I may get a nasty response or two to this one, but it makes sense to me.
If everyone were responsible for all of their own utilities, would the energy crisis be anywhere near as bad as it is?
I lived in an all-inclusive apartment just over a year ago. Although I thought I was being energy conscious (flipping off lights as I left rooms, only washing dishes when there were enough to necessitate a full sink of water, 5-minute showers, etc.) there were a few things that I just never gave a lot of thought to. And honestly, in winter, the thermostat slowly crawled up and up, rather than everyone donning sweaters.
Now that my living situation has drastically improved, I am painfully aware of what sucks what in terms of electricity and natural gas consumption.
All of my light bulbs are fluorescent. All of my family's laundry is done in cold water. A programmable thermostat has been installed; sweaters are available in every closet, upstairs and down, along with a basket of socks in the living room. My husband's first yard job this spring will be to install a clothes line in the back yard.
Sometimes, I can be a little extreme..walking past the DVD player in the middle of the day and seeing that little red light indicating it's on standby really shouldn't make me break into a cold sweat - but it does. (Good god, how many kW hours does that little light cost us in a day, a week, a month, a year?!?)
Our energy bill has certainly gone down from what it was when we first moved into our house. Not only do I wish to extend the life of our planet, but I'm cheap, to boot.
I know people who live in all-inclusive places, and if any of them read this, I should probably watch my back. Of those people, the majority of them don't give a second thought to how hot their home is, how much water washes away down the sink as they brush their teeth, or how long they stand under a hot, relaxing shower. They wash the dishes with no plug and the water running. They sleep with the heat on and the windows open. What?! Did I type that right? Yes...they sleep with the heat ON, and the windows OPEN.
If the people with these habits were made responsible for their own utility costs, I have no doubt we'd see a change in the amount of energy this city, this province, and even this country uses. Some people don't care about the environment or don't understand the grave danger our Earth is in, but EVERYONE cares how much money is flying out of their pocket in any given month.
And if this sounds too extreme, how about a second option? All-inclusive...to a point. Once an apartment dweller's bill hits a certain point, the rest is their responsibility. I could live with that.
If everyone were responsible for all of their own utilities, would the energy crisis be anywhere near as bad as it is?
I lived in an all-inclusive apartment just over a year ago. Although I thought I was being energy conscious (flipping off lights as I left rooms, only washing dishes when there were enough to necessitate a full sink of water, 5-minute showers, etc.) there were a few things that I just never gave a lot of thought to. And honestly, in winter, the thermostat slowly crawled up and up, rather than everyone donning sweaters.
Now that my living situation has drastically improved, I am painfully aware of what sucks what in terms of electricity and natural gas consumption.
All of my light bulbs are fluorescent. All of my family's laundry is done in cold water. A programmable thermostat has been installed; sweaters are available in every closet, upstairs and down, along with a basket of socks in the living room. My husband's first yard job this spring will be to install a clothes line in the back yard.
Sometimes, I can be a little extreme..walking past the DVD player in the middle of the day and seeing that little red light indicating it's on standby really shouldn't make me break into a cold sweat - but it does. (Good god, how many kW hours does that little light cost us in a day, a week, a month, a year?!?)
Our energy bill has certainly gone down from what it was when we first moved into our house. Not only do I wish to extend the life of our planet, but I'm cheap, to boot.
I know people who live in all-inclusive places, and if any of them read this, I should probably watch my back. Of those people, the majority of them don't give a second thought to how hot their home is, how much water washes away down the sink as they brush their teeth, or how long they stand under a hot, relaxing shower. They wash the dishes with no plug and the water running. They sleep with the heat on and the windows open. What?! Did I type that right? Yes...they sleep with the heat ON, and the windows OPEN.
If the people with these habits were made responsible for their own utility costs, I have no doubt we'd see a change in the amount of energy this city, this province, and even this country uses. Some people don't care about the environment or don't understand the grave danger our Earth is in, but EVERYONE cares how much money is flying out of their pocket in any given month.
And if this sounds too extreme, how about a second option? All-inclusive...to a point. Once an apartment dweller's bill hits a certain point, the rest is their responsibility. I could live with that.
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