Simple Cold Weather Ideas

I was so tired of the cold weather. For the last three weeks, we have seen temperatures of minus10-15 Celsius (with the wind chill factor it felt like minus 25 - 30). One afternoon, my friend Sharon was over and I was telling her that I wished I could do something useful with this cold weather. Our heating bill for the month was going to be high as our furnace was on day and night with no relief from the cold in sight.

Sharon laughed at my comment on wishing I could do something with the cold weather. But then, she went on to tell me about her Grandfather. He lived a very simple life but, he was always looking for ways to use what was available to him. She told me that he actually did use the cold weather.

I looked at Sharon as she was telling me this, thinking that she was pulling my leg. But, she went on to tell me that during cold snaps in the winter, he would fill containers with water, put them outside until they froze and then put them in his fridge. His fridge stayed colder thereby resulting in using less electricity. Not a bad idea, I thought. We had plenty of empty plastic containers. If I filled them with water, and placed them outside, it would only take a few hours for them to freeze.

What other things did he do during the cold weather, I inquired of Sharon.

Sharon thought for a moment, and then remembered the nights she spent at her Grandfathers. She went on to tell me how the house was always warm, but at night her Grandfather always turned the thermostat down by 5 degrees. And her Grandmother always had an extra quilt for her. She said she was never cold, but she hated to get out of the warmth of her bed in the mornings. However, it didn't take long for the house to warm up. I agree with her Grandfather as we do that now, and it does make a difference!

She laughed as she told me about the trees her Grandfather used to plant. Every year he would plant a few new trees on the north side of the house. He used to say that it helped insulate the house. Her Grandmother used to laugh every time her Grandfather did this. "What do you think," I asked Sharon, "do you think the trees provided insulation?" Sharon shrugged her shoulders and said, "it is hard to say. However, when you think about the north wind factor, I am sure that it made a difference."

So, what started out as a wishful thinking comment ended up with 3 suggestions for cold weather:

- reduce your refrigerators electricity by filling a couple of plastic containers with water and placing them outdoors to freeze (leave room for expansion) - turn your thermostat down by 5 degrees at night, put an extra blanket or quilt on your bed - plant trees to help block the cold winter wind