Friday, February 27, 2009

Going Green

I have tried, whenever possible to make more energy efficient choices. It is difficult to do in a house that in a previous life was a sieve, but we try. I recently replaced our electric fence charger with a solar one. We recycle, compost, and use all food for either dogs or chickens. Several years back, I began replacing all of our light bulbs with the more energy efficient fluorescent spirals.

A selling point for me on these bulbs was that they supposedly last years and years. Guaranteed to last five to eight years! Because it seemed I was constantly replacing a light bulb somewhere, I began to replace each blown one with these long lasting, guaranteed-to-last bulbs.

And one just burnt out. Then another. And I know it hasn't been five years. (Or has it? In my advanced years sometimes I forget things.) I got to thinking how easy it is for them to make such a claim - lasts 20 years!!! Who keeps all the receipts and packaging to prove that this light bulb is only three years old and clearly did not live up to the guarantee? I am lucky to find my car keys. Although, sometimes I do have packaging and receipts laying about, though it isn't that I am planning to get my full five years from a $4 light bulb, but rather my piles of unorganized mess. Ah well, such are the injustices of life.

Notes:
Mist today. Looks like Scotland.
Reading: Outliers
Watching: The Other Boleyn Girl

Cauna, our Americauna chicken who lays blue-green egg, produced one this week. (She is very old for a chicken laying.) Otherwise, we get two bantam and two brown eggs a day.

The horses are shedding - a sign that the days are getting longer. Horses shed (or alternately, grow coats) based on the hours of sunlight in a day. Spring is coming!

MUD.

8 comments:

Kristen Painter said...

A blue-green egg sounds really cool.

Junosmom said...

Kristen, the Americaunas and Aracaunas both lay blue-green eggs, earning them the monniker "Easter egg chicken".

Kristina said...

I just have to say that the boys are going to be extremely disappointed that the horses aren't wearing 'pajamas' anymore. ;)

Unknown said...

When Aunt Loraine passed away, we found receipts among their things from 20, even 30 years ago, even little things like $2 at the hardware store for nails. I guess he would have gotten his $4 back on those bulbs. But, then that is a bit eccentric....

Junosmom said...

Kristina, yes but we will not be disappointed to have to put them on and take them off with the weather changes. You should come over and meet the horses.

Robin, yes, I remember running across things like that when cleaning there. They were both meticulous/organized and packrats - I remember some address labels she had saved that had her name incorrectly spelled. God love them though, they lived without wasting anything I think.

Jenn Jilks said...

it's not easy being green!

At least you're trying!

Our cats are shedding like mad. I find tufts all about the house. I cut a lovely marble-sized chunk out, too. The joys of pets!

pita-woman said...

We've slowly been converting to the more efficient bulbs as well. My biggest complaint is when a lamp gets knocked over & the bulb broken before it's had a chance to burn out naturally.
As for knowing when you replaced it, I've been known to take a fine-point Sharpie and write on the base of the bulb the date I replaced it, then when it burns out, you'll know just how long it lasts.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad to hear of some positive proof that spring is coming!!

The regular energy-saving bulbs are lasting for us, but we bought some of those round ones for the bathroom. We had saved the boxes, but not the receipts. Our box reads that they are supposed to last with only 4 hours of use a day? The round ones have been burning out on us.

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