30 May 08 Saving Energy

We just got this months electricity bill. Now, I’m never one to get excited about paying bills, particularly the ones that stay with you until your dying day – i.e taxes, power, water,regime fees and so on.

At least, hopefully, you eventually make the final car or mortgage payment, and while they usually get a little less in real terms as the years go by, that first bunch is always guaranteed to steadily increase, and often way more than the rate of inflation.

They always have a good excuse of course – new infrastructure; previous neglect; incompetent management etc.

Anyway, to get to the point. This months electricity bill was $22 cheaper than this time last year, and it was the same average temperature too, according the the records.

We do try to make an effort though. We don’t use more hot water than needed; take showers more often than baths; have CFL’s throughout the home; and don’t run the air conditioning unless we need to – that’s $7-8 a day each time it’s on all day.

There’s always more that could be done. Putting laundry outside to dry saves a lot of money, and is much better for your clothes too. Turning down the thermostat in the winter, and up in the summer helps a lot. Not leaving the home theater system on standby 24/7.

I’m not a tree hugging green, but hey, if it’s good for the environment, and I get to save some money, I’m all for it.

It’s almost ten pm here now. I’m going to switch myself off for the evening.