If you can't stargaze, moongaze! 

Happy Halloween, everyone!  So far I've covered saving energy indoors, outdoors, and in your car. But now I want to talk about a serious part of energy conservation that affects all of us: making it fun! Being energy conscious isn't all about counting watts and pennies, and frankly, if it's not enjoyable, it's hard to get into. Here are some tips for saving energy that will hopefully de-stress you and bring a smile to your face.

• Embrace the night: Penny Nickel at Money and Values says to do stuff at night. Stargaze, barbecue, go for walks, gather round the fire pit. It's a nice way to end a stressful, chock-full-of-tech day.
• Garden: Gardening, even just keeping herbs, is a lot easier than it seems. Having fresh herbs and veggies in the back yard saves you from having to run to the store. Look into container gardening if you just want to get your toes wet.
• Get crafty: Use stuff you already have around the house for crafts. Kids can make dioramas out of shoeboxes, shrink plastic out of to-go containers, and musical instruments out of plastic jars. In fact, your kids can probably come up with a fun use for just about anything. Let their imaginations run wild.
• Inside-out: Warm up your family (or cool them off) from the inside out. Soups and stews are a great way to deal with a chilly day, while cold fruit, light meals, and iced drinks keep summer swelter at bay.
• Warm hobbies: Knitting, quilting, crocheting - not only are these great to do in the winter, when the fabric rests on your legs and keeps them warm, but you can make warm stuff for your family members, too (although if you're like me, you'll end up making quilts for everyone in the family except for yourself!).
• Warm the nose: Christina at Northern Cheapskate suggests baking in the winter. It will warm the house and smell good.
• Buy local produce: Search around to find your local Community-Supported Agriculture co-op or a farmer's market. They have the best produce - nothing beats those tomatoes - and you'll be supporting local businesses as well as reducing energy spent trucking in goods from elsewhere.

Posted by Dee | tagged: Energy