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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (9492)	9/2/2009 11:15:14 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Respond to of 24211

Surviving Recession: Some Sacramentans ditch the AC Published: Tuesday, Sep. 1, 2009 - 12:00 am \| Page 2B Last Modified: Tuesday, Sep. 1, 2009 - 1:57 pm One in an occasional series to help guide you through economic troubles Kara Dobrinski doesn't like to use the air conditioner, because she doesn't want to pay sky-high electricity bills. That's why she sipped a big glass of ice water during an interview in her Elmhurst home on a hot afternoon. Cold drinks make warm summer days more bearable. The Dobrinskis – Kara, 26, a medical sales representative, and her husband, Justin, 28, a commercial real estate broker – want to make it clear that they can afford to run the central air conditioner. They just don't want to. "Even though our salaries haven't been affected by the recession, the economy being down makes you want to live more frugally," said Kara Dobrinski. "We can live with less. "I was brought up in a financially conservative household. My parents were total savers. This is a great time to be more frugal and live below your means." In this age of economic uncertainty, some people have found that cutting back on air conditioning, especially during a relatively mild summer, makes good financial sense. Others do it because it's the environmentally conscious thing to do. While surviving without the air conditioner is hardly a universal trend – as stepping into any chilled office building will tell you – folks who have made the choice feel fairly pleased with themselves during these tough economic times. There's reason to think that people across the country are forgoing the air conditioner to save money, as well. The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute reports that shipments of central air conditioners are down 5 percent compared with last year. And shipments of window units are down almost 40 percent, according to the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. In Sacramento, consumer frugality may have helped contribute to a decrease in electricity usage. During the first three weeks of July, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District reported an 11 percent drop in energy use. "We've seen a decline in general use of energy," said SMUD spokesman Christopher Capra. "What customers are doing individually is hard to determine. A lot has to do with commercial buildings that aren't in use now and empty connections in homes that have been foreclosed. "I can see that there would be a mentality out there of folks trying to wring every bit of energy they can out of a buck. In Sacramento, air conditioning is the biggest usage." In homes built in the 1980s and earlier, he said, the air conditioner can account for up to 40 percent of the monthly energy cost. That's a lot to pay for cold air. "My summer SMUD bill stays in the low $20s," said Jean Ross, California Budget Project executive director. "Wait, let me look." A few clicks on the computer later, she said, "I'm exaggerating slightly. My last bill was $31.43. I think that's higher than I'm used to paying." Unless we're in the middle of a heat wave, Ross said, she relies on ceiling fans, cross breezes and a canopy of shade trees to keep her midtown home cool, not only as a frugality measure but also to reduce her carbon footprint. "I'm fortunate to live in a neighborhood and a house designed for this climate," she said. If you're not ready to go cold turkey, Pacific Gas and Electric's Brian Swanson suggests setting the thermostat to 78 degrees or higher. "Every degree that people set it lower than 78 will add 3 to 5 percent more to their monthly bill," he said. Across town at the Dobrinski house, the drapes are drawn to block the afternoon sun. Every night, the Dobrinskis use their whole-house fan to bring the cool evening air into the house. They grill outside instead of using the oven. When they're home in the mornings, they open the windows to catch the breeze. "Part of it is habit," said Dobrinski. "I'm conscious of how much I spend." sacbee.com