External Temperature: between 0-4
Room Temperature (without heater): 7
Room Temperature (with heater): 12, Under my blanket is warmer. I’m not sure how to measure the temperature/heat generated from my blanket.
Time spent with heater on today: 20 hours both days with heated blanket
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Food for Thought
Over the weekend, I was home pretty much the entire weekend. Very lazy, and home. I tried not to use my temperature on my heated blanket above 4 (out of 8 ) — because I wasn’t coming and going from my house, I was pretty comfortable, and stayed at a pretty consistent body temperature. Not too much use for serious heating. However, Monday morning — it was freezing. After my warm bath, it was soooo cold getting dressed for work. I caved and turned all of my heating devices on for a few minutes to warm up. Kerosene, blanket, and electric standing heater. Only for about 5 minutes, then I gradually turned off each of them. I’ve been using my Kerosene heating really minimally over the past few weeks. In the last two weeks, where I would normally finish off an entire blue kerosene container –I haven’t even finished a third of a tank! Sweet! But it sure does help to warm up the feet after sitting at work, or when getting out of the shower.  I read somewhere that if you put an ice cube in you mouth after your bath/shower you will feel warmer when you get out. Your body temperature will be tricked, or something. I should try it…..but putting ice in my mouth when I can see my breath in the air anyway doesn’t really sound that appealing.

Cheers,
E

It’s a bit warmer outside. Rain melted all of the snow. But still, it seems colder in my school and in my apartment than outside. Stupid concrete buildings. I wonder if they made everything out of cement so that it would last longer? I know my apartment is particularly old….as is my school….so it’s a pretty good theory. I’ve been making an effort recently to eat more “local” foods from the grocery. I Usually there is one or two veggies and one fruit that is cheap…..so I’m assuming those are the more “in season/local” foods. But then again, is anything really all that local in Japan? I mean, do they honestly grow their own tangerines? I’m not sure. Not where I’m living, that’s for sure.

Cheers,
E

Here we go!

External Temperature: 0
Room Temperature (without heater): 7
Room Temperature (with heater): idk, but I’m warm!
Time spent with heater on today: new technique, see below!
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Food for Thought
Today I busted out the electric blanket. AND I bought myself a down blanket. WHAT a difference! The electric blanket warms a cocoon under my new down blanket which is more than enough to keep me warm! It’s lovely. However, I’m not sure that it is more energy efficient. I mean, I haven’t powered up my kerosene or my electric heater, the blankets seem to be enough (however the air outside of my cocoon is quite chilly. My opinion is that while I leave my blanket running longer than I would my kerosene or my other electric standing heater — it draws less energy. I say this because: in my apartment you can only run 1 major appliance. For example, if you run the microwave, you can’t also run an air conditioner. Likewise for my kerosene and standing electric heaters. But, there doesn’t seem to be a strain on the system when my electric blanket is running. I know I know, it is supposed to be dangerous to sleep with an electric blanket, but I don’t think it’s any more dangerous than my other options. So yeah, if it is using less electrical energy, and not producing a kerosene by-product — doesn’t that make it better? Drawbacks, if I wanna do anything outside of my bed, it’s really cold. Promotes lazyness when I’m at home. But I’m in love with my knew heat retaining down blanket. In love. What do you think?

Cheers,
E

Stay tuned for some pictures tomorrow!

Cheers,
E

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Food for Thought

After my nap after work, I turned the heat down to 16, and left it there all evening (till it turns off). I find if I’m doing anything (moving around, cooking etc) I don’t really need any heat (which is good, cuz my kitchen is not heated) but when I’m home marking, or watching a movie — the body goes cold pretty quick. Dropping the temperature down to 16 seems to have changed the gear of my heater. It doesn’t seem to blast the same toasty heat that warms me up. But it is reasonable to wear more clothing.  When I get paid next monday, I’m going to insulate my room. I think it loses a lot of heat. Especially since I have a hole in one of my walls mOm (doh!).
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As I mentioned earlier, Tokyo Station is trying out a new energy conservation system to power their station by using the energy created by people walking on the floors at their station.  Here is one article about it (I’m sure there are many others) http://cleantechnica.com/2008/12/04/tokyo-train-station-testing-power-generating-floor/
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Basically it says that they are starting an energy experiment beginning “…on December 10 and continu[ing] until February 2009. The power-generating floor will cover an area of 25m squared and will be installed at 7 ticket gates and 7 staircase steps inside the gate. The company expects the floors to produce 1,400 kW/sec each day. If the piezoelectric experiment is successful, the train station floors will ultimately be used to power ticket gates and electronic display systems.”
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Sounds pretty cool to me! I mean, if that energy is being generated pretty naturally from the sheer usage of the station –what an awesome way to reuse it to power the station!! Gambatte Tokyo! I’m going to Tokyo Station on December 20th, so I will try to see if I can find the special flooring! (but the station is always a zoo, so no promises!)

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Cheers,

E

External Temperature: 8 Degrees
Room Temperature without heater: 10 Degrees
Room Temperature with heater: 17 Degrees
Time spent with heater on today: 6 hours Kerosene.

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It’s warmer outside today…but it feels colder inside. I’ve got Yoga pants, socks, tank, tee, sweater, scarf on….and I’m sitting in front of my heater as if it was a fireplace.
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Trish, your requested pictures will come next week (I lost my camera cord in the abyss that is James’ apartment — I have to buy a new one to upload new pictures)

It’s snowing today! The temperature dropped about 12 degrees yesterday! I had to go and fill up on Kerosene. I buy Kerosene from the gas station. Most of the gas stations in Japan are full service (including giving you a wet cloth to wipe down your dashboard! And they will take or garbage!). So I usually just cruise up to the gas station, and instead of asking for gas, I point at my blue container, and ask for kerosene. I have no idea if this is what Japanese people do. But the gas station is the only place that I know that sells kerosene, and they don’t have self-service….so I guess it’s alright? hahaha. I get 18L for one fill, and it costs about 1,500 yen…..since the Canadian dollar is so bad right now….that’s prolly close to about 20$. yikes!

I’ve found that sleeping with my feet closest to the heater, and my head furthest is the best. Because if I get cold, I can just poke my feet out to be warmed by the kerosene flame, but I’m finding it easier to reduce the temperature setting this way when I sleep rather than just putting it full blast until my chilly bed is all warmed up.

That’s it for today.

Cheers,
E

This is my electric heater in the dark. lol.

External Temperature: 10 Degrees
True Room Temperature: 15 Degrees
Time spent with heater on today: 0 hours for kerosene. But had to employ my electric heater ALL evening. So about 12 hours. Boo. The electric heater is much less efficient at making me or the room warm.
Change Goal for Tomorrow: Get my kerosene heater back!

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Food for Thought:

Well, today I got home. And started to get chilly at about 7pm. Turned on my heater only to find that my kerosene heater is empty. And my kerosene container is empty. Time for a refill. But not today, cuz the gas station near me is closed (bummer! what kind of stupid gas station closes at 7PM!!).  So that meant that I had to resort to my electric heater. I’m of the opinion that the electric heater is less efficient. It doesn’t make me or the room as warm as with kerosene heating, so I feel that I need to have it on at all times. I’m sure that isn’t as efficient as heating with kerosene for a few hours, and then having it off for a few hours, and then warming up in the morning with kerosene? What do you think? Which electronic device (as they both plug into an outlet) draws more electricity? I’m not sure. I’m not really sure how to find out either…but the lack of choice today has got me to thinking about what IS the most efficient way to heat the room?

I still haven’t bought plastic for my windows. I’m still lazy and poor.

How annoying is it that i have to manually refill my kerosene every two weeks. Rather annoying. But on the otherhand, it’s kinda like a check-up and makes me think about my energy usage more often than if the heat supply was “unlimited” as it usually is in Canada. I don’t think we’ve ever “run out” of heat except in the case of a power outtage. What do you guys think. Which method of heating is the most efficient? And how often do you think about the “supply” levels of where your heat comes from (or if you use electric, the amount of electricity being drawn by the electronic)?

Cheers,

E

This is my beloved/behated Kerosene heater!

External Temperature: 8 Degrees
True Room Temperature: 15 Degrees
Time spent with heater on today: 1AM to 3AM + 7AM-8AM = 4 hours.
Change Goal for Tomorrow: I think I did good today. So more of the same!
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Food for Thought:

So, Japan totally lied to me! We had the heaters in the office turned on literally the day after I made m first blog post! And the day after that, we had heating in the classrooms! (bummer).

So over the last week, I’ve turned down my desired temperature on my heater. Now it’s 18 degrees. But really, kerosene heaters are not a terribly effective way to heat a room, because it is only 18 degrees within about 2 feet of the heater. And because there is no insulation in my apartment, it seems like the heat has endless ways of escaping my bedroom (which is the only room with heat). I’ve been trying hard to limit the time with the kerosene heater on.  Some days are more successful than others. Today was successful. I didn’t have the heat on at all after school, and I only put it on to lull myself to sleep comfortably. But other days, I’m so cold when I get home, that the heat goes on right away. I think I am more prone to wanting warmth when I am tired, or didn’t sleep much/well the night before. The body doesn’t want to deal with burning energy to keep itself warm, I prepose?  I know I should probably tape plastic to my large door/windows in my heated room. Might help with retaining the heat…but so far I’ve been busy/lazy.

My city, Toyama, has just turned on their Christmas lights. I’ll have to confirm later, but it seems that they are on 24/7. Also, when it does start to get snowy outside, they do not use salt to clear the roads. On all of the main streets, they have a sort of water/sprinkler system going down the center line of the road which sprays water onto the road and melts the snow. I think they used the melted snow to make up the majority of the water reserve that is used to “water” the roads in this fashion….but I wonder if the energy used to push the water through the underground system and through the sprinkers is not more wasteful that salting? I’m not sure. I was convinced last year that their system would make the roads more icy….but last year they weren’t. It seemed to work. But it did seem peculiar.

I just got back from Hong Kong, where it was a balmy 24 degrees everyday. Jaloux.

Have any of you read about how Tokyo wants to modify their floors so that they can use the energy derived from walking about in Tokyo Station to fuel their energy needs at the station. I thought that was a pretty sweet idea. I think it was Tokyo station tha I was reading about….correct me if I’m wrong…

Cheers,

E

Dare you.

First picture. First post.

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External Temperature: 12 Degrees
True Room Temperature: Unknown. Must buy a thermometer.
Heaters: 1 kerosene heater at 21 Degrees
Time spent with heater on: 5:30PM – 7:30 AM = 14 hours.
Change Goal for Tomorrow: Make use of the timer function and change the setting on kerosene heater to turn off after 3 hours (ie: I won’t notice the cold if I’m asleep).
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Food for Thought:

Japan has declared that they will not use heating (usually by means of kerosene heating — OLD SKOOL) in any of their buildings until December. Last year, I think they started using heaters in November. The talk in the staffroom is madness: “It’s cold” “Yes, it’s cold isn”t” “It’s so cold” “I’m cold”  and repeat. All day long.  Personally, I kinda like it because most of the day I’m moving around in class, and I’m quite happy to wear a sweater to school. Plus, when they do have use of their heating system, the kids in class who are forced to wear uniforms and sit still — completely abuse the heat and put it on full blast which makes me feel nauseous. How about you guys? Do you notice any weird heating techniques in your work places?

Cheers,

E