Mountain Mom's Green Short Cuts

Long-Term Green

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:17:00 +0000

Looking at my previous posts, you (and I) can see that many of the Green projects I started have failed. I feel little better knowing that many of you have had some of the same setbacks. When I actually drop the newspapers into the trash, I still feel a deep twinge of guilt knowing what I should be doing with those papers. Fortunately, there are a handful of Green habits that have survived...and believe it or not, that twinge is one of the best ones.

When my neighbors across the road ended their recycling, I was forced to stop, also. There is new hope on the horizon. Our local HOA has taken the positive step (the first in a long time) of seeking a proposal from Waste Management for a community-wide contract for trash collection which would also include recycling at no extra cost. If that deal actually comes through, I will be the first to leave my cans, bottles and newspapers at the curb (actually by the ditch...we don't have curbs in our part of the mountains).

I wonder if my Green musings at the HOA meetings made someone else feel guilty enough to put together a smart trash and recycling plan for all of us? I'll take credit either way.

Taking a Step Back

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:23:00 +0000

This past summer has been a difficult time for our family's Green efforts. There have been greater setbacks than in previous times, something I thought couldn't happen. Each time I walk into the kitchen I mentally note the things we aren't doing that we should be doing. One of the simplest Green moves, using reusable fabric shopping bags, has ground to a halt. Those bags are beginning to sport a certain amount of bacteria from leaks and spills to the point I don't trust them. Most of them can't be washed. Who decided that cardboard should be part of a reusable transport system? Fortunately, I am taking the plastic bags back to the store, but I wonder when they'll stop offering bags at all. Our closest store stopped giving us the nickel credit for bringing your own bag.

Bags are only a minor part of my slippage. I decided to lower the air conditioning temperature. The family doesn't complain as long as it's below 80 degrees. I still take comfort in the fact that some of our neighbors keep their thermostat closer to 70.

I have begun to feel rather sheepish sneaking our recyclables into the neighbor's bins. I plan to 'negotiate' our recycling fee with the trash company if I could get it down to $1 a month, but I'm not betting on it.

Now that it has cooled off outside, I find that the colder I run the refrigerator, the more heat it throws off into the kitchen. Talk about tradeoffs. The family wonders why I keep the grapes so cold, now that it isn't as hot outside. It's an energy thing.

While quite a few things now go directly into the trash that were former recycled, we still only put out one can of household waste. So our increase in the can hasn't really contributed to a major increase in the landfill. So, I'm still counting on the small stuff shown on my Green Short Cuts web site to keep our family Green. Are you?

Go Camping

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0000

If you're looking for ways to do more with less, go camping this summer. In our family, if it doesn't fit in the backpack, it doesn't go. Even if you travel in a gas-guzzling motor home, you still live a more compact and efficient life, especially if you need to carry your own water or if you pack it in/pack it out. After a few days of living without dozens of dishes, unlimited water and a full pantry, you'll start thinking about what is essential.

Being Green means doing more with less. It's good to get out in the woods to help you prioritize. Adjusting your head is the first step in doing the right things.

Think Big

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 14:25:00 +0000

I thought I was really on to something when I starting using a few plates, napkins and cups a second time. When I suggested that the family start using things in the kitchen twice, I got a real dose of reality. They stood there and showed me all the things that really couldn't be used a second time. The real measure was how how often we needed to wash the dishes. There was no change. Those things that really could be re-used totalled a mighty small number. Small Green improvements only work if they can be either expanded over time, or can be applied over a large number of habits.

It's a reminder to Think Big. While we know small changes in lifestyle can make big improvements, the changes really need to be measurable. If re-using dishes doesn't result in using the dishwasher less often, it's not worth even thinking about. So stop thinking about it.

Use It Twice

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:25:00 +0000

There I am, each morning, staring at the sink, wondering how my habits affect the Big Picture. Now that I'm not recycling as much, I stand here wondering what I can do. Part of the morning routine involves using a paper towel in the microwave. I bet I can use that paper towel just one more time.

I'm not saying to use things over and over and over, I'm trying to re-use disposable or cleanable items things just twice. It can be a paper towel, a napkin, a plate, a spoon, a glass, or dozens of other things. Instead of trying to find things that can be washed and reused, thus using water, I'm looking for those things that can be re-used one more time, even if they have a little dirt on them. This has the effect of a 100% improvement in my product efficiency and a 50% reduction of items thrown into the trash. How about flushing (yellow) every other time?

Of course there are lots of exceptions. The paper coffee filter can't be re-used, but the knife I make the kids' lunch with, can. It's OK to mix a little peanut butter with my the cream cheese on my muffin. It seemed to be so important to find things that can be used forever without considering how much that item will need water or electricity resources to keep it clean. Now, try to Use It Twice.

If I can get Mountain Dad to leave all but the greasiest paper napkins on the kitchen table (yes, he cleans the table), the habits may eventually take hold through the family. I hope I don't need to check the trash can every morning. C'mon guys, work with me.

You Are What You Eat

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:08:00 +0000

A few months ago I encouraged you to Eat Less. I tried to link the over consumption of calories with the over consumption of food packaging. Well, a few days ago, Mountain Dad noted that I must have had some kind of eating binge for a couple of nights due the large quantity of food packages he found in the trash can. Yes, this is the same trash can that 'spoke' to me about the poor choices I made about food packaging.

It looks like we could indeed make better choices in how we how our food is wrapped, but Mountain Dad is right. I should should just Eat Less, and correspondingly Buy Less. Dad pointed out that there has to be over a hundred packages in our pantry that haven't been touched in a year and most likely will just be tossed out. He then listed how much needs to be done the more we (a veiled reference to 'me') eat. There are the obvious packages in the trash can, and the greater amount of water to wash the greater number of dishes. Then there are the napkins, and the electricity and natural gas used to cook and wash. The list was long.

So I'm now looking at just plain buying less at the store and look at the multiple benefits of consuming fewer calories. A compost pile would help, but I've already failed at that mostly due to our colder climate at this altitude. Let the bathroom scale be your guide to Green.

Mom's 80/20 Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:47:00 +0000

If you read my last post you might get the idea I was giving up. Since one of my most popular Green Short Cuts web pages is "If You Can't Go Green...", I tried to take my own advice. I was actually relieved that I was still on the right track. It reminded me of the 80/20 formula that I use in our other businesses. Generally it means it takes 80% of your efforts to achieve 20% of your success, or that 20% of your customers will generate 80% of your income. It means you shouldn't expect 100%, or even 90% success on most projects.

I've seen diminishing returns after getting about 3/4's of the way to the end of a project, or at least diminishing interest. You do need to keep your goal in mind so you'll know when you're 80% there. Going Green is an evolution. You don't replace that refrigerator today, but when you do, you can make that a Green decision. A Green setback, like the ones I suffered, don't need to take you back to zero. Most likely you'll only slip back from 80% to 70%, still a good rate.

Check the Green List and incorporate a new idea into your lifestyle for Earth Day next week. If you do, I get to move ahead on my own scale.

Falling Off the Wagon

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:37:00 +0000

I feel like such a hypocrite. I have fallen backwards in so many areas of my Green life. Last month I wanted to hide under the covers. This month I want to admit defeat and turn this project over to someone with a stronger constitution...like Mountain Dad, maybe?

I will stay on top of the great ideas posted at Green Short Cuts now that I have fallen on my own "if you can't go Green" efforts. But how can I Blog about my efforts? I'm not a "do as I say, not what I do" person. Maybe I can identify why and where I'm suffering setbacks and hope for simple solutions.

Can it be that I am operating at the maximum Green level? After all, the energy auditor told me I was. I don't think so. Maybe I'll feel different this Earth Day, the anniversary of these web sites. Oh, BTW, just because I've Fallen and Can't Get Up is no excuse for you to slack off. If you have Short Cuts that are working, stay with it. OK, off to Green Mountain I go...

Hiding Under the Covers

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 18:30:00 +0000

No, I'm not trying to keep warm, I'm really hiding. Hiding from the reality that my efforts seem to be going in the wrong direction. Our latest gas and electric bills showed no reduction and I know our trash output is greater than it was a year ago. I am also putting more miles on the car than I expected. What happened?

Well, I peeked out from under the covers to try and justify my backsliding and found that small changes don't mean as much as they did before. Also, my focus has been more on changing systems that lifestyle, and it appears the systems have been optimized as much as possible. Now it seems I am holding my own but prices and consumption are slowly increasing and it hides the progress we've been making. Yes, 'it could've been worse.'

What next? I am no longer depending on my own cunning and am now doing a little research. The energy-savings book the power company auditor gave me now lives in the bathroom where I review ideas during each visit. They ask questions I hadn't thought of like, "Do you need the outdoor lights on all night?" I had been leaving all the outdoor lights on until sunrise, just in case we were to leave the house before sunrise. It never occurred to me that I could just turn on the lights if we leave early.

I need bigger ideas, though. I guess it's time to add the additional insulation to the attic, an effort I have been avoiding for years. It is a DIY project? I hope not.

The Energy Audit

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 18:10:00 +0000

I called our electric co-op for one of their free home energy audits. The guy who came out was really nice and really helpful. He did make one mistake. He asked me what I wanted to get from the audit and what I had done so far. He politely listened to my long list of updates and improvements until I realized that his glassed-over eyes meant it was his turn to talk.

He made a few direct comparisons to what other people had done, but his bottom line evaluation was both encouraging and disappointing. First, he remarked how interesting it was to find someone even more anal-retentive about energy savings than he was. The encouraging part was how many of the right things I had already done. We now have a new refrigerator, lots of CFL's and a good use of timers and the thermostat.

The disappointment was how few economically-viable recommendations he could make. All the basic improvements had been done. The next steps would be major upgrades, all of which most likely would have no payback while I still lived in the house. I needed to think long and hard about making those improvements based just on helping the environment.

The only smart upgrade would be to add more attic insulation. I was sad that the federal energy credits had expired on that until he reminded me they wouldn't apply on much of blown-in insulation. I told him I wanted to install my own rolls of insulation but he encouraged me away from that folly. Do it right, or don't do it. In some cases I've been choosing the latter, but not when it comes to energy savings. The auditor was impressed.

Keeping Warm

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:19:00 +0000

It had been relatively warm up here in the mountains until just before Christmas. With night time temperatures well below freezing, I have started my finding ways to keep everyone warm without turning up the heat. I keep the thermostat at 67 to 69 after sunset. Sometimes the family complains and then they turn it up.

But I found some other options which have kept the family happy. Instead of just a blanket at the end of a couch, I picked up a couple down-filled comforters at the dollar store and placed them on the couch and the easy chair. Mountain Dad and the kids find themselves subconsciously covering their feet with them and eventually pull them up. After some time of reading or watching TV under the comforter, they find themselves too hot, and then walk around the house thinking the heat may be too high!

At Christmas I found another secret weapon: the red Santa hat. Each member of the family put one on and once again found themselves too hot. Sometimes they went outside to get the paper without a jacket. It's easy to get them to use a down blanket, but a hat? At least I have them in the habit of wearing long-sleeve shirts and slippers, but how can I get them into a hat? Until I figure that out, I'll be proactive and throw these very light but very warm comforters on everybody. Once I know they won't be sneaking the thermostat UP any longer, I'll be sneaking it DOWN.

My but that hat looks good on you!

Eat Less

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:59:00 +0000

I seem to have a Green 'agony-of-the-month', and most recently I have been trying to accept my no longer recycling at the curb. I have been able to improve in some areas to make up for it, but it still bugs me that I'm just tossing stuff in the trash that should be recycled. Sometimes I just stare into the kitchen wastebasket and see all those opportunities missed.

Then a voice spoke to me from that wastebasket. Well, no, not really, but it did occur to me that there were a lot of food packages in there that weren't all for 'essential' nutrition. Yes, I realized, if I bought less food, that wastebasket would be less full, and so would I.

I have preached the 'precycling' sermon before, but now I have added it to my landfill-reduction program, even if it's just for junk food. I know you've been telling yourself to stop buying, and eating, all that packaged stuff, but now you have more than just a waistline to worry about. At least start buying things in more logical packaging, like fresh fruit instead of in cans or plastic. The wastebasket told me to do it.

Life After Recycling

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:48:00 +0000

Now that I cannot (more accurately, will not) recycle at the curb, I have made a few adjustments to at least recycle what I can. My sister uses all our newspapers at school, and when they're done, they have a paper recycling program. Also, I have been far more reliable in my plastic bag recycling at the grocery store. The dead batteries are still going to work. The glass and aluminum have been more of a challenge, and for now, they are just going in the trash.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we will be throwing a lot into the trash that should be handled elsewhere. The family has already told me they are thankful for not having to recycle stuff any longer. This tells me I need to be more diligent in other areas. Turn down the heat? Turn off the lights? Drive slower? Something can be done.

For this Christmas, I have asked Mountain Dad to decorate the outside of the house with fewer lights. Also, to use LED's where it makes sense. The local hardware store had a sale on LED Christmas lights, but I can't bring myself to buy them when we have soooo many of the older mini-lights. The good (?) news is they're starting to fail. If we don't get some LED's before Christmas, we'll certainly look for some on sale after the holidays.

In the meantime, I think I'll have the family continue to put aluminum cans in a separate bag. I think they need to stay in the habit, and you know...I might just find a place to recycle them.

The Biggest Recycling Setback

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:08:00 +0000

I knew this day was coming, but it's still a shock. Our local trash hauler is our only source for recycling at the curb and they charge to pick up our recyclables. I refuse to pay that fee but my nearest neighbor invited me to leave my recycled materials among theirs. They moved out and the new residents aren't recycling. My other neighbors either don't recycle or are too far away to lug the tubs.

My first reaction was to make up the loss by increasing efforts in other areas, but we're about maxed out. I mean, after all, we just bought a more efficient refrigerator. Other than a few rolls of attic insulation, our environmental budget is tapped out and I think the family will protest any more changes in the house temperature. The plan of action is to stay the course in all the other areas and watch for any new recycling opportunities.

I must admit, tossing most things in the trash is easier. A few things will go to the recycling bin at work and I promise not to forget the plastic bags when I go to the grocery store.

Pay for recycling? Nope!

Another Recycling Brick Wall

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 16:26:00 +0000

One of my earliest rants was that local trash companies started charging for recycling. I guess if they can get it, go for it, but it was the first major hurdle for potential recyclers.

More recently, the local grocery stores stopped accepting aluminum cans. The challenges don't stop there. I have a big pile of slightly used paint from an art project that I don't need any longer. I thought someone could use some free, interior-grade latex paint. I tried to list it all on freecycle.com, but there were at least a dozen steps just in getting approved to post something on their site, what has been taken over by something called Yahoo Groups. I have yet to even know when or if I can list my stuff.

If I can't find someone who can use it, I will need to find a hazardous waste disposer. I guess if I open the cans and let them dry out, they aren't hazardous any longer. Maybe better is to paint all my trash various colors. I hope the neighbors appreciate the effort going into my yellow and red bags and boxes of trash.

Did I Save Electricity?

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:09:00 +0000

I was hoping for a noticeable drop in this month's electric bill after installing a new, and supposedly more efficient, refrigerator...and that's just what I got. The number of kilowatt hours dropped this year 27% from our 7-year average. Seeing that the new refrigerator is rated 20% more efficient than the old, I should be overwhelmed with the improvement. However, I'm curbing my enthusiasm.

Yes, this year's electric usage is below our average, but it's virtually the same as last year. We used the air conditioner maybe once or twice over the past month, and we must have used it even less last year. Last month, which wasn't a full month for the new refer, was down 10% from the average, but it was higher than the year before. Is this is an argument for the Smart Grid so I know I'm being Green?

Of course, you know the performance of any refrigerator is not measured by its energy consumption but more by how well the ice maker works. The new one is quiet enough, but each push of the Ice button produces a wide variety of cube output. I miss you, Amana.

Conflict in the Sink

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:25:00 +0000

I really hate it when the family dumps their dirty dishes in the sink. It makes the sink hard to use. However, I may need to soften my stand on sink-stashing because it is far less objectionable than those water-wasters who insist in washing the dishes before they wash the dishes in the dishwasher.

Letting some of your dishes "soak" under the water that normally goes down the drain eliminates the need for that wasteful "pre-washing". Let's not get carried away with this, only those dishes with some hard-to-scrape deposits will get the benefit.

So far, I haven't had to re-wash anything since I started to leave a few dirty dishes, usually the pots & pans, soak in the sink. Remember this is just for a day or less, not to sit in the sink all week. If I can prevent that wasteful 'pre-washing,' I'll accept the occasional dirty pan in the sink...just don't overdo it. It places a weapon within arms' reach.

Seeing Results May Not Help

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:05:00 +0000

I was really gung-ho about seeing the actual gas mileage I was getting on my new car. I thought it could be a big factor in using gasoline more efficiently. Now that the novelty has worn off, that MPG gauge is just one more number on the dashboard. There is little I can do in response to what the numbers say. It all comes down to the basics: Slower Speeds, Fewer Fast Starts , and Driving Sensibly.

It was, however, a good idea to get a more efficient car. Knowing that my old car is still out on the road reminds me that the benefits will not come until far into the future, but doing the right thing does eventually pay off.

Learning that the MPG meter doesn't help that much reminds me that we need to adjust lots of things as we move in the Green direction...there just aren't any fast fixes. Now I'm learning that telling our kids to stop the waste may be the best fix of all, but with the payoff farthest in the future. Yes, I'm hoping our kids will save us. So tell your kids what they should be doing. I know...it's easier than doing it ourselves. You've heard that one before?

Making Better Short Cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 16:20:00 +0000

It seems that Green suggestions are coming from every direction, from an insert from my local realtor to filler in most magazines. So who needs a list of Green Ideas from Mountain Mom? Instead, I will focus on solutions for people who have problems going Green. My favorite is what to do If You Can't Go Green. Take the basics and make them even more basic.

Also, a few of you have taken issue on my Things That Are Not Green. I think it's the wording more than the idea. I'm trying to keep you from wasting you time or money. A Prius is not the only way to improve your transportation carbon footprint. Any move toward a more gas-efficient car is a big step. Just try to make it a 25% or more improvement.

Mom's here to help you get over The Green Wall.

Getting a Sweeter Refer

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:05:00 +0000

In a fit of patriotism I decided to replace our 12 year old refrigerator. We got some federal dollars and a manufacturer's rebate, but most important, the promise of reduced electric bills. A few years ago it wouldn't have made any difference because we have a minimum charge for electricity that we were hard-pressed to exceed. Now, we exceed it with ease.

In my own Green Tips, I claim the kitchen refrigerator as one of the top users of power in your house. Getting a new one just might pay for itself. Finding a fridge that makes everyone happy was not only difficult, it was more expensive than I wanted. Mountain Dad often complained about the dent in the old refer, but hey, it just added character. I admit, the clear packing tape that held the door together all these years was a bit tacky.

OK, it is nice to have a new appliance in the house, and one that saves kilowatts. I just wish I could learn not to bash my toes with the new, longer, more efficient door. There's more than one way to get Green.

Motivation Through Guilt

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 14:39:00 +0000

Yes, some of our Green motivation is through guilt. I’ve been out with the girls more than once when someone has said, “You mean you don’t recycle your batteries?” or the like. Of course my first thought is that I already do almost everything right. But I make guilt-provoking statements, too. After all, I’m already Greener than most visitors to this page.

So it was very reassuring to realize that my new car was producing much better gas mileage than the EPA would allow me to believe. After resigning myself to justifying mpg’s in the lower 20’s, I’m thrilled to be enjoying averages in the upper 20’s instead. This is with a vehicle that’s larger than the old one.

As the oil leak spreads across the Gulf of Mexico I can’t help but think that the days of driving oil-based vehicles are numbered. I hope to get at least 6 years out of every car I buy, but 10 would be even more gratifying. Will I be able to buy gas at any ol’ station, or will they switch to natural gas and battery charging? No matter, I’ll just be among the 12 million or so car buyers this year who will continue to be consumers of something to burn in our engines. It may be corn squeezin’s or Jack Daniels, it just depends on the price.

My point is, the world isn’t coming to an end and there is much hope in the incremental improvements being made by car and appliance manufacturers. Happiness is my slowly shrinking carbon footprint…and my waistline.

Cars That Help You Drive Efficiently

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 26 May 2010 22:38:00 +0000

I was doing my research about my recent new car purchase and wondered about gas mileage. I was reading about the "Prius Effect" at SmartGridBuzz and thought, "How simple: if you know how much gas you're using as you use it, you can adjust your driving."

Little did I know there are a lot of other cars that also give you a good idea of how much gas, or electricity, you're using. My newly purchased car tells me both average and instantaneous gas mileage. I didn't think it would make much difference, but it has. It's inspiring to see that the new car, which is actually larger than the old, gets significantly better gas mileage, as long as I drive with common sense. And the mileage tool helps me do just that.

The instantaneous mileage readout tells me whether I should drive at 45 or 55 in the 45 mph zone to get the best gas usage. Some of the results are not surprising, but it sure helps to have a constant reminder. I'm now competing against the meter instead of the driver beside me. I'll pass him at the next gas station.

New Car Time

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 19 May 2010 14:00:00 +0000

Well here we go. Cars create a big chunk of our air pollution and consume a large quantity of our oil. I can't help but put myself in the position of trying to make a difference by choosing the right auto. I would have liked to it it during "cash for clunkers", but our old car didn't qualify...it was just too efficient. So what to do today?

Vehicles that were the 'right' size last time I bought a car, are now larger, and sadly, less fuel efficient. I looked at going smaller, but the kids are getting bigger. Fortunately, a few car models have improved, giving us more space and more features at the same or slightly improved gas mileage. I hadn't realized that my old 4-speed automatic transmission has been replaced with 5-speed and continuously-variable transmissions, and their EPA mileage ratings now exceed those of cars with manual transmissions. Laziness now has its reward, although at a purchase premium. But that's OK. My shifting hand has long been occupied with the cell phone, french fries and occasional disciplinary contact in the back seat.

So my rationalization on this purchase will be based on getting slightly more car without increasing my fuel consumption. Most cars are being delivered here with California Emissions certification (ULEV or PZEV), so I'm feeling even better about it. After all, getting anything over 24 mpg is so much better than the neighbors, I can't help but feel warm & fuzzy, and smug, all at the same time.

Can We Use Diesel?

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:00:00 +0000

I am a big believer in discussion forums and reader reviews. I'm looking for a new car, and one of the comment groups included a contributor from Europe. He wrote that he really liked the model of car we were looking at, but added, "Here in Italy, our car is diesel and gets 42 miles to the gallon. You Americans need to demand cars with better MPG."

How can we do that? I see that we can get diesel fuel at as many as half of the gas stations we visit. The car manufacturers are giving us more hybrids, electric and small cars, but why have we not seen more diesel engines? I know we have challenges up here at altitude, but I have neighbors with diesel pickups. Why can't I get it for my little SUV? Who can I call? I can't even make a purchase to cast my 'economic vote,' or even encourage you to do it on my Green List.

Hey...can anyone hear me? Can we get a little diesel over here?

Read the Manual

noreply@blogger.com (Mountain Mom) — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:46:00 +0000

The biggest electricity user in our house is the electric drier. The power guys were here a few months ago and showed me how fast the meter starts running (ours flashes, not spins) when the drier is on. So it was distressing to find out I had no idea how our clothes drier works.

All my life I had been setting the drier to a setting like "40 Minutes", and if the clothes weren't dry enough, I hit the button for another 40 minutes. Last week Mountain Dad noticed what I was doing and remarked, "Why don't you just let the drier sense when the clothes are dry and turn itself off?" He was trying to keep me from wasting my time, but it suddenly occurred to me that I was running the drier a whole lot more than necessary...and wasting electricity.

Our drier has a setting that says, "Permanent Press", but right next to that label is, "Auto Sensor." It turns out I should have been using those settings, but because the clothes I was drying weren't "permanent press," I though it wasn't the right setting.

Now, I can choose between "More Dry" or "Less Dry" and the drier stops when the clothes are dry. A big load will take more than an hour, smaller loads, less. But I was drying stuff in 40 or 50 minute chunks, wasting time and energy. I should have read the instruction manual...7 years ago!