I watched an episode of "Mythbusters" the other day in which they investigated the idea that turning a light on and off uses more energy than keeping it on. It turned out that turning on a light bulb only uses a few seconds' worth of energy, so it's always worthwhile to turn off a light when you leave the room.
You see where this is going, don't you? Now I've suddenly turned into our household Light Patrol Officer. It's only taken a few days for it to rub off on my husband, though. Now when I get up there's usually only one light on in the living room rather than the heretofore customary three.
The only exception is our porch light, which I leave on all the time because it's usually still dark when I leave the house and dark again when I get home. I'd get a light sensor for it (again), but the fixture is barely large enough to accommodate an outdoor CFL as it is.
My next training initiative for my husband involves the proper use of a chip clip. When he closes a bag of potato chips, he'll fold it over and put the clip at a jaunty angle on one corner, leaving a large area through which air can get in. Even when I put it on the right way, he'll open the bag and replace the clip his way. I wonder if I can get some subliminal message CDs to play while he sleeps?
Finally, I am seriously tired of the cold weather. I know it's only January, but I've had enough already. Unfortunately, we have at least two more months of this to go before it warms up for spring. Did I mention that my gas bill for this month was $100 more than the one for December? Grrr.
Well, I'm starting to ramble and I think I just heard Velcro yakking in the kitchen, so I guess I'll go clean up cat puke and get ready for work. You're jealous of my life, aren't you?
I'm jealous that you have chips left in the bag to clip. When I start a bag, I finish a bag. ::sigh:: Note to self: Stay away from chip aisle.
Posted by: Deborah | January 30, 2008 at 11:16 AM
My husband is obsessive about turning off unused lights, yet he cannot remember to use a chip bag clip. I even got magnetized ones so that they were right in front of his face on the fridge, but he looks right past them when he puts the salsa away...
Posted by: Suzanne | January 30, 2008 at 03:43 PM
I'm on constant light patrol for my entire family! Kids won't turn off a light for anything. Too busy.
Cat Puke cleaning is fun, especially when all 4 do it at the same time!
KC is not as cold as it is in the land of Lincoln. Waiting patiently for 2009.
Posted by: Huts | January 30, 2008 at 09:53 PM
My mom does Light Patrol too. It's gotten to the point where she'll come into a room, not realize that I'm in it, and turn it off on me while I'm doing my homework.
Posted by: thethinker | January 30, 2008 at 10:31 PM
when it comes to chips... after I open a bag of chips I transfer the rest of the contents into a large ziploc bag. So they stay really really fresh. And there is only one way to close a ziploc :)
Posted by: mojavi | January 30, 2008 at 11:46 PM