Speaking of conservation........what is YOUR thermostat set on?

[theophilus]

Mine is on 58. I know I could probably lower it, and might very well. I am convinced that getting cooler in winter is a good thing for us humans. It speeds the burning of fat reserves while telling us we don't need to eat as much. I think I have been healthier re colds, etc. since we have set down the thermo.

Anyway, what is yours on? There is a cold blast a'comin, so........turn DOWN the heat.


Just my opinion but it saves $$$$$$$$$ and cuts down on CO2 emissions. :D

[Not Me]

1. Mine's off altogether right now.

Live in Florida, this is our zero degree-day time of year. No need to heat or cool.
But when it does get cooler, the thermostat is set at 66-68.

[valerief]

8. Wow. I wish I could afford those temps. nt

[theophilus]

11. Even though we're in Arkansas it hasn't come on in days.

I've noticed, since we have a clear shot at old Sol to the south, the house is colder in the A.M. but gets much toastier in the nighttime hours as the sunlight is absorbed into the living area.

[wug37]

41. Mine's off too

But I live on the bottom floor of an apartment building near the laundry room, so it stays plenty warm all winter. I probably won't need to turn the heat on until late December, maybe January. Of course, I really need the A/C during the summer!

[recoveringrepublican]

138. same here, this is the only time I love living in Florida....

When it gets colder we just bundle up a little.

[Dorian Gray]

163. It's 68 degrees in NYC right now

so i don't have mine on, anyhow. We have building heaters, however, so I can only turn mine ON or OFF. I usually turn half of my radiators off in the winter, as it gets way too hot here, anyhow.

[ecstatic]

178. wow... I wouldn't have expected that

I was foolishly gloating about temperatures in Atlanta being around 70! Less and less justifications for living in a red state (sigh)

[Dorian Gray]

184. I think a cold front

is supposed to come through tonight... in the middle of the night... so it'll be worth it tomorrow! :)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Geothermal heat

plus we are partially buried in the earth. Constant at about 58 degrees, and we use sleeping bags in the winter.

[nashville_brook]

43. i am soooooo envious! may i ask what part of the country?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

110. Arkansas

There are a lot of folks in the Arkansas Ozarks who are employing alternative energy and have been for a number of years.

[Avalux]

3. Mine's on 76 right now; AC.

I wish I could turn the damn thing off; 84 and terribly humid here today. x( Cold's coming though; won't turn on my heat until I absolutely have to do so; will use the fireplace.

[theophilus]

15. Our house is an older one. We have an attic fan that pulls air

through the house and up into the attic and out. It has really saved us money.

[Avalux]

20. My parent's house is set up like that -

They live in PA and the house is over 100 years old. They also installed some sort of heating unit in the basement that works instead of the furnace; keeps the furnace from kicking on and has a fan that blows air up the basement stairs. I'll try to find out what it is exactly - they saved a lot of $$ last year with it. :hi:

[theophilus]

21. Sounds neat and nifty.

I think many, many folks are innovating on their own. Wouldn't it be a shame if the "power" companies had to start making note of lower usage?

[Avalux]

28. It would be great if that happened.

My parents had to innovate; they're retired and can't afford $500 gas bills. At least they're able to do so; others aren't. x(

[XboxWarrior]

79. Well let's see.....

It's 8f outside here in the Rocky's, and snowing to beat all hell!

My wood stove is set at two logs every 3 hours.....

There are plenty of dead trees in the woods, and I have a new

Husqvarna Chainsaw.

Oh, and the temp inside is a comfortable 68f

peace

[theophilus]

81. By Jingys! That sounds nice! n/t

[JoMama49]

114. 68 during the day with 3 kids in the house ages 16, 13 and 11....

at night we turn it off completely. I could never sleep with the heat on. It's about 35 degrees outside right now.

[AnneD]

22. Same here.

It just dosen't seem right running the AC in November, but this is Houston after all. Looking forward to turning it off tonight.:woohoo:

[Avalux]

26. Me too!

It's cloudy and starting to get windy outside right now (San Antonio). Can't wait til it blows through and knocks out all that nasty Gulf air. :hi:

[nashville_brook]

40. wow, mine too. exactly. Orlando is yucky today!

[magellan]

148. AC set to 77 just south of you in Osceola County

It hasn't come on much the last few days. These showers have been a very welcome break!

When it gets chilly we keep the thermostat at 68 (heat), put our sweaters on, and throw a log on the fire.

[TomInTib]

4. Mine is at 55

And we never are cold. We just layer up.

[theophilus]

16. Fantastic! n/t

[Saphire]

5. ummm..until tomorrow, my air conditioner is still on :(

[Hepburn]

6. I live in So Calif...

...temp here today is 61 degrees where I am. I don't have the heat on. I have on sweats and a sweater, socks, and a blanket over me. I have always had a thing about using the furnace of the central air when I can do something that does not take fuel or electricity.

Not only is it a good thing for your budget ~~ it conserves resources. And I recycle, too!

[RedEarth]

7. In the winter

I set it on 55 when we are gone and 62-65 when we are home. Summertime, set it on 80 when not home and 78 when we are home.

[theophilus]

19. Pretty much what we do.

We hope to be able to put siding on our house (with insulation). Lots and lots of houses have been flipped here and have been sided. I wonder if energy consumption is down because of all the house flipping. Old wooden houses sided and insulation added......I'll bet it is.

[Fierce]

9. 60 in Northern Minnesota.

Aaaaannnd we're about to switch to a wood-burning furnace. I will step back so as not to blind you with my self-righteousness.

[lazyriver]

10. I'm at 60 degrees

I'd go lower but my wife has a hip problem and any colder than 60 seems to cause more pain more often. We added 9 more inches of insulation to the attic this fall and installed new energy efficient windows to replace our old drafty ones. We're looking forward to seeing a reduction in our heating bill this year.

[theophilus]

25. Hope you see a major reduction. I wonder if supply and demand

actually apply to utilities anymore. I'm afraid even if we are using less they will just keep jacking up the price. The Democrats need to investigate and then investigate some more!

[lazyriver]

80. Funny you should say that...

about the supply/demand effect.

About two months ago we here in Maine were informed that we achieved a 10% decrease in electricity consumption in 2005 as a result of statewide conservation initiatives (appliiances, compact flourescent bulbs, 'turn off the light' ads, etc). Good news, right?

Well our power companies informed us that since they failed to "make budget" in total electricity sales they were forced to raise our rates this year. How nice of them.

I'm looking into solar panels for my house and barn roofs for next year. Screw 'em and their higher rates!

[theophilus]

82. That is so typical of corporations! The gov't. needs to step in and stop that

action. We need to act as a nation to encourage lower usage. Screw the power comps, indeed.

[TygrBright]

12. Well, I haven't turned ours on yet...

...but when I do I usually set it to 60 or 62, just to keep from waking up with icicles on our noses.

informatively,
Bright

[BOSSHOG]

13. Ours if off right now

in South Mississippi, temps in the mid 70's. But when the weather does require some heat, we put it between 64-68; we use a nice space heater in the bathroom. In the summer, curtains closed, thermostat set on 80.

Where in Arkansas are you? We lived in Fayetteville for ten years. I remember some godawful cold winters up there. I think its the most incredible geography in the country. Highway 71 between Alma and Fayetteville and over by Eureka Springs, just spectacular. And I was also very fond of the bars on Dickson Street in Fayetteville.

[theophilus]

32. We're in Hot Springs. We have some land in southern Missouri,

though, and they're expecting six inches of snow tonight. The Ozarks are spectacular and I hope the U.S. gets a handle on CO2 emissions so that future generations can enjoy the beautiful trees and salamanders, and .............all if it! Thanks for posting. :hi:

[mike_c]

14. off....

I only turn the furnace on to take the chill off in the morning before I get into the shower. Otherwise I light a fire in the woodstove.

[RubyDuby in GA]

17. 72, but I have a 6 month old baby in my house who will not catch a cold

I don't care. I'll just pay it 'cause my little one will not be catching a cold or getting sick because he's cold.

[BonnieJW]

67. Your baby will catch less colds if you keep your house cold.

I have three daughters and from the time they were born, we always kept the house cold in the winter - about 60 degrees. When the heat is turned up as high as you have it, all your mucus membranes dry out, making them the perfect environment for cold and flu germs. It's much better to put your baby in warm fleece PJ's and flannel sheets, but keep the air in the house cool.

[mondo joe]

127. Neither cold nor heat makes any difference to catching colds. Both are myths.

Common cold is a virus.

[Lars39]

104. Our old family doctor that delivered all of us was from Poland

and was a firm believer in getting the kids out every day even when it was very cold out.
He also encouraged opening the windows and airing the house out really well in the winter.

[Binka]

151. It Is Around 62 Here In Sicily But Sunny And My House Is WIDE Open!

Until the rain starts I keep the house OPEN. My five year old & I are never sick.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

181. Yes, an American friend who has been living in Norway for years

came to visit some years back and commented on how pale and pudgy American children looked to her. She said that Norwegian children play outside in all weather. (I remember that I did, too, as a child in the 1950s. It had to be below zero for us to be kept indoors.)

Japanese children traditionally grew up without central heating (not so true anymore), and they're the longest-lived people in the world.

[jackster]

165. you don't catch "cold" from being cold...

you catch "cold" from viruses

[movie_girl99]

182. The dry heat from the heater is actually worse.

It dries out nasal passages.

[azmouse]

18. I don't need much heat in AZ in the winter.

I set the thermostat at 67 most of the time. With all the heat we get here over the summer it's made me sensitive to cool weather. But at 67 the thermostat only runs a very little bit at night just to take the chill off, that's all.

[Occulus]

23. Heat's off at the moment

But I do have a nice cozy fire going. :D

[jus_the_facts]

24. It's currently 78 degrees here...got the A/C set on 78... it will be in the 20's tomorrow night...

....I loathe havin' to run a heater but usually keep it set on 65 or 60..just enough to take the chill off then turn it back off...makes my sinuses bleed when I use electric heat. x(

[Gregorian]

27. Heating blankets are the way to go. Turn the heat off.

I like to wake up to 49 degrees. I'm cold blooded. But during the day, I like 65. But at night, I turn off the heat and use a heating blanket. It's by far the most efficient way to go.

I used to roof for a living. In the winter, I would be up there looking out over the town. And it's just so strange to see all of those empty houses with streams of white air coming out of the roof vents all over. Whether it's hot water that is being kept hot, or a house, the amount of energy that is used while we aren't even using it is absolutely amazing.

My dad designed and built a device that he hooked up to his heater so that he could call home, punch the keypad, and have the heater come on. That way he could leave it off until he was just about ready to come home. But it's also because he has hydronics. They take a few hours to heat up.

In all reality, it's pretty futile to try and live an efficient life under our current conditions. When you take everything into consideration, that is. I mean, just look at what we do with vegetables in our store. The average vegetable travels 1500 miles just to get on the shelf. It's nice to think and even attempt to alleviate the problem. But it's endemic. And until we find a way to solve the larger problem, not the least of which is world population, not that there is anything we can do about it, especially when almost no one acknowledges it as the real problem it is, then we're going in the wrong direction.

Stop funding the military for one week. That's all it would take.

[theophilus]

38. I think you are right. The time is coming, though, when too many

people is going to be understood. Folks will either choose to stop having babies for awhile or the earth will chose to get rid of a few billion of us. We need to make the choice, now.

[Gregorian]

55. I always get nervous when I talk about it.

It's actually what brought me to DU. And even here it's almost unmentioned. Partly because it's a difficult subject. But so is global warming. If we just sit and wait until there are 9 billion, it may be too late. It's already too late for me. My life is destroyed. I can't live in the town that I had intended to live in. And now I find myself running from town to town. Until finally, here I am with no place to go. I know it sounds stupid. One either gets it or they don't. I would pay anything to no "get it".

But as far as energy consumption is concerned, I didn't really say what I wanted. There are so many things that happen, that we do not have control over. The fraction of what we can control is so small that we might as well not even worry about them. House temperature being one of them. By far the largest factor in energy consumption is the creation of more human beings.

[wicket]

29. 60, Boston, MA

Some nights I'll turn it up a bit but always turn it back down before bed. No need to heat the apartment while I'm covered up.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

30. I don't live in a place that ever requires heating, but my favoritre temperature is

18°C = 64°F.

My problem is the opposite. I absolutely CAN'T STAND excessive heat and run up the electric bill due to the air conditioner. I make a valiant effort to not turn it on, but too often I succumb.

[hobbit709]

31. When the heat or AC is on

I keep the AC at 60° and the heat at 68°. That's as far as I can go without my wife bitching. Of course the heat hasn't been on since Feb and haven't run the AC in over a month.

[ceile]

33. Nothing turned on just now.

The weather's been pretty pleasant, but we're expected a major temp drop tonight. I wish my dang pilot would light! Just moved into a place with concrete floors and I know I'm going to be freezing tonight.

[Lowell]

34. High 70s here

this is the time of year we throw open the windows and enjoy the cool down. If it gets too cool we just toss another dog in the bed and curl up.

[tavalon]

141. I love snuggling with the dog

She is a cuddle slut and she likes to spoon. I wuv that doggy! I keep hoping one day someone will take a picture of us sharing the pillow with my arm draped over her like she's a body pillow, er doggy pillow.

[greenman3610]

35. 64 nite. 67 days

[sui generis]

36. It depends

66 during the day, 70 at 4:00 a.m. for an hour (my morning glorious breakfast hour of power, critter petting, brilliant punditry (with and without audience), and coffee swilling, and plus I can't admire my glorious naked body in the morning if it's all bundled up), then 66 again until I get home. 68 for cooking and activity and then briefly jump it again around bedtime - it drops back down to 67 overnight.

We also have adjustable individual electric mattress warmers and piles of blankets to "adjust" the bed with.

But we also sleep with a quiet tower fan running to circulate air, and even sleep with windows open on temperate nights.

You see, if you keep it freezing all the time your nookie consumption declines too. If you want to get warmed up sometimes you got to warm things up.

[Bandit]

37. How lit up with Xmas lights is your house?

:shrug: The more lit up the more we aid and abet the Oil Industry...

[theophilus]

45. We have nary a light this year and probably won't put any on

for just that reason. I think a statement needs to be made. A better environment would be a gift to all. Thanks for asking that good question.

[mom cat]

46. I am not putting up a tree this year for that very reason. I love how

they look but hate what it does to the earth.

[patricia92243]

39. Because of globel warming, we do not have much of a winter anymore. So, I would be glad to have to

turn my furnice ON. It would be a sign of normal weather.

[mom cat]

42. Mine is at 45, down from 50 last year and 55 the year before. I live in Boston and have multi-joint

arthritis, but I would rather put on extra clothes than see life on this planet go under. I have no right to put out more carbon than the earth can absorb.
The daily output of Americans is 122 lbs.
The daily average for earth's inhabitants is 13 lbs. The earth can only absorb 5 lbs a day per person.I have finally gotten down to my five lbs by radical conservation, washing clothes by hand and letting them air dry, walking or taking public transportation and becoming a vegetarian. My next goal is to become a vegan and only by in season, locally grown foods.

If that sounds too harsh. ponder what life would be like with runaway global warming or with a "temporary" (1000 year) mini ice age where you live.

To calculate your carbon usage, look at:
http://www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/

See what you can do without using "offsets". I am not using any, and yes, I am still on the grid and do not yet have photovoltaics.

[theophilus]

48. You are a true hero and I appreciate your sacrifice. In the end,

it is the smartest thing to do and we all could profit by following your example. Thanks.

[mom cat]

57. It is the only logical thing to do.

[marions ghost]

120. I thought my sister

was crazy when she & her husband started hanging out their laundry. She owns a business and doesn't have a lot of free time. But inspired by her I decided to rig up one line on the back deck over which I've been throwing towels, jeans, sweatshirts and things that take a long time in the dryer. Sometimes I put stuff over the railing too. The small lightweight stuff I try to make take only one dryer load. This is my compromise so far. We'll see how much effect it has on the electric bill this year.

As for wash, using a front loader that uses little water and everything is washed on short cycle. I'm trying hard not to wash something that I know is still clean enough to wear, just "air it out" overnight like granny used to do. I remember she'd always hang what she felt was still OK on a peg rack behind the door every day. Yep laundry is a big factor in household energy consumption. It doesn't take too much effort to change some habits there.

[Arkansas Granny]

44. My house has old fashioned wall furnaces, so I don't have a

thermostat per se, but I keep the house cool enough in the winter that I have to wear long sleeves (usually 2 layers) to be comfortable. At night I turn it down even lower and put another blanket on the bed. I only heat rooms that I'm using and close off the rest of the house. My heating costs stay fairly low that way.

[theophilus]

53. That's neat. It reminds me of when I would visit my grandparents

in North Texas when I was a kid. They only heated the living room and when it was time to go to bed it was a whole 'nother world in the back bedroom. Nice memories. The kitchen would usually be warm with lots of tasty things cooking..............yummmmm.

[qazplm]

47. 178

I like it toasty!

[theophilus]

54. May I inquire..

What is your home world? :hi:

[Gregorian]

56. You are a coffee bean.

AICMFP































edit- :)

[tavalon]

142. Ouch

As someone else said, you are a coffee bean.

[LeftHander]

49. 60 and 64

60 at night and 64-68 during the day.

However...we use a wood pellet stove for main source of heat during the day and evening. We turn off the stove when going to bed. We burn 3000 lbs. of wood pellets per season. Season runs from late October to Mid May...when the stove is running the main floor is at 73 degrees and upstairs around 60. Basement 55.

[RebelOne]

50. Right now, on nothing. It's 70 degrees outside.

[mondo joe]

51. 60 at night, 67 during the evening.

[TheCowsCameHome]

77. Mine 2

[Vinca]

52. Zero - the pellet stove heats the whole house.

We use half pellets and half dried corn. We're toasty and the pellet stove has already paid for itself in fuel savings.

[warrens]

58. I get steam heat included with rent

So I have no real control. They had it running last week when there was no need, so I called and had them shut it off. So I figure I saved about 8 days of heating a 30-unit apartment building.

I've gone four years now without turning on my AC at all.

I grew up in drafty houses in New England, so I'm used to using sweaters, quilts and warm beverages rather than heat up a whole house or apartment. And you sleep a LOT better in the cold.

[ClintonTyree]

59. It varies....

at night I set it at 55 and during the day.....? It changes, whether I'm freezing my buns off or not. Usually somewhere between 60 and 63 but sometimes I crank it up to 68 for a little while to get rid of the shivers. I have nerve damage in my feet (in multiple places, actually) due to a failed spinal fusion so my feet could be freezing in 80 degree weather. I can put them right on an electric heater for 10 minutes and it still feels like they're cold. My flesh could burn and I'd never know it.
It seems the older I get the higher the thermostat goes. Getting old sucks! :(

[maveric]

60. Zero. I dont ever turn my heater on.

It doesnt get cold enough down here for me to burn heat. I have sweaters and blankets.

[slackmaster]

105. I'm going to try to get through the winter without turning mine on

Having three cats helps.

[tnlefty]

61. Both are set on 69 currently. The primary thermostat works with a

large wood burning stove (which also heats all of our water). The second controls the back up heat, natural gas, and it won't kick in unless something happens to the stove and it's 50 degrees in the house.

Perhaps I should turn it down to see if cooler temps will help get rid of my "budding Buddha belly" that I've acquired during the 2nd term of bush**. I feed the "budding one" beer.

[uppityperson]

62. no thermostat, just a woodstove.

[sweetheart]

63. thermostat?

The coal fire is stoked in the cast iron stove,
i'll throw some coal in before bed and start it up cold tomorrow morning.

Yes, Co2 is released, but the efficiently to heat

[chaska]

64. It's only in the forties at night right now, so 60-65 in the day and off at night.

But then I am a bit of a polar bear... and poor.

[sandnsea]

65. burning sawdust logs

We decided to go that way this winter. Burn one in the evening and one in the morning. Stays warm during the day. I do need to get some kind of warm footies out though.

[Target_For_Exterm]

66. I burn the wood stove during the day with no heat, and just

run the heat at night. I turn the heat up too high at night - to 73 degrees. If I were smart, I would load up the wood stove and bank it for the night. The heater probably wouldn't run at all. I guess I'm working my way towards that...

[wryter2000]

68. Varies

55 when I'm not home or when I'm in bed. 62 most of the day. But when I get my pet snakes out to play, I put it on 70.

I do have a good space heater, though, that I aim at my chair when the thermostat's on 62.

[MissB]

69. 65 at night, 67 in the day.

[mockmonkey]

70. 68

We are using a small space heater for the living room to keep that room warmer when we are using it. I think 58 is a bit too cold for me. Our landlord finally added more insulation to the attic that should help this year.

[mod mom]

71. Our thermostats (zone heating) are timed. The high is 67 and at night it goes

to 54. We are in the process of installing a soapstone high efficiency wood stove to help even more. We also have a tankless water heater which significantly cut our gas usage.

[tavalon]

146. We replaced the old wood stove

this last spring with one of the soapstone high efficiency ones. The difference is amazing. Half the wood and twice the heat of the old one.

[Cleita]

72. I'm going on my third year of not turning on my heater.

It runs on propane and got too expensive. I'm fortunate that I live on the California coast so I can pile on warm clothes and blankets. Showering gets tricky though and I have to wait until the warmest part of the day to do so but it's still cold getting out.

[piedmont]

73. In the summer, 78-80 when we're home.

Right now though we're using electric space heaters instead of our nat. gas central heat system. Indoor temp. we're aiming for is around 68 in the evening, 60 when we're asleep, and don't care when we're not home. So far our highest energy usage day was 50 kWh, but the avg. this month is around 34 kWh/day. That will be about a $95 November energy bill for two people in a 1000 sq. ft home in GA. Not bad, but there's plenty of room for improvement. Next up is getting more insulation in the attic!

[karlrschneider]

74. Turned off so far this season but the temp just fell 35 degrees in 2 hours

might have to fire up the old furnace when it gets down to 30. Probably will set at about 62 to 65.

[pansypoo53219]

75. ours is so old no #s

but it's about 60. maybe.
i am cold all the time after a certain point and layer many layers. 2 logies with wool, a turtle neck and a wool sweater. and bare feet. but that has actually made it better for me.

[Kali]

76. don't have a thermostat, but trying to hold off lighting the decrepit old

natural gas wall heaters until December. Not sure we are going to make it as it is supposed to drop to 20 F tonight, and it has been cold and windy all day. Live in a 100+ year old house with drafty doors and windows, no insulation in the attic and not much in half the walls. Part of the house (main room and one bedroom) is 18 inch adobe, but the rest is framed. We have two wood burning fireplaces. One the husband put in is a beehive with most of the mass in the room - it takes a while to warm it up but then it stays nice with a few small sticks. The other in the living room has no damper and draws so well that you practically have to build the fire out in the room to even feel the warmth. I wish we had a wood stove instead.

Have a portable oil heater - the kind that looks like an old fashioned radiator - for one bathroom, turn it on pretty low at night, off in the day. (haven't yet but I'm thinking I better go dust it off for tonight)

[PVnRT]

78. 291

Kelvins, that is.

That's 525 degrees Ranking for you non-metric folks.

[madokie]

83. Well, since I use wood pellets I have mine on 72 and love it.

[bullwinkle428]

84. 65 when I'm home, and 60 at night and while at work (programmable)

Never had a problem with those settings...it's easy to just throw on another blanket at night!

[sakabatou]

85. Don't have one here in my dorm

At home it's off.

[rinsd]

86. We have yet to light our pilot light on our heater, but I live in San Diego

We will probably light it on Dec 1st though the temps here have dropped to the 40's recently (what we call cold in SoCal)

[mrreowwr_kittty]

87. I'm in Phoenix and it's OFF baby!!

We may have to suffer through 110 degrees in the summer but the rest of the year makes up for it :woohoo:

[mom cat]

88. This may well be the most important post ever on DU and it only has two votes.

[theophilus]

90. Stop it you're embarassing me!

No. That is a nice sentiment. I start topics now and then but they mostly just sit there. This is getting more attention than anything I have tried in a long time. Thank you for your kindness.

The environment is not a "hot topic" (pardon the pun) here on DU usually. I think that will change.
We need to all work together to make things better.

[mom cat]

95. Please spare me the embarrasment. I sincerely mean it. If this bunch

of aware people are not able to take personal responsibility for their part in global warming, then who will? This is a damned serious issue. I think it is THE most serious question ever raised on DU:

OK people, the world id dying. What are YOU willing to do?

Some of the people who answered are really trying and I truly love them for that. I just wonder where most of DU is.
Are the naked so much more important?

[theophilus]

96. Rock on, MC! I wish the vast majority had your attitude! n/t

[mom cat]

111. We can get there. We must or we are all dead. It really is that simple.

[tavalon]

147. Sadly, I'm pretty pessimistic about our odds

but I still do a lot of conservation things. But I do them less out of self or human preservation and more out of my own personal ethics. It's just the right thing to do. I do admit that if I truly thought my part would make a difference, I'm sure I would be much more draconian. OTOH, I do more than most people I know and living in Seattle with all the ecologically minded folks, I figure I'm doing pretty good.

[mom cat]

153. I am pessimistic too, but I know that it will never get better if people like us who know the score

just do nothing.

[AtomicKitten]

89. 67 day -- 64 night

It's wicked cold here in SF. Two pairs of socks at all times.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

91. Got My Heat Up To 75, In Northern Jersey.

[AbbyR]

92. Mine's off

I'm in Arkansas, too, and haven't really needed it. When I do, I'm using space heaters this year. I simply cannot afford the huge electric bills. I have a heater in the bathroom and one in each bedroom. I guess I'll have to do something to keep the pipes from freezing, but I don't know what.

[Art_from_Ark]

129. To keep the pipes from freezing, I used to keep the taps running at night

when I was in Arkansas. Not full force, but just enough so that the water would be constantly moving and never have enough time to freeze.

[RB TexLa]

93. on nothing it was 80 degrees outside today

[BlackVelvet04]

94. 65 - 66 at night and 67 during the day.

I would turn it lower but my husband lived in AZ for 26 years and freezes here in VA.

[frustrated_lefty]

97. It's off in Philly.

[LibraLiz1973]

101. Me too. Philly weather is allowing me a break in the bill!!

[Pawel K]

98. Today's ABQ temp is 30F, my thermostat still off

I only turn it on in the morning when I wake up for about 30 minutes and then it stays off the rest of the day. Trying to see how long I can keep this up, its getting a lot colder now.

[VOX]

99. Still off at this point, although it got down to 42 last night...

And early this a.m., it was a l o n g trip from the bed to the shower. The forecast is for more of the same, so the thermostat will finally have to be moved up to 58.

My wife and I really do watch our use of the heat throughout the winter.

[ncrainbowgrrl]

100. I know i should conserve.... but ....

if we don't use the heat, one or both of us get sick. If I get a cold, I'm practically guaranteed to get bronchitis... and then we're looking at time off from work (missed $) and uncomfortable breathing and doctor's visits... yuck.

I'll keep it at 72, and I'll take any and all lectures that shall come my way...

[slackmaster]

102. I don't have one at the moment

Working on the house. Thermstat is disconnected and sitting on a shelf. Furnace is unplugged and its gas supply shut off.

[EdwardM]

103. My thermostat is currently off.

I like it cold!

And speaking of conservation, what I am doing to save energy, is not having any kids. Less kids = Less humans = Less pollution. ;)

[Donald Ian Rankin]

106. Far too hot.

I'm living in a student bedsit and the controls on the radiators don't seem to work, which means that the room is always to hot, and I find myself actually having to open the window, even in November, to counter them out and make the room inhabitable, and to leave them on when I leave, which is both unecological and uneconomical, and a real pain for me.

They both have neatly-labelled, easy to use thermostat dials, but these dials don't seem to have anything whatsoever to do with what the actual radiators do...

So that's one area I'm not really doing my bit to save the planet in, but to be fair it's not really my fault.

[riderinthestorm]

107. 60 day and night. Northern Illinois. nt

[Art_from_Ark]

108. Heat's off in the daytime

We have big south-facing windows that let in a lot of heat when the sun is out.

At night, the air conditioner-type heater for the living room is set at 68. Bedrooms have space heaters that double as humidifiers, and are set to shut off automatically after a couple of hours or so on all but the coldest nights. If no one is using a room, it doesn't get heated.

[laundry_queen]

109. Mine should be lower.

We had our house built and went with super energy efficient everything. Our thermostat is in the warmest area of the house, and so we have it set at about 69-70 right now. That keeps the rest of the house at about 64-66 right now, as it is -4 outside. Our gas bills are still about 30% less than our old house, even with the recent cold snap. Still, I should turn it down lower, but I can't seem to stay warm, even with tea, thick socks, wool slippers and sweaters. My kids all seem to be fine though without all that extra stuff. It's just me.
I make up for it by not driving anywhere though. :)

[ComerPerro]

112. 66

[JetCityLiberal]

113. 60 inside, it is 28 outside or it would be off completely

Trying to keep pipes warm and my overwintering Jalapeno pepper plants alive. We turn it off every night at ten right now. Normally it would be off by 5 in the evening.

Try not to even turn it on at all until November and hopefully can quit using it altogether in February sometime.

My wife convinced me of the woes of too much indoor heat 26 years ago. I have been pretty darn healthy all those 26 years too. So much so think I will head up the hill and take a turn on the sled with the neighborhood kids.

Good post, I agree.

:thumbsup:

[Raine]

115. 0...heater is broken

though being in CA it's no big deal though it has been colder the last couple of days.

[mongo]

116. 53 at home 64 at the store

and it's damn cold in our downstairs.

We hole up in our bedroom and supliment with an electric space heater all winter.

And throw on a jacket and shoes to go downstairs to cook or for a snack.

[earth mom]

117. Heating system is broken, thermostat reads 50 degrees.

So I just put some wood in the wood stove which is our heat source this winter and last. We usually try to only use the wood stove in the late afternoon/evening when the temperature dips below 55 degrees or so. Then we light a fire to get the temperature in the house up to 65 to 68 degrees; a temperature where we are all nice and toasty and which keeps the house fairly warm-about 60 or so-until the next afternoon. We don't like using the stove overnight either. O8)

[YellowRubberDuckie]

118. It's completely off...

We live on the 11th floor of a 24 story building. We get plenty of ambient heat.
Duckie

[cynatnite]

119. It's off...too damn warm outside...

and I won't put the AC on this late in the year. Fans are going instead.

[tkmorris]

121. 79

But then, I'm in South Florida and it's the AC I have on, not the heat, so it isn't as bad as it sounds.

It's reached the point of year where I can shut it off and open the windows some days, but the airflow through this house is just AWFUL. If it is 70 degrees but the winds are still outside, the inside temp will reach 82 or so easily.

[Jim Warren]

122. Central New England

52@night, 54 during the day when we are home, 50 when we are out.
We watch it pretty close 'cause money is tight right now and we cannot afford it. Layer up with sweats, quilts at night. Closed off two rooms for the winter.

One thing about those temp settings, we have a modern thermostat and new furnace but it's forced hot air so when I leave it set at 54 say and it shuts down at 59 or 60, runs up 5 or 6 degrees over.

[Generator]

123. This is like a John Stossel program.

You might as well ask, "How much do you weigh?"

It happens to be relevant to a few factors. Such as where you live, how big your house is, city or country, insulation, type of heating, age of people living in the house, (and yes very young children, especially infants cannot regulate their own body temperature, and kick most blankets off quickly) personal health issues, and YES, personal tolerance for the cold. I know someone who likes a cold cold house. And in the summer likes it the way too. My husband usually likes it hotter than I but I like to keep it down to to save $$.

As far as saving the planet, and this being the most important post on Du, all I can say is bah humbug. If you want to take away the little joy one gets from being warm and toasty and believe you are saving the world, congratulations. Me, I adore my gas fireplace. It's the first and only fireplace I've ever had, and the warmest I've ever been after living in poorly insulated houses and crap apartments all my life.

Yes, I get doing your part for the environment, but the martyrdom of the left and the CONTROL of every factor drive me insane. You (the general well meaning liberal) will tell me what to eat, not to drink, not to smoke, what words I can say and now THIS. You want to tell me to be COLD. (by the way it's 32 degrees outside and I have the thermostat set to 69. which is a couple higher than normal since this is a very cold spell, with freezing rain predicted,) I'm not SAVING the planet right now I'm saving my own life or at the very least my enjoyment of it.

[trotsky]

150. Well said, Generator.

I think sometimes, on some issues, we liberals are far from immune to the childish games of oneupsmanship. What one does to fend off global warming and reduce energy consumption goes far, far beyond what temperature one's thermostat is set at, or what kind of car one drives. Yet threads constantly get started on topics like that, and you can just feel it's a competition of pride - "*I* have my thermostat set lower than *you* - nyah nyah nyah!"

I keep my thermostat set at 69, which is as low as I'm comfortable with. How much can one read out of that? Just about nothing. What's not said is that two years ago I invested a lot of money in a high-efficiency furnace AND brand new energy-efficient windows. How much gas am I using versus someone with their 'stat set at 50 but who has old leaky windows and an old inefficient furnace? Which one of us is the "better" liberal, doing more to save the earth? Of course I don't have an answer for that. Maybe they recycle more than me. Maybe I drive a more fuel-efficient car. The point is, there are way too many factors, and threads like this more often than not end up in holier-than-thou pissing contests. </rant>

[footinmouth]

124. Mine is off for now

It's a balmy 65 degrees in Buffalo and my heat's been off since Sunday. The windows are open and it feels great. Normally, I keep it about 66.

[Left Is Write]

125. 68 day, 58 overnight.

[likesmountains 52]

126. 60 when I'm awake...50 when I'm in bed....

[Catherine Vincent]

128. How about off?

Of course, I'm in Texas and it's not that cold here. Actually at night, I run the AC but I can stand the warmth as long as I have ceiling fans. I have my sister and her two kids living with me temporarily and she loves it cold. I told her she better adjust unless she wants to pay the electricity bill! Now when it does get in the 20's or 30's here this house gets cold, I'll run the heat on 75 to warm it up but turn it off at night and sleep with a lot of covers. :)

[Gemini Cat]

130. Night 64-66 Day 67-68

I am always cold.

[Liberal In Texas]

131. Off. 78 today and no reason to have anything on for the last few days. Tonight falling to mid 30s

but probably won't need to turn it on until the house cools down.

Then between 65 and 72 depending on time of day as the weirdly programmed (by my wife) thermostat goes through it's cycle.

BTW. We are paying for 100% wind power for elec.

[Beam Me Up]

132. Mine is OFF: currently 44°ƒ

Perhaps a few degrees warmer inside than out but not much. I have 14' ceilings (live/work/loft/warehouse) so I just don't bother unless it gets REALLY cold -- like FREEZING. The rest of the time I just wear a lot of layers with cotton and wool.

[NMDemDist2]

133. i turned on my convection heaters at sundown

it's about 70 in here right now, will cool off to around 68 then by 10AM the sun will have warmed the place again

i did throw an extra blanket on the bed tonight though cuz we have about 3" of snow so far.....

[Dragonbreathp9d]

134. i live in a dorm, so its pretty low

[shanti]

135. usually 75 - year round

i don't handle temperature extremes well at all. sorry if that offends you. :shrug:

[Broken_Hero]

136. nothing

I have a wood stove, and currently my little thermometor says its 71 degree's in our livingroom...I spend a good couple months getting wood for the fall/winter months. The wood I get is primarily hard woods....

[Alamom]

137. Nothing on for now .........this time of year, we normally don't need

anything except a ceiling fan to keep the air circulating.

[LizW]

139. Off for now.

Many years we don't have to turn on the whole house furnace until January. (We're in Alabama.)

However, we suffer with the heat in the summer and have to have air conditioning on until early October!

[tavalon]

140. We keep ours at 55 at night and about 5am, it goes up to 70

as the kiddo seems to have cold induced asthma if it isn't warmer when he's getting ready for school After he leaves, it goes back down to 55. However, I'm from the south and this is my first winter up north and I find that I put wood in the stove more than the rest of the family usually does so I suspect it isn't actually 55 in here.

[NeoGreen]

143. Not Applicable...

My home is not equipped with a furnace. I heat with wood from my own trees, from scraps from a local lumber yard or from pellets locally manufactured.

I designed and built my home 12 years ago, and not one drop of oil (foreign or domestic) has been used to heat it. I have large south facing windows and no AC.

I pay a premium on my electric bill to support 100% wind/hydro generated power.

The largest portion of my "carbon footprint" is from my commute to work. I mitigate that as best I can by driving a 2000 honda civic which gets better then 37mpg (usually 40+ in the summer).

[phusion]

156. Good for you, DemoGreen!

I admire your energy practices. :toast:

[NeoGreen]

157. Thank-you kindly... (nt)

[rosesaylavee]

144. Northern IL

60 degrees both at home and at work. Using a space heater at work to beat the chill and plan on putting plastic on the windows for better insulation today. Cold snap coming putting us in the teens by tomorrow.

[NotGivingUp]

145. our heat is OFF!!! ......but we live in florida! : )

[Jennicut]

149. 60 day and night, in CT

It does get cold in CT and on occasion I might turn it up to 65 but we just wear sweaters during the day and put lots of blankets on us at night. My husband works for the power company here in CT, Northeast Utilities. He is at Yankee Gas and he has to shut off people when they can't pay. Kind of a downer. He feels bad when people with kids are behind in their payments. We try not to spend too much on our electricity but I have diabetes. I was just diagnosed last year at age 29. It might be late onset type 1. I want to avoid being sick as it takes me a long time to get rid of a cold. Just got over one, it took me 7 weeks to fully get rid of it and that was after I went on steroids. 60-65 degrees seems to make me less sick. Anything higher or lower is not good.

[lectrobyte]

152. Programmed to 68 when we're home and awake, 65 when we're sleeping,

and 62 when we're gone.

[bill]

154. 60-65^F

We're in NYS just south of Lake Ontario. When we're home and up its 64-65, nights and work time it's 60.

[phusion]

155. I have a cat at home...

I don't know how she would handle the temps if I turned off my heater (it's in the teens here this morning). But, I try to keep it as low as possible!

[verdalaven]

158. Michigan winters are no fun.

Today it is set at 60, but during the deep winter months it is set at 68 during the day and 50 at night.

[max in mo]

159. 40 degrees

[lies and propaganda]

160. im in PHX and I need to turn my damn heat on!

it got down to 60 in my house and that is batshit crazy in Phx.

[jackster]

161. From Massachusetts....

first year renting a duplex in a very old house. The storms are tight however and there is blown in insulation although the boiler is old but well maintained.

When we're not home or at night - 50 to 55. When we're home, usually around 60 - 62.

The thermostat is also very old and I hope to replace that with a automatic one that will further save us. (Several nights the bf has forgotten to turn the heat down!)

SIL owns an oil heating company and knows the house. Says we'll spend about $1400 for a typical year. Hot water is also heated by oil.

[alfredo]

162. My wife's hot flashes cuts our heating bills. Honest. She

has been keeping it real cool in the house. I don't mind that a bit. I just put on another layer and everything is hunky dory.

[aikoaiko]

164. 69 or 70 all year long.

Only for about 2 months a year (on ein the spring and one in the fall), my electric bills aren't terrible. My wife and young son are there almost all the time and thats the temperature she likes.

[theophilus]

166. Hey, thanks for all of the thoughtful and entertaining responses

to this thread. I am heartened at the dedication and innovation of DUers, as usual. I know it is a "little" thing, but little things add up and this idea of energy Independence is important. Population reduction, use of renewable non-CO2 polluting energy, resisting consumerism, and overall environmental good sense is what is needed! Thanks, and keep on posting!

[AwakeAtLast]

167. Well, I have pneumonia right now

The heat has not been on because the cold front hasn't hit us yet (Central Indiana). We usually have it set 72-74. We also live in a mobile home, which doesn't stay as warm as a house (at least mine doesn't).

HOWEVER - that is when we are home. We installed a programmable thermostat. It is set at 60 when we are gone and 68 when we are sleeping.

If everyone put one of those in their home, it would also cut usage and $$$$$.

[YOY]

168. 70 to 72. We have a new baby and she needs it warm

Sorry if it's too much for some folks comfort.

[ripple]

169. 67, but we're having a bit of a blizzard here in Ks. right now

It's freezing cold, windy, and it's dumping a lot of snow right now. Last night it was ice. I commute to work and stayed home to avoid the slick roads.

SNOW DAY!!!! :woohoo:

[Mad_Dem_X]

170. 66 degrees

When it gets really cold in the house I sometimes jack it up to 67. :)

[T Town Jake]

171. Before I saw this thread: 82*! Schools out today due to the snow and ice here...

...and between my teenage son and his older sister they were in a sort of competition to see who could run the heat up the highest, I guess (they're both home today due to high school and college classes being canceled).

They had all three thermostats in the house cranked up to between 78*-82*, including the one in the basement. I've reset them all to 67*, and made it clear that that's where they're to stay.

I hadn't even noticed, I guess, until I saw this thread and decided to go take a look. Thanks! :thumbsup:

[theophilus]

175. WAY TO GO! That is what it is ALL about.

When DUers notice stuff..........things start happening! :hi:

[mnhtnbb]

172. Dual zones. programmable thermostats vary by day/time. Basically 68 day/64 night

for winter and due to the heat wave (70's today)no heat or air is on.
Summer we set a/c 78 upper level; 75 middle and lower level for daytime
and 80 nighttime.

[Nimrod2005]

173. 78 in South Florida....nt

[EvolveOrConvolve]

174. We have one of those cool thermostats

The temp is set for 70 degrees for about 2 hours in the morning, 55 during the day, 66 in the evening, and 55 during the night. We also close all vents downstairs so that the heat is only pushed to the upstairs. Unfortunately, I'm starting to develop bad joints, or we would have the temp a lot lower during the times we're home.

[eppur_se_muova]

176. Wish I could tell. My apt has one of those "motel-style" heat/AC units ...

with no meaningful numbers on the dial, and an ultra el cheapo thermostat that is slow to turn on, slow to turn off. I've moved around from one apt to another for several years, and I've seldom found a good thermostat (and of course I can't replace it).

Clunky old buildings like these waste a LOT of energy. They need serious modernizing. At least now I don't have those uncontrollable steam radiators I had to put up with all through grad school.

[ecstatic]

177. I stopped using heat and air months ago

Of course I'm in GA. :-) Today we had a high of 70.

Natural gas prices are no joke. Even with 0 heat use my bill is at least 20/month. I don't want to heat up all of upstairs or downstairs when it's just me in the house. I want to get a small electric heater.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

179. 65 degrees in Minneapolis

Ever since I lived in Japan with no central heating, I've hated overheated interiors, but since I work at home, sitting at a computer, I can't have it REAL chilly.

[movie_girl99]

180. My heater is on 62 during the day and 65 when I get home.

We wear slippers, and cozy clothing and use blankets when we watch tv. It was tough the first year but know were used to it. We just cant afford to have it on 68-70.

[Burma Jones]

183. 66 in the daytime, 60 at night...my wife won't let me go lower.........