Plan: Freezing Butts, Stargazing.

One of the fun things about being part of the Internets is to find great things that make you realize that you can be part of a solution.

The problem is, of course, the cause célebre of the week: global warming.  In the past I have blogged about striving to keep a greener home and how thankless it is.  I'm telling you --I'm still whining and moaning every time I clean, but for the main part it does feel good to know that I'm doing a little something.

Which is why when I was poking around Anita's awesome blog and saw a button with a cute little seal saying "Freeze Yer Buns and Lower the Thermostat" I just had to click on it.

And I am ever so glad I did, because this is just the kind of (mildly masochistic thing) that makes you feel like part of the solution. 

See how cute that seal is?  Don't you want to pinch its cheeks and save it? 

And if you click on it and leave a comment on Crunchy Chicken's post, you too can pledge to freeze your buns off during the winter!  Whee!

Now if only stores at the mall could follow suit and turn their thermostats down in the winter and up in the spring, life would be so much better. Because think about it:  how many times have you been in a crowded store in the middle of the pre-holiday season, feeling absolutely miserable and disgusting because you had to wear your parka or coat inside (since there is no place to hang your coat at most stores), where the thermostat is set at a sweltering 70 degrees or higher, even when the weather starts to thaw?

Gross.  And wasteful: next time look around those huge high-ceilinged stores and think of all that warm air floating up above you (since warm air rises) that must be at the same temperature or possibly higher than the one that is stifling you down below.

And when you compound it to the fact that these stores like to leave their doors open often, it's really a disaster.

But back to me (me!me!me!): I have pledged to keep the house's thermostat at 65 during the day and 60 at night.  What about you?

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I recently also came across Lights Out --a voluntary blackout which happened in San Francisco and L.A. on October 20th-- thanks to another great blog.

Lights Out America will be happening on Saturday March 29th, 2008 across several US cities --DC included.

Think of how many lights shine on needlessly every single day and night.  And think of seeing nothing but stars for a few minutes on a crisp cool March night-- maybe.

I am excited-- about this, and about finding like-minded people who want to take responsibility for their fuel consumption; about the future.  I hope that you, dear blog readers, will join in on some of the fun-- will you let me know so we can freeze under the stars together?

Comments

[Ghosty]

You know, I was told that there was a psychological reason for having high ceilings in a grocery store, but for the life of me I can't find a thing about it on the interweb. Something for further research, I suppose.

Meanwhile, I'm already freezing my buns off, TYVM. We still haven't turned on the furnace, and I have a little electric space heater in my room I use: I turn it on, it heats the room, I turn it off and, so far, the room stays relatively warm for half a day. This may not work once the temperature *really* starts dropping ...

[Vixen]

The psychological reason for high ceilings in a grocery store is to give the impression of open spaces so customers feel like they are in an open Farmers' market buying fresh food.

The building code reason is to allow good airflow and prevent the build-up of moisture and gases from the sprinkler system and the food from collecting at a low level where it could fall down on the customers and other foods.

We normally have our heat set between 65 and 70 throughout the year. During the summer and winter it's at 65 and during spring and fall it's at 70. This is because the windows need to be sealed properly. Otherwise we could leave it at 65 all year. Being partially in the hillside is a great insulator for our apartment. Once the snow comes the rest of the apartment is insulated as well.

[anOCgirl]

my heat isn't even on. however, the building our condo is in likes to keep the heat on high in the common areas like the lobby and hallways. so it's normal for me to leave the freezing condo and walk out into a sauna. perhaps i should send the building management your post.

[anita]

Thanks for the link ...;)
We set our thermostat at 60 day and night... and put extra quilts on the beds! I do need to stock up on sweaters, now, but if turning down the thermostat means an excuse to buy some cute sweaters? Hey, I'm there!

[bohemiangirl]

The great thing about living on a budget is that it forces you to wear long johns and a couple sweaters as opposed to cranking up the heat. We never keep the heat on at night (it's a great excuse to spoon :), we just have a huge bundle of blankets on the bed.

[Nikki]

Ahhh... I can't go lower than 65 at night or I'd NEVER get out of bed in the morning (and my boss wouldn't like that much). But I do keep the thermostat at 55 during the day, turn it to about 60 when I get home in the evening, and then only turn it up to 65 just before bedtime!

[magpie]

Because I hate hate hate paying the gas bill, the thermostat is at 55 at night and in the middle of the day (when no one is home) and it's at 64 for the morning and evening rush.

55 at night, with a down comforter and a co-sleeping toddler, is fine. Really.