Brummet's Conscious Blog

Today's increasing energy costs, shrinking budgets and stagnant wages are a growing concern. For those of us living in the more extreme climates that require extra heating in the winter months or relief from the blazing summer heat, there are tricks we can do to increase our comfort while lowering the bills.  Walk around your home and take a mental note of all the electrical outlets and light switches, computer and TV outlets and any vents or pipes along each exterior wall. You’ll likely find some on the outside of your house too, so be sure to walk around out there and along the deck, taking notes of where they are, and how many of each. Purchase caulking or foam and fill around any piping, cords and vents you noticed that breach the exterior walls.  Look for cracks and gaps or holes anywhere on the exterior and be sure to fill them too. Get a few packages of insulation kits and plugs designed for outlets and light switches. It is easy to do, just take the cover off with a fl...

  Shrink Your Carbon Footprint By Upgrading Your Furnace *Author: Olivia Mac You never go anywhere without your reusable shopping bag. You bike, walk, or use public transportation instead of a car every time you get the chance. You pack your lunch in the same eco-friendly container every day rather than using paper bags. But are you neglecting some simple ways closer to home to live a greener and more sustainable lifestyle? How about the way you heat your house? A new furnace can provide not just a cozier, more inviting living space for you and your family, but will also help you to help the earth. Did you know that inefficient home energy use is one of the biggest drains on environmental resources that most people engage in? And it's happening through the duration of every single hour that many folks spend at home. Ignorance of this problem is so widespread, and it's really a shame, because, in addition to bei...

-- Quote of the Day --  “Be aware that we are interconnected: what I do to you, you do to somebody else and it will eventually reverberate back to me. …For some people (change) is just a little blip and for others it is a smack in the head. …When you are in high school everyone is going through adolescence together. With midlife we are feeling alone, and we are dealing with hormonal changes too. For women, you might go through it at 35 or I might go through it at 60. Women often go through a shake up phase in their thirties, and then menopause later on. For men 40-50 is their time. – we get this wake up call at several points in our lives where we ask the big why questions; why am I hear, etc. …Sometimes you want to change but you are afraid of change; the best way to get over fear is to get into action. You face your fear and it just blows away. Question your fear; a lot of times we take on other people’s fears.” Franki Picasso ...

 -- Quote of the Day --  “…My activism, politics and writing kind of merged. I worked for newspapers for a number of years and was always interested in the human-interest stories – the good things they’ve done. I became a freelancer for a while, worked for a few magazines. …These stories need to be captured and kept and archived so that they can be there for the next generation – they can kind of stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before them and continue the work for peace and justice. …The nice thing about a book – it is a permanent document to share people’s stories. One of our goals is to get people to share their stories because that can break down barriers and create a better community.” ~ Burt Berlowe Today’s quote originates from the Conscious Discussions Talk Radio episode titled: Compassionate Heroes   (*Click on the title to access the full discussion)   - 10 Tips to Save On Your Heating Bill This Winte...

-- Quote of the Day -- " I've learned that we cannot forget or throw away our past, But we must not allow our past to control us either. We must learn and grow from our past failures, disappointments, pains and experiences. Reset our goals and priorities... and move forward.  Start TODAY, by Un-Ty-ing the knots that LIMIT you! "  ~ Ty Howard -- Tips to Green Your Home or Office --  You can save a lot of money and feel good about greening your home or office this Spring with some easy activities that require very little time or effort.  Air leaks in the home can reach 25-40% of the heat and cooling costs, and a home that is drafty or has moisture problems and high electric or gas bills will be harder to sell. Easy ways to keep the heat or cool air in the house include closing blinds and windows and doors until the sun hits the windows in the winter, then open them to allow the solar heat and light to enter the home. Do th...

 -- Quote of the Day -- " How come the dove gets to be the peace symbol? How about the pillow? It has more feathers than the dove, And it doesn't have that dangerous beak! " ~ Jack Handey ( Deep Thoughts ) -- Green Upgrades Pay Off -- Kudos to Trail’s Aquatic and Leisure center (BC, Canada) who’s upgrades - including the heat pump for the pool, the lighting, and also in the ventilation and air conditioning system - is expected to provide $52,000 in energy savings per year. ...enough to pay for the upgrades.   Find Dave and Lillian Brummet, excerpts from their books, information about their radio program, newsletter, blog, and more at: www.brummet.ca * Support the Brummets by telling your friends, or visiting the Brummet's Store - every sale raises funds for charity as well!