My power bill came. It was $22.75. No that is not a typo. I had a credit of $70.25 and my new budget amount is $93. It was at $110, but the just refigured it. They do this quarterly on the budget plan. My actual usage would have cost $64.96. They may adjust it downward more, but who knows at this point. I'm just happy to free up $17 a month.

My KWH usage for the Apr-May period was 967. For the same period last year it was 2668 KWH.

The changes I have made are to avoid the dryer as much as I can. I have a five load bearing clothesline, 2 drying racks and 2 shower rods that I can hang clothes on from hangers to dry that way.

I have unplugged everything that does not need to be plugged in unless the outlet is too awkward to get to or it is like the TV or VCR/DVD player where you have to reset it each time you unplug it.

I am vigilant about turning the fans off when we are not needing them.

I make sure my son turns his CD player off every morning and unplugs it. He sleeps with it playing music all night. I'm trying to convince him that he should just let it play through once but he still thinks it needs to be repeating the CD all night long.

I am vigilant about lights not being left on when someone is out of that room.

We are turning our computers off at night.

I am using the microwave more often. When I do use the oven I try to bake more than one thing at a time and in large quantities so they can be divided up and frozen and then later thawed and cooked in the microwave. I am unplugging the microwave when not in use. Resetting it is easy.

So one big thing and lots of little things. It really does add up.

A little flyer that came in my bill is offering a handmade copper and brass coffee scoop and two bags of organic, shade grown, fair trade coffee from Grounds for Change (local to the PNW, uses 100% of its energy from the green power program) if you sign up for Puget Sound Energy's Green Power Program. This program charges at the minimum a $4 a month surcharge on your power bill that goes to support the development of renewable energy resources in the PNW. You can also contribute more to this program in increments of $2. So $4, $6, $8 and so on.

I am going to think about it for awhile. It's good until October 15. If I am saving $17 on my power bill now by reducing use, $4 might be worthwhile to me. That would only be a savings of $13 then, but I do strongly believe in the development of non-oil based or polluting energy sources. I think it is a necessity and when we can afford it we will get a hybrid car.

The thing I must ask myself is, if I put that $4 in the bank to go towards the car (which is what my long term savings account is for, if I hadn't mentioned it) will it make a bigger difference in the long run of getting the car earlier and polluting less that way? Or will supporting the development of resources now make a bigger difference. Like I said, I will have to think on it.