It's interesting how you begin to look at energy in a completely different light (no pun intended) when you have a finite supply for each day. I mean, in all reality, we all should be looking at it that way, but when you know that you can always pay for a little bit more if you need it (and it will be there), you don't question whether or not using the microwave is essential to making a quesadilla.
As I look through the kitchen, I find myself asking questions. Is this appliance essential to my daily happiness? How much power does it actually take to use it? Is there an alternative that doesn't use power? How hard is the alternative?
An example is the toaster. We use our toaster every day. My kids are toaster waffle fanatics. The toaster uses 1500 watts which I explained before is a pretty fat hose. But we only use the toaster for about two minutes a day, so it isn't really that much power. I guess I could put the toaster waffles in the oven (which is propane), but it would take a lot longer to do and they probably wouldn't taste the same. So the toaster stays.
Another example is the ten-cup coffee maker. We make coffee every day. The coffee maker takes about 1000 watts to use. It is on for about 8 minutes a day. But there is an easy alternative to the coffee maker that doesn't use power at all. The French press. So instead of using our coffee maker, I will put a pot of water on the propane stove to boil (it takes very little time to boil water with gas) and use the French press to make our coffee. The only real drawback is that you must pour the coffee when it is ready or it cools off quickly and then you have to decide whether or not to use the microwave and well, then you may have been better off using the coffee maker in the first place.
I don't see these decisions as limiting. Moreso, I see them as enlightening. Like when you're on a diet and you are consciously deciding what you will put in your mouth and what you will not. Instead of just flipping the switch, I am thinking about the ramifications of that decision. It's actually quite satisfying.
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