Week of January 15, 2006 to January 21, 2006

When our natural gas bill came last month for Nov. 17 - Dec. 19, 2005 it indicated that we had used 21.2 Decatherms at a cost of $10.71 per.

Add local taxes and fees and the bill totaled $253.74. Imagine my surprise.

I have long felt a drive to move toward alternative energy and energy conservation. This gas bill, along with a hefty electric bill to match, gives me now a reason to act, perhaps quixotically, on that drive.

In trying to conserve electricity we have begun to replace out incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. We have also installed a dimmer on a particularly high-wattage fixture. I am also now driving the family crazy turning off lights anytime a room is left unoccupied for more than 4 seconds. I can easily estimate the net result of these electricity-conserving efforts as I make them. I do this by calculating watts used, watts saved, upgrade costs, etc. In other words, I know many things I can do to save electricity and I can see, even before I do them, how much energy and money I will save.

On the other hand, I am lost when it comes to saving fuel.