that say dry-clean only. Rayons, linens, and silks do just fine in cool water. So far, so good. I'm sure I'll end up disappointed one day, but it does make me wonder what the criteria is for laundering labels.

[greeneyedkzin.livejournal.com]

1. Public transportation at almost all times except way after dark.
2. Buy almost no processed foods with minimal packaging.
3. Switched from long baths to shorter showers to conserve water.
4. Buy natural fabrics.
5. Repair, rather than throw out.

I also handwash some clothes that say dry-clean only, turn out lights when I leave a room, and wait before using heat or a/c.

[equesgal.livejournal.com]

1. I walk to the post office every day (1.5 miles) instead of driving.
2. My clothes dryer died years ago and I've never replaced it, instead I celebrate Chinese Laundry Day
3. THe only lights on in my house at any time are only in the room I'm in
4. I try to fix stuff instead of running out and buying new stuff -- even though my friends say "But a new one won't cost much at all, silly!"
5. My shower died years ago and I've never replaced it (of course, they'd have to tear down the wall to do it...still)

[autojim.livejournal.com]

1. CFLs except in the dimmer'd lights (three track lights on one circuit are rarely used at all; three bulbs on the dining area fixture aren't used terribly often either) and the full-spectrum bulb for Scooterbird (featherhead's gotta have it).
2. Diesel. Yes, I drive a 7200-lb truck because I have heavy things to move around on a regular basis, but it runs on ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel (which, aside from the sulfur-reducing processing, requires less refining than gasoline) and gets twice the mpg it'd get if it was a gasser. I burn biodiesel when I can get it -- but I'm not driving a 60-mile round trip out of my way to buy it from the nearest source and I'm not building an addition onto my house to house my own homebrew fuel refinery and the attendant Nasty Chemicals required to do so. (Yes, I've looked at a WVO -- waste vegetable oil -- conversion, but decent ones are about $5K and we have winter here in Michigan so I'd have to be very careful most of the year to purge the fuel system with regular diesel before every engine shutoff or it will turn into solids. And you still have to store the stuff somewhere in your home.)
3. Recycle just about anything we can. K just found a place that'll take all the plastics our curbside pickup won't take (they only take 1s and 2s).
4. Organic veggies & other things food-like. Costs a bit more, but it does usually taste a bit better.
5. Small house. Maybe a bit too small as we have auxiliary stuff spread out all over the county, but it's certainly not oversized at 2 bedrooms, one bath, for two people full time and a part-time teenager.
6. Okay, I'll add a bonus item: I'm designing parts for advanced automobiles including alternative power systems. More detail than that, I cannot say.

I'll note that despite my fascination (er, okay, obsession) with all things automotive, my 1965 Mustang (which I still own, I might add) was tuned well enough to pass 1985 Federal inspection/maintenance emissions standards when I completed it in late 1984.