New Morning Routine

After an unusually-long spring, summer weather (87 degrees today!) has come to Houston. That means more hours when the air conditioner is chugging away. I've devised a new morning routine to try to save energy. Just before walking out the door, I ...

1) Pull the drapes. Last summer I bought some drapes with a reflective surface that faces outside. It's amazing how quickly just closing them can bring down the temperature in the house.

2) Turn off all the lights (I've always done that).

3) Turn the thermostat up. In the spring I turn it to 77, but once summer hits I'll turn it to 80 during the day. My a/c is pretty lame, so when I get home it's usually 83 or so in the house.

4) Unplug everything. This is the new part of the routine. I unplug the computer, microwave, phone charger, etc. But not the TiVo. Never the TiVo.

5) Give Wily his treats and sneak out the door while he is eating them.

I'm not sure how this routine will affect the energy bills. I'll let you know.

Just a note: Baby Stellan, over at My Charming Kids had surgery today in an attempt to correct his rapid heartbeat. Stellan's getting massive support from all around the world. Here's hoping that all those good thoughts and prayers are shared not only with Stellan, but with all of the sick kids out there tonight.

Just a note 2: Yes, tomorrow is Earth Day, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Of course I'm happy that we take a moment to recognize the amazing planet upon which we depend, but I know that we need more than a day's worth of commitment.

Just a note 3: Our president, who continues to work his virtual community (seriously, Barack - stop emailing me! Michelle is going to get jealous!) is offering a limited edition, organic cotton T-shirt for those who donate $25 or more to support his energy plan. Unfortunately, it is not cute. But everybody needs T-shirts to work out in, right?