I think I missed this last November on Energy Steps to Take for a Less Pricey Winter, but we were doing all these things anyway.
The tax credits for insulation and the like.  Still dreaming about the solar electric system and the geothermal pump.........
Shopping around for cheaper energy sources?  Well, out here, there's generally only one, maybe two, propane suppliers in any one area.  And there's only one choice in Electric Providers for any one location.  Competition has not reached the hinterlands.

There's a link to Michael Bluejay's guide to Saving Electricity.  He's really got some good information going on here.
(Beige Recyclables note:  just let it slide that he also wants us to become vegetarians and drive less - he means well).

Using a Space Heater can be tricky.  Every year, somebody's house burns down because the space heater started a fire.  A space heater will allow you to turn down the thermostat on your household system so you save energy, with a few disclaimers:
Putting a space heater near the thermostat and also turning the thermostat down will make the temperature in the other rooms a LOT Lower than you might have intended.
Lowering the thermostat so far that heat doesn't get to rooms or spaces with plumbing may lead to pipes freezing.  That can be counter-productive to your budget.  The reliable Beige Recyclable Technology, Heat Tape, comes into play here too.  Don't forget to plug your heat tape in every fall after you check for damage and wear.  Remember that pets and wildlife sometimes like to chew on the wiring if they can get to it.  Once again, living in an old house, mobile home, or other alternative shelter does have it's special charms.

And that brings me to the Miraculous Amish Fireplace scam.  but, that's enough for today.......

Down Duvet vs. Traditional Quilt : define Too Hot for me

So, yesterday, a New Yorker wrote about the demise of the comforter or Duvet.  To be Fashionable, we should all be redecorating with more Tailored bed coverings.
One of the reasons given that the Down comforter or Duvet is TOO warm.  Comparable to a wood-burning oven, a sweat factory, a ski parka, gateway to overheating, and simply "hot".  Well, looking around where I am right this moment, a wood-fired stove and a parka would seem to be good choices.  I admit, it doesn't get this cold nationwide very often, and not even here every year.  But, over the course of a lifetime, there seem to always be colder cold nights and hotter hot days. 

Whilst first reading the article, I began to assume that the writer must have never been through a truely cold winter.  But, checking the author's information line, it says New York.  So, that's not a good excuse.  The Weather report one day last week pointed out that there was "some" snow in 49 of the 50 states.  Even Hawaii had snow on a mountaintop.  Only Florida had no measurable snow.  (Let's see if that Weather link stays linked to the 1/13/11 snow map or if it updates?)  If these reports are correct, almost anywhere you are in the US is colder than usual today.  Very few buildings are designed to actually keep comfortable temperatures throughout the entire building during record breaking temperatures.  Columbia University which happens to be in New York posts Space Temperature Guidelines for their buildings.  It mentions people being appropriately dressed for the season; I swear I saw a student slogging through the snow in Converse, kakhi cargo shorts, and a tshirt this morning!  No socks, no coat, no hat!

All of this invariably brings up the subject of Global Warming and one of the best actions to help combat GW should be adjusting the thermostat.  Which leads to a cooler bedroom this time of year, right?  And so, a Comforter would be welcome, would it not?

So, one of my many conclusions is:  The Anti-Comforter movement is therefore Not Green.  If they were Green, they would have a cold bedroom and they would need a warm Comforter.