A Case of the "Thursdays"

My Current Challenges:

1. No fans, heat, a/c. Only use natural cooling and heating.
2. Shorter showers for less water consumption.
3. No paper napkins or paper towels.
4. Hypermiling (slow acceleration, lower cruise speeds, overall trying to get better MPG).

Class Challenge:

• Limited lights. Natural lighting during the day. No unnecessary lights. 

Well well well. I have the no heat, fan, a/c thing down as far as remembering not to use it. The only problem is temperature control. Yesterday, it was extremely hot in my room, and I can't figure out why. I opened windows, but there was no moving air to help it vent. Anyways, I think I am able to stop the cool air coming in better, so now I just need to work on regulating the heat.

Took a short shower in the morning. Morning showers seem to be shorter in general because its not as relaxing. It's more of a wake up in the morning, and that causes me to get in and out relatively speedy. I'm not just standing in there anymore. I use what I need to and get out. Now, the challenge is to find ways of speeding up a shower, or saving water by turning off water while soaping.

Again, still don't know where the paper towels are. However, I did use a few tissues. I really need to find a rag or something to use instead. Something comfortable too.

Hypermiling. Wow. I forgot how hard that is. I decided to slow down on my way home from school, to half the speed limit. "It's only 2.5 miles, so how bad could it be?" was my thought. It's bad. It felt like it took 5 times as long to get home, even though I know it should only be 2 times. I was angering a few people while I was at it. I decided to let them pass, and the sped off, only to be stopped again by little kids biking in the street. Ha. I still made the same time at half the speed. It's interesting. If you go 2 times as fast, you don't get there in half the time normally. It seems like the faster you go, the more lights, pedestrians, and other obstacles there are to slow you down. I'll need to test this half speed stuff elsewhere. Hmmm.... (Highways would be dangerous. I would not want to go less than 45-50 on a highway if he speed limit is 65-70 because people rear-ending me is not something I think that would accomplish my goals).

The Environmental Fact O-Day:

Energy saved from one recycled aluminum can will operate a TV set for 3 hours, and is the equivalent to half a can of gasoline.