conserving energy
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In Ireland I saw several buildings with thatched roofs and they made me smile. I always thought it would be fun to spend the night in a cottage with a thatched roof until someone in Ireland said the reason there are 4 poster beds with canopies in thatched cottages was to keep the mice, insects,…
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It’s interesting what you can learn from the past. Last year when I was in Austria I saw a very interesting way to heat a room. We were staying in Mariastern Abbey in Hohenweiler, which is in western Austria, near Bregenz (on Lake Constance). The abbey was built around the 16th or 17th century and was once a castle.…
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When buying gifts this holiday season, think “smart strip,” “twist,” and LED. All of these gifts will conserve energy and save you money. 1) Consider giving a smart strip. Smart strips help reduce standby power consumption – often called vampire or phantom power. Vampire power accounts for 5-10% of your total household electric consumption, but using…
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Driving through small villages in Austria and Germany I noticed that the farm houses are often attached to the barn where the cows, pigs, sheep and assorted other animals live. I grew up on a ranch, but our barn and the fragrances associated with it were a good distance from the house. I am not…