Aug 05 2006
It Takes Energy
Energy: either you have it, or you don't. You pay for it in many different forms, and you expend it in many others.
A few of the energies I have been using lately…
We made a big green change this month, but first a little background and some local politics: Our local electric and gas supplier will be hiking up the service price 72% over the next few months. Kris and I have been concerned about the energy crisis and how our local utility is responding to it, so we called them and asked "What are your green energy options?" and the operator paused and said she did not know what that meant. We took that as a sign, and immediately started researching our own options. There was recently a deregulation on energy services in the state of Maryland, and because of this, we chose to go with another supplier – Washington Gas Energy Services.
We made the choice to go with 100% wind energy for all of our electric utility.
With 100% wind power, it is slightly more than we were paying before – however, a customer can get a discount from wind energy if you choose 20% wind power, or even 60% wind power. I am very happy to see that we do have a local supplier who is making sustainable resources available to customers.
More and more companies are offering green alternatives for energy supply. This easy step can conserve vast amounts of resources, and is very reliable. Please consider changing your energy supply, it is as easy as calling your utility company!
Our pond has been of great interest lately because it is teeming with life, both floral and faunal, and also because we installed a solar-powered circulation pump. The pond is several yards away from the nearest outlet, and instead of "running a line" to hook up an electric pump, I suggested that we search for a solar pump – this part of our yard gets a full day of sun, and the choice would obviously be better for the environment, and for our electric bills: Harnessing the energy of the sun!
We mounted the panel just outside the pond on the fence, and it is working like a charm! I am sure that the sunny hot days are helping it along even more. The water has cleared up, and the fish and the plants seem much healthier and happier!
These fish, called Endlers, are endangered in their natural habitat (Amazonian Venezuela) and are bred by many aquahobbyists (like Kris) in order to ensure the species' survival. Our pond is full of them – and a number of them are pregnant! They are quite friendly and they love to play on my hands.
And of course, there is creative energy – you probably have a good dose of it if you are here reading this blog! The ideas never stop! Unfortunately, there are not enough hours in the day to expend all of that creative energy! I have a number of projects going right now, and I am trying to give them equal face time. The Durrow pullover was the most recent recipient of my creative energies…
Almost to the armholes – Men's sweaters take forever!
And the creativity does not stop there… I have a big bag of August-appropriate craft supplies waiting for my attention. I am hoping to do some jewelry-making, some embroidery, and of course, more knitting.
I am thankful for the creative energies of others too…
…like my Flip Flop Swap pal, KnittingNurse Jannett! She sent me a great package with some fabulous summertime goodies! see my new shoes!! and she was so kind and understanding about my yarn diet! Thank you!
This pomegranate necklace was a gift from Maggi! Thank you so much! (of course, you know I love it! It has a pomegranate on it!)
…and thanks to Amanda for sending this adorable crocheted wristlet and a great antique postcard!
Thank you all for sharing your energy with me!
Thanks for the ‘green’ inspiration. I will be calling the utilities this week and seeing what we can do. As Casey and I consider building/buting a new house ‘green’ is a HUGE aspect on the financially and socially responsibility fronts. If we all did just a little… Hey if everyone swept their own doorstep – the whole world would be clean. Thanks again and have a great week!
Wow! Look at you in your new photo!! Congrats on your successes!!
Very impressive Lolly! Everything sounds great. And you look great too!
Love your bracelet, and I’m so happy to hear about all your efforts, creative and otherwise, to make this world a better place! I can’t say enough how much I enjoy reading your blog
My energies have been running dry lately. Working 12 hour days will do that to you I think. Thankfully it’s only 1 more month! But I wanted to say how great you look in your photo! And what a wonderful treat it is to read about all your gree efforts. Thanks.
Just had to say you’re looking great, no, wait, HOT!
xx
Great post, Lolly!
We changed to New Jersey Clean Energy a while back as well! Anyone interested who lived in NJ, go here: http://www.njcleanenergy.com/
Yay for 100% wind energy! We find that ours costs about 10% more than “regular” electricity, but that is a price we are willing to pay. On a recent trip home from Colorado, we passed a “wind farm” and got to explain to my stepdaughter that those things made the lights work at our house – very cool!
Congrats on your switch to wind power! My electric bill has been ridiculous this summer and it’s painful to think about how much coal Indiana is burning this summer. I wish they would catch up with other states as far as environmental concerns (and other concerns) go. I love the solar powered pond pump too! Very fabulous!
You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for sharing this information with others!
I love your new pic… you look fabulous!
Oh how I wish we had that energy option here. We have explored it and we have nothing other than our current electric company who will service where we are in the outskirts of Phoenix. We are lucky enough to have only our air conditioning and outlets controlled by electricity and the rest are controlled thru our hot water heater. I would much rather pay a gas bill than an electric bill. I swaear we are going to run out of resources here soon. 5+million people do not belong in this barren desert!
BTW, in those pictures you look radiant. Have you lost even more weight? It REALLY shows in your face Lolly. You look gorgeous! Have a wonderful week!
Our local energy supplier went up a LOT this year too. I don’t know if we have any other options here in CT but I will surely look into it. That solar pump you put in is great!
You look awesome in your latest picture! Very pretty.
What great goodies from your flip flop pal! Great ideas for green energy as well.
Wow–I just took a look at your weigh down page and you look amazing! Now that I’ve been given the go ahead to start a post baby weigh down myself, I’ll be joining your efforts! I’m feeling good about it–especially since our new place has a pool!
Long time lurker here….
Just wanted to say – Wow! You look great! You’re the incredible shrinking woman. Props to you!
Also – love the photo of the fish.
Nice going on the solar pump and switching to wind power! You’re my hero
great idea! we’ve been slowly changing our ways over here and have changed all the lightbulbs to fluorescent.
I love the fish! Your pond is going to be so fun.
Wonderful post!! We do a lot of recycling of water out at our farm (the one I never get to) and have wondered about a combination of wind and water power. Here in town it is all about how to recycle as much restaurant waste as possible. Oregon is great about recycling glass and plastic bottles. There is a new program here to recycle all the food and paper waste–cutting our garbage by 2/3. That is huge for a restaurant (or 2). We were part of the pilot program and are thrilled to see that it has become permanent (here at least).
woo-hoo! Thanks for the info. lolly-girl! I just went and signed up too – $25/month for 100% wind power isn’t much to pay for what the Earth gets in return!
All I noticed out of ALL of those pictures if how skinny your face is in that picture! GO YOUUUUUUUUU!
Thanks for posting the latest pics of you with your adorable haircut. You look as cute as ever. I do love the green ideas. It is fabulous you are able to use them…
Love You!
Wind power is so great! You are reminding me that I need to check into more options here in Seattle. Washington state will have an initiative on the ballot this fall which, if passed, “would require utilities to get 15 percent of their power from renewable resources such as wind and solar.” It’s a small percentage, but it would certainly be a start.
Wow – that is so cool that we can request wind energy. When I lived in costa rica, they had huge wind farms and the whole country is sustained with electricity generated from the wind and water. I pay my electricity through my condo fee but I am going to call my association and see if we can switch over…
Thanks for letting us know about this!
Wow you look fabulous Lolly!
Lolly, thank you so much for the “green” post… it’s a reminder that I need to be more mindful of what I use for energy.
And I love the tiny fish!
Thanks for the tip on WGES– we’re going to check it out this week and hopefully will switch over!
and yeah, you look fabulous!
Looks as though you have been a very productive knitter this week, and the exercise regimen seems to be working because you look so great in that photo. You are starting to look more like your sister now.
Great to talk to you today, even for just a few minutes. Your actions with the solar and wind power are really commendable, I think it’s awesome. Our landlords are very envirnonmentally conscious, I wonder if they would consider switching…
I can come help some more with that sweater if you like
That is very impressive! I’m glad to see that there are green options when I come home eventually. Your neutrals are beautiful, too! I have been so distracted lately I nearly forgot! Must cast on for my neutral project soon, too.
Wow, I wonder if my energy supplier ofers wind energy. That is definitely worth looking into. Congrats on going green!!
How dense must I be not to have thought of calling NStar and asking them if they have any green options?
Um, the answer is VERY.
I love that you can get wind power in MD, and if it was an option in MA, Mike and I would be all over it…
Oh, and the little solar panel out on your patio? I love it. Love, love, love it!
Hurrah to Lolly for bringing ecological issues to our attention!
Glad to hear you are doing your part, not only by using renewable energy sources, but also by spreading the word on your blog.
what a way to leave no traces…treading lightly on the planet…I’m definately going to look into the choosing my energy supplier!
This was the best post — I had no idea about how the deregulation can be a good thing!
little teeny fishies! very sweet and a hopefully! a renewable species
I do the wind power option, too!
I’ve always wanted to try solar power. Now that I have my own house I am going to look into it. Love the solar powered pump! what a great idea!
WOW! Congrats on making the energy switch! You know how I admire you for your green efforts! Way to go!
You look great Lolly!
I love that wristlet. It looks so perfect for summer!
Yes, congratulations on your new photo — you look wonderful!
I really appreciate all of your ideas on creativity and energy, and am looking forward to what you will do next. I was away last week when you posted the call for information on Project Spectrum. I’d definitely like to participate if you do it again…I came in late to the blogging world.
Wow, that’s a really great – and courageous, I’d say – thing to do! I hope it works as well for you as for the environment!
Your endlers are darling! Does Chris give/sell them to others in the area? My parents have a pond and my husband has a tank (as does Aslan the cat, but he only keeps goldfish in his until he can handle more sophisticated pets) and I’d love to help encourage endangered fish!
I loved the solar powered pump! Where on earth did you find it?
I didn’t know they exsisted and have been putting off a pond because I also didn’t want to mess with the electricity.
And you are really looking great!
The picture of you holding up the sweater…you look like the Meemer. I love your pictures! XXOO
Lolly, you look SO good! Keep up all of the good work you are doing – for you, your health and our earth!
Snaps to you and Kris for your environmental friendliness. I am really going to look into the alternative energy sources. In Chicago there tends to be somewhat of a monopoly on all utilities, hence the really high prices, but I guess I’ll find out other options!
just another comment saying
(a) you’re looking great!
(b) thanks for posting about energy
I was on the bus the other day and these two women next to me were complaining about the heat. one turned to the other and said: “we’re just going to have to realise that climate change isn’t just happening but has happened, it’s hotter, and we’ll have to get air conditioning installed in all the public places”
Arrrg! It was all going so well till the last bit. I probably should have said something to her, I’m sure its not her fault that she didn’t realise how polluting things like air con can be.
Love that you have access to green energy. I wish we did. I wish we could afford to install solar panels to supplement our heat in the winter and figure out how to maximize their abilites while keeping them clear of all the snow and ice.
Love the cute flip flops and the bag.
Awesome, Lolly! We switched to Green Mountain Energy a few years ago. Hopefully, we can try some solar panels some time, too, since we have SO much of it around here – OH SO HOT no CLOUDS whyaaaah! I don’t mind paying a bit more than the cheapest rates for 100% wind electricity.
Good for you! That is awesome! Eventually dh and I will be turning our house into a solar home … bit by bit we will be adding solar panels until eventually our home is entirely powered by the sun. Their aren’t many wind powered units around here, but if there were I’m sure we’d sign up for them. Green is good!
And LOOK AT YOU! You look amazing!!
[...] made several choices that impact our everyday lives: We converted our home’s energy source to 100% wind energy, and we changed all of our incandescent lightbulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. Kris and I [...]