Progress?

Well, I still feel like I'm talking to a brick wall when dealing with my parents, but tonight that wall might have started to give a little. I did a little research and a lot of calculating tonight and found that by simply switching from 100 watt incandescent light bulbs to 40 watt flourescent light bulbs (which are twice as bright and last 13 times as long), we can save AT LEAST $385 dollars a year in electricity. My father is highly skeptical, my mother only slightly more enthusiastic, but I did get them to agree to at least buy ONE flourescent light bulb and see how it compares to the incandescent bulbs. If it compares favorably in terms of how much light it provides, how well it fits our lamps, and how long the bulb lasts without needing to be replaced, then they'll consider switching over fully. :)

Oh, and actually: even that one bulb being switched over should save us about $32 a year... which might seem small, but every little bit counts, right? :)

Oh Arhuaine.... :)

Warning, the following definition may make certain members of my elven family shiver. :)

Appropriate Technology: simple technologies that are, even by the porest people in third world countries, found to be useful. A bicycle would be one example, as it is simple and carries a person short distances easily without expending any irreplaceable resources.

*whistles innocently and goes back to his reading...*