Electric/oil Dependance

While yes we do use power/oil and there is not much we can due to stop using it for now. We can reduce our needs for it. We for one only fill up our gas tank once a month and if we get down to only enough gas to get us tot he gas station, well then we don't go anywhere till the month is over.

We are also not using heavy equipment to build here, the most power hungry item we use to "build" right now is our drill for the root cellar. It's slow work, but I feel good about it.

In the city when I lived near Chicago I rarely used a car. If I had to go somewhere I used a bus, that is using less as they -will- be running no matter what (just the amount of runs will change). For areas where bus/train service is spotty the more riders the more "runs" they will have.

The most electric we use during the day is maybe 2 computers and our air goes -OFF- during the hottest part of the day. It only really helps us here during the night so it's a waste of power to use it during the day.

Personally I'd love to have our home set up like an Amish home, and we are planning to buy a hand water pump next spring. Once the full house is done, hell once my cob oven and outdoor stove is done; I'm -NOT- going to be using my electric range/oven. I know of one blogger that isn't using a fridge, but she is using a freezer.

I am hoping that down the line once our chickens start producing we can reduce our fridge use, the big thing we are storing in ours right now is eggs. I know for a fact that fresh eggs can sit out for a day or 2, and with how we eat eggs here they wouldn't last more than 2 days.

I'd like to issue a challenge to all my readers out there... A ONE FILLUP A MONTH challenge! Lets see if you can manage your life and world on one tank of gas a month. I am sure to those who have to drive to work can find other methods of getting to work if they looked. I have seen small towns with bus service, if you plan your day accordingly For those of you who do it post your results!