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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
Now to connect this back to the OP, highthief expounds more on what I stated about saving money and someone else squandering it. I walk to work and live in a right sized home for 2 people. And there are people like you who have to drive to work, grocery, drop off the kids to school, soccer, scouts... negating all that "saving" and sacrificing I've done.
I'm about to go out for breakfast for some bacon, eggs, and toast. I'm walking there and back, on the way home I can stop by the grocery store or CVS and pick up some items if needed. I could easily choose to drive to IHOP because I love pancakes and hashbrowns. I only do that when I've decided to take the car out for the day.
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Ah yes, "I live in a big city so I don't have as large of a footprint." I can't buy this argument. Your food must travel a greater distance than mine. You can't grow any of your own food. All of the products you use must be brought into this large city. No one ever talks about those numbers and I can't measure the effect.
BTW, I drive because I'm a construction worker. We build the offices people can walk to. It's just how it goes. I'm not negating your savings in any way shape or form. With the Stapleton and Lowry redevelopments (somewhat dense mixed use) I dare say people like me have enabled others to have a smaller footprint. Now they don't have to drive 5 miles for one store, 8 in the other direction for another. They can walk or take decent public transportation, something sorely lacking in the West, to work.
I think it's great you are so thoughtful about energy. Like you, I'm more concerned with my monthly nut than some vague cause. I do like the overall cause but my money matters most to me. You did the "cool all day/cool off at end of day" for yourself instead of taking someone else's word for it. To help educate myself and my family we did a similar thing, we were lazy for one month and I tried to be militant about turning everything off the next month. Spent some $20 on power strips everyone could plug their phantom loads into and saved over $60 in usage. We still use those power strips regularly, the kids realize that less money spent on electricity means more money on desserts and other luxury foodstuffs.
re: the OP: Why disapprove of this awareness? Obviously you are doing this every day but most of us aren't. If people can be shown the effect maybe it will carry over into their daily lives. This isn't just about home energy use, businesses are encouraged to participate also. I believe all of the exterior showcase lights in Denver will be extinguished as well. It's not a feel good "look, I did this" in my mind, it's advocacy that can carry over into our collective daily routine.