Conserving energy, or pinching pennies?

I started to notice something about myself today as I sat in my still relatively new apartment. Besides the fact that I still have unemptied boxes in most rooms and nothing on my walls, I realized that I was conserving electricity. This may sound silly or maybe even practical - who doesn't want to conserve energy? - but for me, it was a revelation.

When I lived at home, I usually didn't think twice about turning on the air conditioner on a hot summer day. I might have left lights on when I left a room by accident or forgotten to turn off the television when I stepped out for a bit. Even living in the dorms at college, sometimes these things would slip my mind. I didn't do them on purpose, of course, but I never really thought about.

But this morning I sat in my living room watching television & sweating because I didn't want to turn on my AC. I had the one in my bedroom on all night, and it really wasn't that warm, I kept telling myself. Whenever I leave a room in my apartment I am certain to shut off the lights or turn off the tube. Why am I now so insistent on saving power when I can?

I'd love to say that I was trying to be part of the energy conservation movement, to avoid blackouts such as the recent one in Queens (during which my parents had no power for a week and a half, mind you). However, my reasons are not so noble.

Now, living on my own and paying my own bills, I am trying to save money wherever I can. Electricity is just one of the bills on my list, and the easiest to manipulate. Other bills - rent, cable/internet/phone, etc. - are always a fixed price. Bills for things such as electricity, gas for my car, food shopping, etc., depend on my needs and usage. I guess I'm going to be cutting corners wherever I can.

This blog entry is making me appreciate my family even more than I do now. Thanks, mom and dad, for being so great and letting me get away with all that electricity-burning activity. You guys rock!