New stove! electric ignition

OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW

We got a new stove today. I mentioned I wanted to get a new one at work because I read that 60% of the total energy used per year in gas stoves is just having the pilot lights lit all the time. So this guy at work mentions that he happens to have a gas stove with electric ignition sitting in his garage that he wants to get rid of.

Now my problem is how to get it to my house because my little Suby won’t fit a stove in it. So I tell my uncle who has a Suburban and he says he’ll help me if he can get MY old stove because his is even worse than mine! So after much shuffling, we get the new one in and when I try to hook up the new hose to the old gas fitting, it’s too big. So I ran to the Depot and grabbed a new fitting and also my new favorite tool. A Milwaukee Sawzall! Yeehah! That thing is a beast. I needed it to cut my old furnace apart which is 400 lbs of steel. It cut like butter.

wrx = Awesome

I wanted to mention my car. While I work close to home and commute by bike, I still love to drive my Subaru WRX. These days, I have been trying to do many hyper-miling techniques to increase my MPG. However, having a turbo-charged sports car is not the most fuel efficient means of transportation. I also need to buy Premium Gas (91 octane or above) because of the turbo. When I bought it new, in 2003, that wasn’t an issue. Regular was $1.20 and Premium was $1.30. Now it’s a different story. Even though most of the time I try and save gas and coast in neutral, there are times when I treat myself and really let the turbo rip and press me back in the seat as I fly off the line, going from 0-60 in 5.4 seconds. Whooo hoooo! The first year I got my car, it came with a membership to the Sports car club of America which holds races all over the place. I entered into a few of them and won several. It was a blast.

Priority environmental actions

This is a list from “The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices”

Priority Actions for American Consumers

Transportation:

1. Choose a place to live that reduces the need to drive.

2. Think twice before purchasing another car.

3. Choose a fuel-efficient, low polluting car.

4. Set concrete goals for reducing your travel.

5. Whenever practical, walk, bicycle, or take public transportation.

Food:

6. Eat less meat.

7. Buy certified organic produce.

Household Operations:

8. Choose your home carefully. (smaller, not in newly cleared development)

9. Reduce the environmental costs of heating and hot water.

10. Install efficient lighting and appliances.

11. Choose an electricity supplier offering renewable energy.

If we choose to do even a few of these things, we will have a big impact. I was encouraged when I read this list because I do all of them!