News about the environment is depressing. Depression really sucks and, even worse, it doesn't help the environment. SO, if you care about the fate of the planet, stop watching the news. Seriously, turn off the TV or your laptop—boom, you've done something for the environment, you're using less power, global warming is slowed. Repeat.

You've heard this before. It's true, of course, but since we've gotten intimate with our utilities over the last 6 years of living on boats, I've noticed a few things. One is how good it feels to get away from the news as well as doing something about our footprint on the planet. Here's how we roll vis-à-vis power.

A monitor that shows how much electricity is currently being consumed (or produced, but we'll get to that) helps this process of using less along mightily. Put it in a place that's hard to miss--it will draw your attention like a flickering flame. Putting a number to how much power you're using when different devices go on and off really catches your attention and helps promote shutting things down and replacing the ones you can't give up with more efficient models.

This is the low hanging fruit. Energy conservation is WAY cheaper, easier and better-for-the-planet than ANY form of energy production. Look it up. So, turn it off--lights, pumps, motors etc etc. Anything that you can't stand to turn off, take that thing and sell it on eBay or Craigslist then replace it with one that uses less power. This is real, this is positive, this is good for you and everybody else. But you're not going to do it unless that little monitor is constantly rubbing your face in it, so get one, they're relentless, news you can use.

to be continued...