I do think it may be warming up a bit though, it was a warm 12 degrees this morning as opposed to a cold 12 degrees. It happens. So I didn’t feel the need to light the fire this morning, though our number one and only son complains about this, however I do have on my scarf and a blanket over my legs, and hope that I am not required to move about much till things warm up a bit more.
We also didn’t light the fire last night and though a little cold, if you go to bed early with a hot water bottle for a read you get toasty warm. So this actually works well to save electricity. There are fewer lights on, just a reading light, no TV, we have no electric blanket, no computers still running, no one becoming brain dead from the TV and computer games, and we end up with more sleep, so really, it is win win all around.
Talking about saving electricity, I need to clean out my fridge and bar fridge (so overdue to do this) and turn off the bar fridge. We can do without it and the extra in electricity, though we won’t be getting rid of the bar fridge as it is handy at times like Christmas when there is extra food in the house. However my mum was asking about our electricity going up and apart from the carbon tax I am sure that it was going to go up anyway, so does that mean that it is going to go up extra? Time for some research.
So off with the bar fridge, the small chest freezer has been turned off for a long time anyway and we use our esky with frozen water in juice bottles for keeping our drinks cold. We also plan to put in a gas wall oven on its own gas bottle when I have saved up the money (after we have bought a front loading washing machine and a few other things that have to be done first) We already turn off the lights when not in use (though I am sure that our number one and only son needs a reminder of this for his room out there) and turn everything off at the wall when not in use and now I am running out of ideas.
And, no matter what we do, electricity is still going to keep going up, we will be paying more even if we use less. I think we need a new plan, don’t know what but there has to be a better way.
ON OTHER MATTERS
The carbon tax here in Australia is all the talk at the moment, and here is an article about what families think and I found the comments underneath most interesting. Carbon tax is also in Wikipedia and it has a pretty good explanation of it, worth checking out. Also, here is an article with links to working out how the carbon tax will affect us, it has a link to the Government’s calculator and also a table with links for broad individual circumstances.
This is going to come into effect regardless of whether you agree or not, so, it is best to understand it and work out how much it will cost you using the information being given to us. So, go do some reading, information is good :)
I will never understand why the government cut the solar subsidy in the first place, and now when they will be getting more money in, they hand the money back, Robin Hood style.. If that money could rather be used to install hot solar water heaters and solar panels on our houses, provide free compost bins and create community gardens, subsidize hybrid cars, then I would think it was being put to good use. I don't feel too confident that this is going to achieve a greener Australia for us. Maybe I am missing something, but if everyone is given money to pay for more expensive services, what is the incentive to change?
ReplyDeleteI also wish money would go on these things and I want a user pays system. As in if I choose to use a service/buy a product from a polluting company then I pay the tax for it, if I choose a green company then I don't pay.
ReplyDeleteI must say I am still figuring out how it is going to work and if in the long term it will make any difference. Or will we just end up accepting it as part of life whether it works or not.
And you are right, I can't see the incentive to change either.
The carbon tax is certainly the talk of the town, isn't it. I know what you are saying about using the money for 'green' uses and also about user pays.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, those of us who can actually see the benefits of green technology and the relevance of using it are definitely still in the minority.
While it is good that individuals do their bit by recycling, composting, reducing car and electricity usage etc the real changes need to be from the 'big' guys - power stations, dirty manufacturing etc. The idea is to make them pay for their emissions in an effort to encourage changes to cleaner technology. However, the government are trying to offset the effect to individuals and also provide funds to polluters to help maintain competitiveness with overseas business.
All in all it seems as though they cannot please anyone.
I have written a couple of posts on my blog and there is also a link which gives a reasonably simple, balanced view of what the carbon tax is all about. This is an improvement on the misinformation and half-truths being bandied around and fuelled by the popular press.
Whether it will work is open to debate but I feel that something has to be done or otherwise our grandchildren are going to be saying in 50 years time, "What were they thinking - sitting there doing nothing when they could see there was a problem?"
KJ, I love the kitchen look! And most of all THANK YOU! I switched over to Firefox like you suggested...problem solved!
ReplyDelete