New Frugality is Greening America
The number of people who view four of the most energy-intensive appliances as a necessity has tumbled by double digit percentage points between 2006 and 2009, reversing a long-term persistently upward trend in what has been considered essential to the good life.
The Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends survey shows people have shifted their perception of what they really need in the home:
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From 2006 to 2009 - here’s some big changes Americans have made in what they see as essential in their personal lives:
17 percent fewer now view a clothes dryer as a necessity.
Air conditioners; 16 percent drop as a must-have.
Dishwashers; a 14 percent drop.
Television dropped 12 percent.
20 percent have already started doing more of their own yard work and another 21 percent plan to plant a vegetable garden.
Of the energy hogs in our lives - only refrigerators and cars stayed on the must-have list. (And Americans are rushing to trade in the clunkers for more fuel efficient ones!)
This seismic shift in American values changed direction in 2006.
Katrina was in 2005, as was Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth. The shifts have occurred among adults in all income brackets. Just saying. Perhaps the econo-apocalypse was only partly the cause of the change. Whatever, it’s all good.
Image from Flikr user jennifer helen
Via Consumer Reports
The wording of any poll is very important. This one was fishing for a negative reply and they got it. Big surprise!
After my husband and I retired, we installed solar panels on our roof using the financial assistance of a government subsidy available at the time. This system has all but eliminated the need for our already energy efficient air conditioner because the panels create an air space between them and the roof. The temperatures here can reach between 100 and 110 at the most extreme during the summer. After six months of little or no rain, we get almost constant rain for several months in our winter. Although I am able to use our energy efficient dryer much less for much of the year, I must admit, it does a nicer to the touch job on towels and eliminates the extra work of hanging sheets and blankets. All in all, over the past two years, we feed more energy into the grid than we use, giving us the access to our admittedly luxury appliances when we need them. I must admit to feeling spoiled and very fortunate to have the wonderful appliances in our home. The installation of our solar system is what alleviates the guilt I would otherwise be prone to feel with so many labor saving devices. For anyone considering the installation of a solar system, but leary of the cost, here is a thought. The cost of the panels is less than any new vehicle on the block, and unlike a new vehicle, over the course of a few years, gives you back all of your money. We already own 15 year old vehicles which get nearly 30 miles per gallon, so the cash for clunkers doesn’t apply to us. We are very excited about the current development of more and more fuel efficient and alternative vehicles and look forward to going that way with our next purchase, as funds allow. I think we all have a great deal to be thankful for as we move toward a cleaner, healthier and sustainable life on earth.
Good for you!
“The installation of our solar system is what alleviates the guilt I would otherwise be prone to feel with so many labor saving devices”
But when you make your own clean energy with solar, there’s no reason to feel guilty about using electricity!
It is wonderful hearing about the energy efficiency these folks have achieved. Unfortunately, the many tens of thousands of us in sunny California who must rent due to being priced out of ownership cannot do this. Renters have to pay all utilities, so landlords don’t care how inefficient appliances are and how poorly insulated and leaky their apartments are and would NEVER consider solar panels. Isn’t here some way to get landlords to do something?