This Old Hippie.com

Hey everyone, just thought I would shoot a quick video of me sitting on my couch LOL! Only kidding… I thought I would make this video because well, quite frankly I’m just getting burned out on writing! Anyway I hope it’s OK with all of you who have been reading my blog and commenting on a lot of my posts…” You know who all of you are!” I’m deeply grateful   to have such loyal readers with great insights!

This video I shot, gives a few tips on how you can save a tremendous amount of energy in your home. Which if actually followed can end up saving you a lot of money on your future energy bills. Please pardon the weird start…I’m doing this video solo, and I don’t have a remote to start and stop the camera

Oh I forgot to mention this in the video…But better later then never… As you may or may not know, I create little tie dye bags for all us hippie’s out there! Check them out if you like, they really do make some great little overnight bags, or even little trips back and forth to the store… They are really just big enough to pick up some of your smaller items. My bags can be found at My Tie Dye Bags or just check out my Etsy site at thisoldhippie.etsy.com Have an awesome day!!

Hey everyone, as many of you probably already know by now regular dryers are very bad for the environment. Now I believe hanging your clothes out to dry to be truly the only way to go, although it may require a bit more energy “like walking out to the clothes line WOW!” sorry couldn’t help it LOL!

Anyway, at least if you must use a condenser dryer…make sure you always keep that lint trap clean. When it’s all clogged up your dryer has to work all that much harder to dry your clothes. Thus the reason why sometimes you have to run the dryer twice for a job that really probably could of been done on the first cycle. ” Plus it adds more life to the dryer itself”

How do you choose the right condenser dryer for you?

First off you want to find a model that has a program that automatically shuts off the second it detects that your clothes are dry. How they work is there’s a little sensor in them that triggers to you that your clothes are dry now,so you don’t have to finish the whole cycle. Pretty Nifty!!

I also believe they have settings that are labels Cupboard Dry, Dry to Wear, and Iron Dry. The programs are real easy to understand.

The best feature I would like the most is: Dry to Wear

I like the buttons on my Levis to be cool to the touch when making contact with my belly! LOL

Another Note before I go:

If you have an old condenser dryer that’s old and maybe have a little money to throw at a new updated model.
Technology has hit some all time highs in creating the best condenser dryers out there today…way more Energy Efficient then they were Definitely worth looking into!

Posted by Frank at ThisOldHippie.com

Installing Window Awnings

Don’t waste energy and money to cool your house when you can keep the heat out with a simple device: such as an awning. Awnings reduce the amount of sunlight that gets through the glass doors and windows. This reduction in solar heat gain keeps your home’s interior much cooler on very hot days-by as much as 8 to 15 degrees-which means your air conditioner doesn’t have to run as long and as hard.

In 2007, a study funded by the Professional Awning Manufacturers Association found that window awnings can reduce home cooling energy by as much as 26 percent in hot climates and 33 percent in cold climates.

Awning prices vary. A stationary window awning may cost a few hundred bucks while an electrically powered, retractable awning with wind and sun sensors can set you back thousands of dollars.

Wrap up: Awnings can increase a home’s value by thousands of dollars. Their performance is affected by the style, the color of the fabric, and the exposure of the windows.

Don't Toss Scrap Metal

From car batteries and clothes hangers to hubcaps and washing machines, many items in the garage and around the house are made of scrap metal. When it’s time to get rid of these items, don’t add them to the nearest landflill.

Remove as much of the nonmetal materials (rubber wheels,wooden handles, and so on) as possible; responsiby dispose of any oil and gasoline; and recycle the scrap at your local recycling center. Recycled steel, for instance, is used in the manufacturing of cars, bikes, and appliances.

Soda cans, gutters, and siding are just a few items made from recycled aluminum. Now, recycling centers may not eccept certain items because they often have hazardous components and require speacial handling.

In that case, consider taking items to a local scrap-metal dealer. Many dealers will pay you for the meatals.

Special Note:

Much less energy is required to make metal from scrap, such as old appliances and cars, than from ore- and at much less cost to the environment.

Conserving Energy

Hey guys, if you’ve got a small job in the garage, or in the garden or maybe even in the house, why not use a hand tool that doesn’t require electricity or gasoline. All that is required is a little muscle power.

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