I'd like to bump this thread back up...
...because I've tried to be more energy-conscious-green for awhile.
Some of the stuff I do. And jump in and let me know if I'm off the mark, or have other ideas.
The next door neighbors were helpful in this regard. By jacking up my full size washer and dryer downstairs, I bought portables for inside my apartment. So the dryer goes from 220v to 110v. Now, to get totally dry, there's not a cost/energy savings, granted, because it takes twice as long to dry. So I'm selective in what I dry.
Dress shirts for work do not get put in the dryer. They get a spray of starch and go to the press or iron. They actually come out looking nicer.
Jeans are something else, though. I'm thinking clothes horse for those, with a short spin in the dryer to soften/fluff.
Since it is just me, a dog, and a cat (and they do their own laundry, cost free) the kitchen is one place I've cut back. It's an all-electric kitchen. A 110v Westinghouse Electric Skillet and a 110v toaster/convection/rotisserie oven that can hold a 12" pizza do the work. If I want to do a large turkey or something, a vintage Westinghouse Roaster oven stands ready. Literally stands, as it has the cabinet/stand. Plus the griddle and broiler. Love that baby!
Thus, the 220v stove has become a decorative kitchen accessory. I don't think I've used it in a year. Now, the vintage appliances may pull more wattage than current products...but I don't think they pull the same as the 220v stove.
Despite the mercury, the light bulbs, for the most part, are the CFL type. As the incandescents blow out, they're replaced with CFL.
Even though I live in an apartment, the 2nd floor (which is actually the third floor of the building -- it's like a townhouse) has areas where I could put a small solar panel or two -- would like to experiment with that, say for a small fan over the clothes horse or something. Stuff like that.
Thoughts, ideas?
John
