It was so fun to read about the green things you've tried so far, and I'm so happy that so many of you are joining me on this green-adventure! Great work everyone!The lucky winner is #9 who is Claudia! Claudia, I'm off to email you to get your contact information!
So, here's my green information for this week. I used to be the QUEEN of Air Conditioning. We're lucky enough that the home we purchased eight years ago already had central air, and boy was it just so easy to flick the switch and cool things down.
In fact, I have a good friend who bought a home last year without AC and I remember asking her "Oh you're kidding right? New home with no air? Are you going to install it?" So, she got a good laugh this year that I decided I was only going to run the air this year on days we really NEEDED it.
I'm happy to report that most days it stayed off entirely!! Some times, I turned it only only for my little one to take a nap. Let me say, I got real creative with shades and curtains and which windows were open to maximize a breeze. When I did turn it on, I had it set to several degrees higher than I would have last summer. Looking back, it was an icebox in here last summer. I'm so glad to report that we saved literally HUNDREDS of dollars on our electricity this summer compared to past years. I felt pretty good about conserving all that energy as well.
I'm hoping to do the same thing this fall and winter with the heat. I'm going to put on a sweater rather than bump the heat up a degree or two. Obviously, we can't do without the heat like we did without the AC, but I can commit to being more energy efficient with it. Maybe I'll even justify a new sweater or two for myself!!
Today we're off for some outdoor adventures. Hitting another local farm, Belkin Lookout Farm, where it is rumored we can already pick apples, we'll also visit their amazing produce stand for some tasty organic goodness, and visit with the animals! HOORAY! And for a nature walk with the boys at Elm Bank My sister has raved about this place for years, and now we're finally going. Got to clean out my memory stick for some photos!
Have a great, green day!
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J - I can appreciate the idea of doing without ac, but having just lived through 3 days of involuntarily doing without, I admit I can't imagine doing without on a regular basis! Of course, we live in the deep south, and suffer with heat indices in triple digits for days in a row. Our unit broke on Tuesday and the house was 95 inside when we got home. Opening windows, cross ventilation, fans, dropped it less than 10 degrees, even after the sun went down! (And our house was built back when they didn't have ac!) The new unit was up and running by Thursday night, but the house did not cool back down to 77 until Friday night. I installed a computerized thermostat a number of years ago that sets 4 separate temps for each day, so that the ac runs less after we are asleep and don't know it's hot, and when we aren't home. I would note that I hardly use heat because of the climate. The thermostat goes backwards in winter - I have it set to turn off the heat about bedtime - cold makes you want to go to bed on time - and to come on at 4 to warm up the house before we get up in the am, and cuts off while we're not home and the sun is warming it. That certainly has saved me noticeable sums of money and paid for the thermostat the first year.
Zanne
Who's harder to keep comfortable: a huge pregnant lady with no A/C in the summer or a newborn with the heat low in the winter? I'm hoping it's the latter... can we just bundle her extra? I have no problem keeping the heat low, especially this winter, it's just that baby i'll have to figure out. SO glad you're taking the family to elm bank! and good to know lookout already has apples--that's one of my last "here's a picture of me when I was enormous pregnant" field trips I'm looking forward to!!! loveyou.
you're going to LOVE elm bank!! it's where we go every fall to take our family photos!!
XOXOXOXO
Hey Joanne as I sat here and read your post I love all your green ideas! I had to laugh when I read you were off to Lookout Farm and Elm Bank! I grew up in Needham and those are some of my foundest memories going to those places! Lookout Farm was the place to get all the cool stuff! We take my nephew there now when we visit! Thanks for bring back wonderful memories! I hope you had a great time! Jessie
Good for you! I'm always amazed at how much people rely on AC. We've never had and honestly don't even WANT it. Just seems like a waste to us. When it gets really hot- upper 80s and 90s, we'll turn a fan on in the bedroom to get it cool enough to sleep.
I had hubby install a ceiling fan in the kitchen so it's bearable to cook in there in the summer. Plus in the winter I can put the fan on to circulate the warmth throughout the house.
I really enjoy your green tips. We use our AC because of allergies, BUT we keep the thermostat on 74 AND we open our basement door and put a fan at the bottom of the steps to blow cool air up from there. It has really helped! Our electric bill isn't too bad for the size of our house and we also keep the blinds shut on the West side of the house where the sun heats up in the afternoons. Thanks for sharing with us.
I thought it was interesting reading some of the comments about AC. We live in the South where it's required to have AC. not only are temperatures in the upper90's and triple digits all summer, but the humidity is suffocating. Just walking out the door causes you to sweat!
Where do you live??? Cause seriously - it's over 100 for 2-3 months here. Now it is *cool* - only in the lower 90's.
Now that said - we do keep ours *high* for these parts and we put it at 79. Putting those ugly black solar screens on the front windows in our house helped a tons - we did that last summer and they have helped keep it a lot cooler.
Anyway - I can't imagine it here because it's just so stifling hot much of the year!
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