Efficient Ideas

I am not a fan of buying new in the name of the environment especially if I can repair it or buy it pre-owned, aka used. But lately James and I have been upgrading our eco-profile with a few key purchases. What makes them key is their frequency of use. First came the car. As those who know us know-- James and I have been through an incredible array of vehicles, looking for the perfect configuration for our use. With my daily round-trip commute of seventy miles and two kids, my choice in cars had to meet approximately 75 different needs, now with a 30 mpg minimum. And there she is, my new GTI. Swift, comfortable, with every bell and whistle, and 33 mpg on the highway. T'was worth ditching the Mercedes.
As for the Breville Smart Oven, James is a big proponent of conseriving energy by using convection or toaster ovens instead of heating up our large wall oven. This one replaces ten years of subpar toaster ovens now residing in landfills; one had a temp control handle snap in two, another sparked and caught on fire. The Breville is a beauty-- and though it cost more than the others, it still costs less than the four of them combined. Ask me how it roasts, c'mon, ask me! Pure, energy efficient joy.
The last upgrade was LED bulbs. Pulling less energy than even a CFL, and far less than incandescent bulbs, they even direct light downward, causing less light pollution when used outside. For more on lightbulbs, check out modernemama's take on them.
So despite my quest to reduce my consumption, these ideas were simply too efficient to bypass.