Country Lore: Energy Conservation Tips

Image Gallery BRIAN ORR

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Energy Conservation Tips

This is my favorite area of discussion. I live in Arizona, where electric bills in summer usually run between $150 and $300 per month. These are the steps I have taken to reduce my energy consumption:

I changed all high-use lights to compact fluorescent bulbs. This required 14 bulbs altogether, at an average cost of $8 per bulb. (Youcan get these super-long-life, high-efficiency bulbs for $4 to $5 each at www.betterbulbsdirect.com .—MOTHER)

I switched to hand-washing my dishes rather than using the dishwasher, except for once a week. This also saves on my water bills.

I turn up my thermostat to 83 to 85 degrees during the hottest part of the day and spend most of that time in our basement family room or somewhere like the library, museum, etc.

I hang my clothes out to dry, completely eliminating the clothes dryer. For clothes that cannot be hung outside, I hang them on a rod in the laundry room.

Lastly, I made window blankets for my east and south windows from fabric and a heat-reflective material. These help keep the room much cooler. Here is my Web site for those who are interested in the blankets: www.geocities.com/sol_mate2002 . These blankets can also be used in the winter. Simply face the reflective material into the house, rather than toward the window.

LORRAINE BERGER
Mesa, Arizona

Drainfield Danger

W ell it was finally time. Year after year, when the snow turned to slush and the ground became good and saturated, the plumbing would slow down and then stop. We'd dealt with it before—pumping, plunging, rodding, cleaning, even enzymes—but there could be no other explanation now. The septic field was clogged.

I'd noticed the approximate location of the drainage field before, where the grass was greener. So on a pleasant summer's day, I took a shovel and dug. Finally, I hit pay dirt . . . or rather, drain tile. It was a shallow field—3 to 4 feet—probably dug about 1946. The tiles were jammed tightly together, with no openings, overlapping coverings or gravel. And sure enough, they were absolutely full of dirt and bone dry. So I moved upstream (toward the house) and tried again. And again. And again.

Finally, I found a moist one, full of a rich, black paste, reminiscent of uncooked brownie batter. Thinking there might be something plugging the route, I got down on my stomach, reached way down with my hand and pushed a twig into the hole. I poked and prodded, twisted and flicked, until it started moving.

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