A Challenge for YOU!

I'm not sure how many readers are aware, but I have been a 'clothes line gal' for a while, was raised with one as a matter of fact, BUT. (confession time) .I've not use it to it's fullest extent. I know, bad girl, but with this years mantra and a great desire to reduce a few things, (namely my 'carbon footprint', and my electric bill), I have taken a vow of....uhmm what shall I call this..a vow of...poverty? no, chastity? oh heavens no, dependence?...well, I can't use that cuz I'm still dependent on electric for 'other' things.
Let's just say it's a vow to reduce! Yeah, that's the ticket.
I have vowed to not use my dishwasher or my dryer as long as possible.
I've been at this since Oct/Nov of last year and in that time, I can say I've used my dryer twice, for 20 minutes each time when it started raining and I had to grab my not quite dry clothes off the line. I now have an inside drying rack so hopefully that will not happen again.
Now, the dishwasher. Hmm how to explain this one? I use it everyday. Not electrically though. Instead of removing the electric vampire demon, I use it as my 'drainboard'. I wash dishes by-hand in the sink and use the dishwasher to drain them in. Now, because I do this it means that once every month and a 1/2 or so I do have to run it at least on hot a rinse cycle. If I don't what I get is, standing water in the bottom. Since we have well water with lots of natural minerals, leaving well water to 'sit' is not a good idea!

So since Jan 1 of this year, I have used neither the dishwasher or the dryer. Since I will have to run the dishwasher once every 6-8 weeks or so I'll make sure it's FULL of stuff of course but if I can stretch it to once every 2 months, that means only 6x's in a year. That's a good thing since reduction is the goal and last year, prior to Oct/Nov I ran it at least every other day. (sometimes more depending)

So the challenge is out there for all you Hedgewives. This year, for the year 2011, take a vow to not use your dryer or dishwasher. At least reduce the use of each as much as possible. Want to join the vow?

A Hedgewife Challenge

I have a Challenge for all you Hedgewives out there!
Are you ready for this? I do believe we have all become accustomed to WAY too much technology. I'm guilty of it. I have satellite tv with well over 200 channels, I have a cell phone, I have internet connection, I'm a blogger, and yes, I own a microwave even though I rarely use it, along with many other whizzy gizzy objects that I can't think of right now. Do you have these things? Do you think you can't live without them?
Here's the challenge. Pick ONE DAY to go without these things. No, I'm not telling you to pull the plug on your electric, but for ONE DAY, don't turn on the tv, don't use your cell phone, don't use your microwave, don't use your computer. Turn them off, unplug them, shut them down. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, but for ONE DAY, have a non techno day.

 So here it is Hedgewives:
WEDNESDAY is NO TECHY DAY
Can you do it?
No TV
No Computer
No Cell phone
No Microwave
?????? Join me in this challenge, and see how much we can get accomplished. I DARE YA!