I would love to get my hands on a kw machine and find the culprit -
Im really out of ideas.

I appreciate all the advice everyone has sent - unfortunately we
already do most of these things...

we power down everything that's not actually in use as far as TV,
Vcr, etc, coffee machine, computer is only on when we're actually
working on it, then its all powered down at the wall. The only
things that aren't are the stove/microwave, and only because I can't
reach the outlet.

Our thermostat is low in the winter, and during the day its off a lot
of the time. I turn it way down if we are leaving the house (it
basically only heats us in the evening and first thing in the
morning). Unless its Really cold.

In summer I don't turn the air on until the temp in the house is
between 82-85, although I don't have a problem with my summer bills
at all - only my Dec-Feb ones.

My neighbour is convinced that the kids going in and out are the
problem, and that may be, because they do play out a lot in the
winter. In the summer the pool is up so they are more restricted
having to be supervised when they play outside.

I dont' know - I have neighbours with similar size houses using the
same elec. co. with dryers and appliances that are always on and
their bills are half mine right now?!

Maybe I should lock the kids in the house, or OUTSIDE the house LOL

--- In texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com, "Dee C." <datazmom@...>
wrote:
>
> We have central heat and air with a programmable thermostat . I
have lowered the temps for winter and raised them in summer . When we
are not home or sleeping under covers anyway the heat goes down even
further . I am a stay at home mom and don't care for the heater in
the daytime anyway so it is set really low . About the only time heat
is actually on is in the evening and in the morning when the kids are
showering and getting ready for bed or for school . I won't have the
AC on much either , set that up higher so it saves on the bill and
the environment . When we are not here I set it up even higher so it
won't likely come on at all .
>
>
> Love ya later , Dee C.
>
> God Bless the USA !!!!!!
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo!
Search.
>

I would love to get my hands on a kw machine and find the culprit -
Im really out of ideas.

I appreciate all the advice everyone has sent - unfortunately we
already do most of these things...

we power down everything that's not actually in use as far as TV,
Vcr, etc, coffee machine, computer is only on when we're actually
working on it, then its all powered down at the wall.  The only
things that aren't are the stove/microwave, and only because I can't
reach the outlet.

Our thermostat is low in the winter, and during the day its off a lot
of the time.  I turn it way down if we are leaving the house (it
basically only heats us in the evening and first thing in the
morning).  Unless its Really cold.

In summer I don't turn the air on until the temp in the house is
between 82-85, although I don't have a problem with my summer bills
at all - only my Dec-Feb ones.

My neighbour is convinced that the kids going in and out are the
problem, and that may be, because they do play out a lot in the
winter.  In the summer the pool is up so they are more restricted
having to be supervised when they play outside.

I dont' know - I have neighbours with similar size houses using the
same elec. co. with dryers and appliances that are always on and
their bills are half mine right now?!

Maybe I should lock the kids in the house, or OUTSIDE the house LOL

--- In texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com, "Dee C." <datazmom@...>
wrote:
>
> We have central heat and air with a programmable thermostat . I
have lowered the temps for winter and raised them in summer . When we
are not home or sleeping under covers anyway the heat goes down even
further . I am a stay at home mom and don't care for the heater in
the daytime anyway so it is set really low . About the only time heat
is actually on is in the evening and in the morning when the kids are
showering and getting ready for bed or for school . I won't have the
AC on much either , set that up higher so it saves on the bill and
the environment . When we are not here I set it up even higher so it
won't likely come on at all .
>
>
> Love ya later , Dee C.
>
> God Bless the USA !!!!!!
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Looking for last minute shopping deals?  Find them fast with Yahoo!
Search.
>

Love ya later , Dee C.

God Bless the USA !!!!!!

---

To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com
From: catz@...
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:26:03 -0600
Subject: [texomagreengroup] Market folder to be organized for this group

Hey everyone, our member named Julie aka nmhammer3408 got a great idea for a market folder that will allow members to make listings to sell their produce, eggs, etc. I made her a moderator in order to give her expanded privileges with the yahoo group folder system. She'll email the group separately and explain how it's all going to work. She's going to manage the market folder.

You all have inspired me to get involved.  Already we have 43 members,
which is great and 46 messages, not counting any being written at the
moment.  To gather and better organize our information, I am asking you
to participate in the Poll so I can do what we what.  I am going to
guess that I will make more polls when I need info. I promise no silly
or pop culture polls.
This poll expires on the 7th, gives everyone time to respond and time
for me to get started.
Thanks
Julie

----- Original Message -----

From: Traci Roberts

To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 4:19 PM

Subject: RE: [texomagreengroup] Re: I'm new, and have a question

Maybe we could look into getting one started here. I do not have any expereince, but am willing to learn.
 
Traci

---

To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com
From: nmhammer3408@yahoo.com
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:13:58 +0000
Subject: [texomagreengroup] Re: I'm new, and have a question

Thank you for that info on the organic buying club. Is it a coop or
store and what are the fees? Do they list their sources?

I would share a small portion of the meat, there is only the two of
us and we are finding fish and chicken is our primary choices. I
sometime think that it is easier to eat more meatless meals. Our
tastes have changed, beef is far less appealing that it used to be.
Julie

-- In texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com, "Cathy" <catz@...> wrote:
>
> Melody, I understand the problem. I buy +90% organic, and the meat
is the hardest part.
>
> I buy meat through an organic buying club in Graham at reasonable
prices (wholesale), but the big problem with that is I have to buy
entire cases and I've never been able to find anyone to split cases
with me.
>
> You're right about the Mesquite Valley milk being better than
organic. It hasn't been centrifuged, homogenized, and ultra
pasteurized. Organic Valley and Horizon have been through all of
those processes, which strips a large amount of the nutrients, and
alters the proteins and fats into harmful forms.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Melody
> To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:44 AM
> Subject: [texomagreengroup] I'm new, and have a question
>
>
> First of all, hi and nice to meet you all! My name is Melody and I
> live here in WF. I have been recently trying to eat healthier and
buy
> more organic foods. Currently I buy mostly organic milk, eggs, and
> some veggies. Actually, the milk I buy is the Mesquite Valley
Farms
> which is not certified organic, but is closer than the other
stuff on
> the shelves! I agree with the person who said wish I could get raw
> milk, but I do love the Mesquite Valley. We used to get Family Cow
> before they went out of business. Anyway, I was wondering... Does
> anyone know where I can get organic meats that do not break the
bank?
> We have seen some at Market Street, but they are SOO expensive!
Thanks.
>

---

Helping your favorite cause is as easy as instant messaging. You IM, we give. Learn more.

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
texomagreengroup group:

This group has such great people.  I see that we want to live a clean and
healthy lives while saving resources. There is so much we can share but to keep
it organized we need priorities.
So thats why the poll.  I have the time to manage a folder or database for the
group, but I want to start with what is important to you all. So from the
choices, please mark the 3 you would like to me work on first.


   o Receipe Book-general
   o Energy saving tips
   o Goods & Services folder
   o Organic Gardening tips
   o recipes and tips for food preservation
   o Kudos and Warnings (local business)
   o Easy Does It- Green Living Tips


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/texomagreengroup/surveys?id=2005109

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

----- Original Message -----

From: nmhammer3408

To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 3:13 PM

Subject: [texomagreengroup] Re: I'm new, and have a question

Thank you for that info on the organic buying club. Is it a coop or
store and what are the fees? Do they list their sources?

I would share a small portion of the meat, there is only the two of
us and we are finding fish and chicken is our primary choices. I
sometime think that it is easier to eat more meatless meals. Our
tastes have changed, beef is far less appealing that it used to be.
Julie

-- In texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com, "Cathy" <catz@...> wrote:
>
> Melody, I understand the problem. I buy +90% organic, and the meat
is the hardest part.
>
> I buy meat through an organic buying club in Graham at reasonable
prices (wholesale), but the big problem with that is I have to buy
entire cases and I've never been able to find anyone to split cases
with me.
>
> You're right about the Mesquite Valley milk being better than
organic. It hasn't been centrifuged, homogenized, and ultra
pasteurized. Organic Valley and Horizon have been through all of
those processes, which strips a large amount of the nutrients, and
alters the proteins and fats into harmful forms.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Melody
> To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:44 AM
> Subject: [texomagreengroup] I'm new, and have a question
>
>
> First of all, hi and nice to meet you all! My name is Melody and I
> live here in WF. I have been recently trying to eat healthier and
buy
> more organic foods. Currently I buy mostly organic milk, eggs, and
> some veggies. Actually, the milk I buy is the Mesquite Valley
Farms
> which is not certified organic, but is closer than the other
stuff on
> the shelves! I agree with the person who said wish I could get raw
> milk, but I do love the Mesquite Valley. We used to get Family Cow
> before they went out of business. Anyway, I was wondering... Does
> anyone know where I can get organic meats that do not break the
bank?
> We have seen some at Market Street, but they are SOO expensive!
Thanks.
>

If you have one of the city's green recycling cans they pick up on
Wednesdays, you can put cardboard in that.
Dorothy

--- In texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com, "theherberts24"
<theherberts24@...> wrote:
>
> If you have access to the base you can recycle your cardboard there,
at
> the recycling place, near the heritage center.  I take ours every
week
> and have a whole paper grocery bag full, sometimes two.  Its amazing
> how much cardboard you generate from packaging alone.  They also take
> plastic types 1 and 2, all paper, glass, tin and aluminium.
> There are bins at the United on Jacksboro hwy also, Im not sure what
> they take but I will check that out today when Im passing and let you
> know.
> Ren
>

Hi I am Stacy,

I am married with 3 kiddos.
I freecycle, sharing is giving and cheap cycle:)

i do lots online for extra $$.

I also run a Christmas group for local children who cant afford
Christmas.

If ya wanna know anything else just ask


hugs- Stac

Love ya later , Dee C.

God Bless the USA !!!!!!

Some people use a Kill-a-wat machine to see how much wattage each item
uses. Also, I have heard of others powering down anything that uses
electricity at night such as a stereo or microwave.

Hello, my name is Dorothy.  I grew up on a farm. I loved the outdoors
and since we didn't have any trash pickup, I learned that lots of
things don't go away.

For those interested in gardening:  Our climate can be tough.  The
County Extension office, now called Texas Agri-Life something, has
lists of plants that do better in this area.  There is also a
horticulturist on the staff.  All their services are free.  They are
located on the second floor of the County Annex, on 6th and Scott. (The
same building where you register your vehicles.)  Go in on the 6th
street side through the metal door, not the glass door.  There is an
elevator if you go through the door on the side of the stairs.

Love ya later , Dee C.

God Bless the USA !!!!!!

If you have access to the base you can recycle your cardboard there, at
the recycling place, near the heritage center.  I take ours every week
and have a whole paper grocery bag full, sometimes two.  Its amazing
how much cardboard you generate from packaging alone.  They also take
plastic types 1 and 2, all paper, glass, tin and aluminium.
There are bins at the United on Jacksboro hwy also, Im not sure what
they take but I will check that out today when Im passing and let you
know.
Ren

Some people use a Kill-a-wat machine to see how much wattage each item
uses. Also, I have heard of others powering down anything that uses
electricity at night such as a stereo or microwave.

----- Original Message -----

From: scottwchtflls

To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:04 PM

Subject: [texomagreengroup] cardboard recycling

Does anyone know some place that recycles cardboard, I started recyling
cardboard boxes and other items and you'd be amazed at how much we use
but never pay attention it it or recycling it. Look at the cereal
boxes, the boxes toothpaste, some medications, ink cartiges for our
printer and the other ites we use on a daily bases. Since I have
started putting these items aside, along with plastic items (bottles,
shopping bags, the wrappers from food items, plastic packages that are
used by a lot of companies for selling kitchen knives to toys. You kno
those pesky plastic packages that are so hard to open that you usually
have to cut up the whole package just to get it open. Since I have
started doing this with the cardboard and plastic items, my garbage can
is empty!! I know many people take and recycle the plastic bags to Wal-
mart but why stop there. Take all those plastic water bottles, the
empty soda and juice boxes, and any other plastic item you may have in
the floorboard of your car. If anyone knows ofa place to take
cardboard,please let me know! Thanks and I think this a great idea that
we need to spread around to our family and friends, let's get recycling
all those things that we can but we don't.
-Scott

Love ya later , Dee C.

God Bless the USA !!!!!!

Does anyone know some place that recycles cardboard, I started recyling
cardboard boxes and other items and you'd be amazed at how much we use
but never pay attention it it or recycling it. Look at the cereal
boxes, the boxes toothpaste, some medications, ink cartiges for our
printer and the other ites we use on a daily bases. Since I have
started putting these items aside, along with plastic items (bottles,
shopping bags, the wrappers from food items, plastic packages that are
used by a lot of companies for selling kitchen knives to toys. You kno
those pesky plastic packages that are so hard to open that you usually
have to cut up the whole package just to get it open. Since I have
started doing this with the cardboard and plastic items, my garbage can
is empty!! I know many people take and recycle the plastic bags to Wal-
mart but why stop there. Take all those plastic water bottles, the
empty soda and juice boxes, and any other plastic item you may have in
the floorboard of your car. If anyone knows ofa place to take
cardboard,please let me know! Thanks and I think this a great idea that
we need to spread around to our family and friends, let's get recycling
all those things that we can but we don't.
-Scott

Welcome...
I am sure you just hit a big button for most of us here.  $300.
electric bills!  I just about fell out when I got my first winter
electric bill last year after we moved to WF.  If it is any
consolation, Texas is not the most expensive state for electricity,
it is higher in the New England states and CA and Hawaii (duh).

Neverless, knowing that we were going to build an all electric house,
we started practicing living cheap in the rental.  Theromstat lives
at 68 in the winter and 80 in the summer. Set it a 55 or 60 in the
winter depending on the how bad the bones hurt. Change the filter
monthly. Since this is an old house, we have put plastic on the
windows, and this year I bought fleece when it was on sale to use as
window blankets. This has been critical since the windows are metal
frames and single glass. Put the chaulk string (1/4" rolled putty) in
the gaps where the windows meet. We open the curtains if the sun is
shining. Checked and replaced weather stripping on all the doors.
With a new house things to look at include the type of window you
have, our new house in Albuquerque had metal windows. They would get
so cold, just sucked the heat out. Used plastic film to cut that
loss. Stapled white fleece sized to cover the window on a piece of
lathe and screwed it flush to the wall above the window on the north
side of the house, let all that New Mexico sunshine in on the other
sides.
Other savings includes insulating the hotwater pipes where ever they
are exposed, particularly if the hot water heater is in the garage.
What made me really aware of our usage was doing the calculation to
determine how many solar panels I would need to maintain our life
style.  Hmmm.... need to change my lifestyle or win the lottery.  I
hate being cold all winter, despite 3 layers of clothes and can
tolerate only so much heat in the summer, but believe or not guys,
our summers aren't that bad, humidity is tolerable most days.
What else do folks do? Didn't mention the wood stove, I'm saving it
for the next topic.
Julie

--- In texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com, "theherberts24"
<theherberts24@...> wrote:
>
> Hello, my name is Ren.
> Im a SAH HS mum of 4 and we're trying to get a little greener all
the
> time.  We switched to cloth grocery bags recently, I bought mine at
> the commissary, they were very reasonable, I just added 1 or 2 to
my
> shopping cart each week until we had enough.  The baggers there do
a
> great job of packing them well but I have had some funny looks at
> Walmart when I have shopped there.  Not that I care really LOL
> We have been here for 4˝ years.  I would like to have a garden but
> our back yard floods most summers and Im not sure I would like to
eat
> anything that has sat in 'that' water but I might check out the
idea
> of using the plastic wade pools, we could probably raise them up
> enough to keep them out of the water.  It would be a great project
> for my kids.  I have one who loves to garden.
> We have had chickens since we moved here.  We don't have a light,
> yet, so we don't get many eggs in winter (this year we had none and
I
> had to buy supermarket eggs for the first time in years - yikes
they
> are expensive. In summer we sell them and that covers the cost of
> feed.  We have raised a few cows since we've lived here and I would
> love to get a milk cow.  We also started recycling about a year
ago,
> and I am constantly amazed at how much recycling we get that used
to
> just go in the trash.  I would like to compost but I dont know much
> about it, and Im not sure what I would use...our chickens get all
the
> non-meat food scraps, we don't pick up our grass clippings apart
from
> coffee grinds and tea bags Im not sure what I would use.  Any
> composting help would be appreciated.  Im also REALLY BIG on energy
> conservation (mainly because I don't like paying big electric
bills)
> we turn off everything at the wall, when we're not using it,
> including TV, VCR, etc. we use an energy efficient washer and wash
on
> cold and we line dry everything (I actually donated our old dryer
> because it was too much of a temptation on cold days).  We're cold
in
> winter, hot in summer, use energy saving light bulbs and have a new
> house - yet we have had a depressing $300 electric bill the past 2
> months - so Im desperate for advice here.
> Thanks Ren
>

Love ya later , Dee C.

God Bless the USA !!!!!!

Love ya later , Dee C.

God Bless the USA !!!!!!

---

To: texomagreengroup@yahoogroups.com
From: theherberts24@...
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:30:38 +0000
Subject: [texomagreengroup] Hello

Hello, my name is Ren.
Im a SAH HS mum of 4 and we're trying to get a little greener all the
time. We switched to cloth grocery bags recently, I bought mine at
the commissary, they were very reasonable, I just added 1 or 2 to my
shopping cart each week until we had enough. The baggers there do a
great job of packing them well but I have had some funny looks at
Walmart when I have shopped there. Not that I care really LOL
We have been here for 4˝ years. I would like to have a garden but
our back yard floods most summers and Im not sure I would like to eat
anything that has sat in 'that' water but I might check out the idea
of using the plastic wade pools, we could probably raise them up
enough to keep them out of the water. It would be a great project
for my kids. I have one who loves to garden.
We have had chickens since we moved here. We don't have a light,
yet, so we don't get many eggs in winter (this year we had none and I
had to buy supermarket eggs for the first time in years - yikes they
are expensive. In summer we sell them and that covers the cost of
feed. We have raised a few cows since we've lived here and I would
love to get a milk cow. We also started recycling about a year ago,
and I am constantly amazed at how much recycling we get that used to
just go in the trash. I would like to compost but I dont know much
about it, and Im not sure what I would use...our chickens get all the
non-meat food scraps, we don't pick up our grass clippings apart from
coffee grinds and tea bags Im not sure what I would use. Any
composting help would be appreciated. Im also REALLY BIG on energy
conservation (mainly because I don't like paying big electric bills)
we turn off everything at the wall, when we're not using it,
including TV, VCR, etc. we use an energy efficient washer and wash on
cold and we line dry everything (I actually donated our old dryer
because it was too much of a temptation on cold days). We're cold in
winter, hot in summer, use energy saving light bulbs and have a new
house - yet we have had a depressing $300 electric bill the past 2
months - so Im desperate for advice here.
Thanks Ren

Hello, my name is Ren.
Im a SAH HS mum of 4 and we're trying to get a little greener all the
time.  We switched to cloth grocery bags recently, I bought mine at
the commissary, they were very reasonable, I just added 1 or 2 to my
shopping cart each week until we had enough.  The baggers there do a
great job of packing them well but I have had some funny looks at
Walmart when I have shopped there.  Not that I care really LOL
We have been here for 4˝ years.  I would like to have a garden but
our back yard floods most summers and Im not sure I would like to eat
anything that has sat in 'that' water but I might check out the idea
of using the plastic wade pools, we could probably raise them up
enough to keep them out of the water.  It would be a great project
for my kids.  I have one who loves to garden.
We have had chickens since we moved here.  We don't have a light,
yet, so we don't get many eggs in winter (this year we had none and I
had to buy supermarket eggs for the first time in years - yikes they
are expensive. In summer we sell them and that covers the cost of
feed.  We have raised a few cows since we've lived here and I would
love to get a milk cow.  We also started recycling about a year ago,
and I am constantly amazed at how much recycling we get that used to
just go in the trash.  I would like to compost but I dont know much
about it, and Im not sure what I would use...our chickens get all the
non-meat food scraps, we don't pick up our grass clippings apart from
coffee grinds and tea bags Im not sure what I would use.  Any
composting help would be appreciated.  Im also REALLY BIG on energy
conservation (mainly because I don't like paying big electric bills)
we turn off everything at the wall, when we're not using it,
including TV, VCR, etc. we use an energy efficient washer and wash on
cold and we line dry everything (I actually donated our old dryer
because it was too much of a temptation on cold days).  We're cold in
winter, hot in summer, use energy saving light bulbs and have a new
house - yet we have had a depressing $300 electric bill the past 2
months - so Im desperate for advice here.
Thanks Ren

Let's make this a great group. Feel free to introduce yourself.

I'm the founder of this group. My name is Cathy and I live in Byers. I
have a great deal of knowledge I'm eager to share with everyone.