I know some of you are probably so sick of hearing about Mr. Money Mustache. !!
Anyway, had an article that I think a few SA-ers would enjoy. It is about reducing energy costs. IT was a guest post, actually.
Anyway, I think regionally we tend to be extremely frugal with our energy usage. Part of it is living in an efficient house. The other part is not believing in leaving the house the same temp 24/7 all year (which seems incredibly common).
I think living in a warmer climate, I was reluctant to do much more though. Keep the house colder inside than outside? Not really logical, know what I mean?
BUT, over the years I have been working on acclimation. I know it's very possible, because living in far less energy efficient homes over the years, and with very frugal parents, I am not accustomed to heat at night. In fact, I can't sleep if it is too warm. So I really do think you just get used to what you get used to.
Likewise, we didn't grow up in such a hot climate, so setting the AC anything below 80 sounds CRAZY to me (during summer). Can we just be happy that it is 30 degrees cooler inside than outside? When I was a child hot days were rare, there was no AC, and we just sweated it out. My mom is reluctant to move up here because of the heat. She doesn't deal well with it. I always tell her she should move up here because it's like living in a fridge. The AC is cranked up so much *everywhere.* At home, it's leave the AC house to the AC car to the AC office to the AC store. Know what I mean? I don't even have a summer wardrobe, really. I am usually wearing sweaters to work so I don't freeze, because still not used to this AC culture. I agree the AC is needed for basic survival, here. But I think most of us would survive at 90F and be quite comfortable at 80F. I don't know why I have to bring sweaters everywhere when it is 110F outside, so I don't completely freeze inside wherever I am. Our culture is just so ridiculously wasteful.
Anyway, on the heat, every single year we seem to improve on the last, as we work on acclimation. I don't have anything working against me except my self. The boys in my house do not use the heat much. So, I am the only one working on acclimation. (They do tend to use the AC more than I - I could live with it a little warmer than them - so evens out I guess).
I've had my eyes on some fingerless gloves. I've got gloves, but I think the fingerless variety would be nice around the house. I turned up the heat the other day because I just could not get my HANDS warm.
SO, I saw this article and found it kind of fascinating. Apparently muscle generates a lot of heat. & females lose heat in their hands and feet faster. It REALLY clicked for me. So I think investing in some gloves could go a long way for me - warm hands probably could mean lower energy bills. By a LOT I am guessing. {I also never thought anything about wearing a hat inside, but is also something to consider}.
I have a better understanding of my children. They are all muscle/no fat (just how they are) and they are like little furnaces. Sometime I will sneak a blanket on them in the middle of the night (because I presume they are half as cold as I would be) and then you know, they wake up drenched in sweat. I have since learned to let them monitor their own body temp. I can't say other people (teachers, etc.) have learned. We are the weirdos who send the kids to school without jackets. There is every so often a tale where a well meaning teacher made them wear a jacket - I am sure not necessary in the least. I figure where we live - it's not like it's the end of the world to not wear a sweater. They are fine. So I call them little furnaces. Very true. The article above said that muscle was more efficient at keeping you warm, than fat. I totally *get* it. I think just being female would make me less efficient - as females have higher body fat in general. This explains a lot in my house.
Now I am off to find some hand warmers.
February 8th, 2013 at 10:42 pm 1360363369
To stay cool in hot humid climates it helps to wear a wet bandana; there are tubes that have water absorbent beads inserted to stay wet and help keep you cool. A big brimmed straw hat does wonders to keep the sun from feeling so hot.
February 8th, 2013 at 10:46 pm 1360363585
http://www.instructables.com/tag/type-id/?q=wool fingerless ...
and there's plenty under $5 for sale on Etsy
http://www.etsy.com/search?q=fingerless glove -pattern&order...
February 8th, 2013 at 10:52 pm 1360363952
February 9th, 2013 at 12:55 am 1360371303
February 9th, 2013 at 02:22 am 1360376524
February 9th, 2013 at 02:22 am 1360376539
February 9th, 2013 at 02:55 am 1360378558
February 9th, 2013 at 03:38 am 1360381107
For me, this is also about co-existing with people who are uncomfortable when I turn up the heat.
I think it is also a large element of just questioning cultural norms. Of blindly doing things because that is what you have always done. Our culture is tremendously wasteful. Mr. Money Mustache is admittedly extreme, and the article was written by a woman who lives in Alaska. Which makes whining about keeping the house at 60 degrees just seem kind of silly. It's not that I believe in being *that* extreme, but gives us perspective. You don't melt if you walk or bike in the extreme cold - people do it all the time - that kind of thing. So maybe turning the thermostat down a couple of degrees isn't the end of the world. (IT really isn't).
If it's not your thing, it's not your thing. Nothing wrong with that.