Friday, January 11, 2008

Me = energy saving machine

I checked out my energy usage rating on the SDG&E (the power company here in San Diego) web site and was pleased with the results.


I'm in the 97th percentile in terms of electricity usage which is awesome. This is compared to similar households (in terms of size, location, and build date).

I think those CFL bulbs I "installed" made a big difference. If you look at my usage below, you'll see that it flat-lines during the summer months (everyone else's goes down too) but it is not going up like everyone else's during the winter (when you use lights more often). Check it out:


With respect to gas usage, it's not as great as electricity, unfortunately.


There really isn't much I can do about it though. We have the dubious title of "Couple Using the Oldest Known Stove on Planet Earth." This thing probably weighs close to a ton and has a pilot light that, for all intensive purposes, burns with a constant flame the size of a butane lighter. The metal on the top of the stove stays constantly warm, this thing is a total energy sink. We don't use the gas heater hardly ever simply because it burns so much gas but, to be honest, we live in San Diego so how bad could it be, right? Thankfully, that thing does not have a constant pilot light (which makes it a PITA to start)

So, the consumption that I can control easily is really low and the one that I cannot easily control is at least above average. I think I'm going to look into cutting that pilot light off and just light the damn thing with a lighter. It might sound primitive but, trust me, the word is "romantic." Anna would say it's "charming."

Oh, speaking of places to live, we might be moving... into something we own! Look forward to Anna and I super-greening our own house! Hope I didn't just jinx it ;)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

uh oh. intensive purposes. i call malaprop. otherwise, did i just read you're about to become a homeowner??! i'm so jealous, tell me more!

kat