Freeze Yer Buns wrap-up

The 2009 - 2010 Freeze Yer Buns Challenge has come to a close, although many areas (including Seattle) are still experiencing cold temperatures. So, even though the challenge is over, now's not the time to crank up the thermostat. Not that any of you are going to.

This year's challenge has been completely crazy, mostly because of all the press that covered it between USA Today, the NY Times and even the National Enquirer (see the media page for links). I think it's great that it got some coverage because it helps encourage others to give it a try and not feel like what they are doing is out of the ordinary.

It sounds really stupid to even say that, as if turning down the thermostat is some rocket science to saving energy and money, but there definitely are barriers to keeping your home cooler. Most of them are social. Nobody wants visitors to be uncomfortable and nobody likes feeling like they are weird.

One thing I learned during this year's challenge is that I like the temperature really cold at night. I'd say I prefer 55 at night, especially when I can cuddle under our down comforter. I rarely needed to use my bed warmer this year, just because of the down.

We recently switched out our blanket to our wool one because it's been warming up, but I still prefer the loft and heat retention of down. I think I'd much rather compromise with über cold temperatures at night, just to keep the daytime temperature up a few degrees so it all evens out on the cooler side in the end.

I know some of you out there kept your thermostats very cool. How did that work out for you? Did you run into any resistance from family and friends or was it fine? Did you learn anything from this challenge by keeping the heat down (aside from lower bills)? Would you have kept it colder if you could (because of roommates, kids, etc.)?

Dressing like a hootchie when it's cold

Only one month left in the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge! Although not much bun freezing has been going on lately around here. Yesterday, I came home from work and it was 66 degrees outside and 67 degrees inside even though I left the thermostat at 55 when I went to work.

Now, how do I know all my inside/outside temperatures? Well, a while back I got this handy-dandy indoor/outdoor wireless thermometer that tells you the inside temperature and humidity as well as the outside temperature. We have the thermostat receptor thingamajig mounted outside in a non-sunny location for accurate, up-to-the minute weather. Because we so need instant weather information around here.

The fun thing with this thermometer is that it has a woman on it that allegedly "dresses" for the weather. I'm still trying to figure out what the story is with her because it's clear that she's supposedly dressing for outside temperatures, but she's always way under-dressed. I'm pretty sure I can guess who programmed this thing.

Anyhoo, as you can see, it's only 54 degrees outside, yet she is wearing a short skirt with tights and basically a bra top. My daughter likes to check out what the thermometer lady is wearing and then yell at me for not wearing the appropriate outfit. Shit, I wouldn't wear so few clothes at the indoor temperature of 66 degrees.

I can't wait to see what she's wearing when it's 95 degrees outside this summer. Pasties and a g-string? I think my husband will take over telling me that I need to dress like the thermometer woman when that happens.

Thermostat Poll

For those of you officially (or unofficially) participating in the thermostat reducing challenge, Freeze Yer Buns, I thought I'd check in with you all and see where you are keeping your thermostats these days.

Half the U.S. is experiencing bun freezing weather and the other half has seen warmer conditions. How has this affected where you keep your thermostat? Have you found that, as the winter has worn on, you are keeping it at lower temperatures, the same or raising it because it's so dang cold?

What do you keep your thermostat temps at during the day when you are home (in degrees Fahrenheit)?

DIY Life article - Living without heat

Here's another article that came out yesterday that mentions the Freeze Yer Buns challenge. It's called Making News: People Who Live Without Heat By Choice.

The most interesting thing about these articles is reading the comments. My post tomorrow will address some of the issues I keep seeing crop up with the general public's response to the challenge.

Globe and Mail article

Here's the article about Freezing Yer Buns in the Canadian newspaper, The Globe and Mail, titled My war on the heating bill: I’m buying slippers. It all sounds rather reasonable to reduce the heat, no?

Snuggie Sutra - don't Freeze Yer Bits

I'm going to be on a local news station next week talking about the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge, and I was preparing some information for them to make graphs and whatnot when I stumbled upon this really funny website, The Snuggie Sutra.

For those of you who are lowering your thermostat to save money this winter and to reduce your carbon footprint, you may have run across problems when it comes to getting it on. Given the fact that the ambient air temperature in your bedroom may be a bit too nippy when you're fully naked, the author of this site has come up with some suggestions of how to work your Snuggie into your lovemaking. In other words, it's the Kama Sutra, but with Snuggies.

Now, I'm in no way promoting the Snuggie given the fact that it's a totally unsustainable product and, from what I've heard, really poorly made, but if it keeps you warm enough to lower your thermostat, then go for it! If you are a DIY kinda person, there are tons of patterns online for making your own

And, once you've got your Snuggie or Slanket, spend the rest of this year's Freeze Yer Buns Challenge working your way through the Snuggie Sutra. That's an order.

Image courtesy of The Snuggie Sutra

Related posts:
NY Times: Chilled by Choice
USA Today: Freeze Yer Buns Challenge
Freeze Yer Buns Challenge

NY Times - Chilled by Choice

Holy smokes! I'm in the NY Times again today. This time they are referencing my Freeze Yer Buns Challenge, but mostly talking about folks who use no heat.

I have to admit that I think people who live in sub-freezing and 15 degree temperatures are a bit off their rockers. But, either way, it's interesting to read their attitudes about the cold.

So, go check out the article! And come back and tell me what you think about going with no heat. Would you do it?

USA Today freeze yer buns challenge

For those of you stopping by after reading about the Freeze Yer Buns Challenge on USA Today and you are interested in participating, you can sign up and pledge what you will be keeping your thermostat at for morning and night temperatures.

As mentioned in the article, we managed to save about $800 last year on our heating costs mostly by lowering the thermostat, but also by using less oil heat and using space heaters to heat the rooms we are in rather than heating the whole house. It doesn't make sense to spend the energy and money on heating rooms we aren't occupying, so if you don't like having a cold room, but are interested in lowering your energy costs, consider the space heater option.

If you are interested to read how people are negotiating the thermostat wars in their homes, you can check out this post. I also have posts on making your own draft dodger, bed warmers and information about winter window treatments to keep the heat in and the cold out.

Finally, for those of you concerned about the environmental impact of wood heat, most consider wood to be carbon neutral because during the lifetime of the tree, it has removed as much greenhouse gases from the atmosphere as it emits when burnt. I'm not exactly advocating wood heat since I believe there are cleaner energy sources that can be used (particularly if you live in an area that has a green energy program), but it's a common comment about heating with wood.

For my regular readers, do not, I repeat, do not read the comments on the USA Today article unless you like grinding your crackers. If this is a representative sample of the opinion of most Americans regarding our collective carbon footprint we're, well, doomed.

Negotiating the thermostat wars

Okay, so you're not exactly negotiating "with" the thermostat, but with other members of your household. I had a discussion with a co-worker yesterday about this very problem.

I was telling him how I was interviewed last week by USA Today about lowering your thermostat to not only save money, but to lower your carbon footprint and he asked me how he can keep his thermostat low. At first I didn't know what he was getting at, but, apparently, his girlfriend likes to keep the thermostat at 74 degrees when she visits. At a minimum. He's happy with it at 68 or lower.

I suggested that he get her a Snuggie for Christmas so she had portable warmth. And to make sure she kept a pair of slippers and/or fleece jacket, etc. at his house. We talked a little bit more about his dilemma and then I told him that we use a space heater to warm up the rooms that we are in rather than heating up the whole house to a higher temperature. We saved about $800 last year by doing this. He remembered that he had a space heater stored in the garage and was ecstatic to try that out on her.

I hope I helped him resolve the issues he has with keeping his girlfriend happy and warm without having thermostat wars. And prevent risking that she not come back over again until the spring thaw. It's always amazing how these sorts of things cause strife in relationships.

Do you find that you are playing thermostat wars with your kids, roommates, spouse or others? Is it a losing battle or are you making any progress in convincing others that you can, indeed, survive in a house that is kept at less than 70 degrees?

Freeze Yer Buns Challenge 2009

Holy smokes! It's nigh time for the third annual Freeze Yer Buns Challenge. The first year we had great participation and last year there were tons of you giving your thermostat the finger, so this year I'm expecting even more frozen crunchy bottoms.

Because of the economic situation, most everyone is tightening up their purse strings, plus heating costs (oil, natural gas and electricity) aren't exactly cheap, so you have even more incentive to hop on board the chapped cheeks express.

This year, as per usual, we'll all share hints and tips for keeping the thermostat low without really freezing our buns off. For those of you who use a form of heating without a thermostat, you are still invited to play. The challenge for you is to use less fuel.

Since I know a lot of you can't commit to as low temperatures as others, it's just fine if you pledge to drop it down one degree or so from where you usually keep it. Even that makes a huge difference. You'll find that, as the winter wears on, you'll be able to drop it lower as you adjust to the new, lower temperatures. So, if you don't want to take the icy plunge, don't feel like you have to drop it 10 degrees right away.

To sign up for the challenge, add a comment to this post and pledge what temperatures you will keep your thermostat. I'm wimping out this year and pledging for 65 day and 58 night. You are more than welcome to meander through the posts from last year's challenge if you want to know what you're in for.

As in the first year, this year's challenge mascot is the Arctic Seal. That roly poly little snow covered baby seal needs our help. Help prevent his extinction by preserving the Arctic environment by using less energy, reducing the amount of CO2 added to the atmosphere and stopping global climate change.

How low can you go?