Wean: To slowly stop a dependency on something.
“Weaning” is a process and it takes time. For some, it takes more time than others.
This is possibly the most important point that I want to make in this “How to Wean Yourself from Electricity” series. The reason is this….what we’re looking for is “change”, permanent “change” in our lives. Old habits need time to change.
Old habits also need to be replaced by new habits, which take learning and skills.
If any of you have ever tried to lose a few pounds, you know that the way you were eating wasn’t working for you anymore. Excessive calories added on unwanted pounds and inches.
You know that you’re not supposed to eat donuts for breakfast, that’s simple enough. The question becomes “What should I eat for breakfast?”
Educating yourself about what your body needs at your age and level of health will take a little effort and time. Once you have a chance to practice and put a few new habits into place, your chances of long-term success skyrocket!
That’s my goal for you with this series!
Another thought that some will find challenging is that you must realize that…
Non-electric lighting will not cater to our 24/7 American lifestyle!
Remember what I just said about “new habits“? New habits come in the form of the ways we choose to light our lives but also in the times we choose to stay lit. More on that later….
This “Light” section of the “How to Wean Yourself from Electricity” series will encompass several parts, so bear with me. There’s a lot to share.
We’ll cover…
Candles – Oil Lamps – Gas Lights – Kerosene Lamps – Solar
Introducing….the flame.
Electricity has only been around for a tiny fraction of the entire history of artificial lighting! You may not realize this, but 75% of the world’s population still lights by fire.
The candle, in all it’s forms, is the primary way most of the world stays lit. Lighting with flames, however, does pose certain risks that you need to be reminded of. Here’s the release of liability part…
ALWAYS be present in the same room with ANY flame!
Be EXTREMELY cautious with children in the home, keeping any flame far out of their reach.
Always make sure you have adequate ventilation, especially when lighting with fuel.
Never fall asleep when a candle or other flame is lit.
Always use a fire-proof plate below candles and don’t burn on wood.
Don’t do anything else stupid, and it’s not my fault if you do.
Most people have a few candles in the home in case of emergency. Why not find ways to use your candles in practical ways as part of your “off-grid” program?
We use candles as part of our repitoire of lighting options in our home. With children in the house, I keep them far out of reach, but at the same time, teaching our children about how to behave around them.
Many folks think of candles to only be used when the power goes out, what a shame! Candlelight is beautiful, as well as sustainable and warming.
As I write, I have my Mason Jar candle burning over on the kitchen island, so that the kitchen maintains some light while final chores are finished up. Lighting the entire kitchen isn’t necessary, just enough light to see is adequate. I’ll blow it out before we turn in. This is a small step towards creating a habit. By keeping the candle in plain view, I am more likely to find ways to use it! Isn’t that easy?
You might even consider making your own candles, although from what I’ve seen, it’s not really cost effective at this point. However, that said, the skill of learning how to make candles will lend to their sustainability and is a worthy pursuit.
Beeswax makes the very best quality candles, but can be cost prohibitive. Here’s a recipe that incorporates beeswax with paraffin to make a quality candle.
Candle Recipe from “The Book of Non-Electric Lighting”
1 1/2 lbs. paraffin
3 small chunks of beeswax (about helf-thumb size; this is a minimum. One can certainly add more. I add beeswax because a little give it a better consistency, a better look, and a better feel.)
3 tbsp. stearic acid
Liquid scent and color
Prewaxed wick
Melt paraffin and beeswax in a double broiler, add stearic acid, and color/scent as desired. We use three to six two-stick tin molds for 10-inch candles. Pour in mold, let cool and remove. Makes about 36 candles.
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Awesome post. Weaning myself from excessive electricity is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while…
I especially like your tip to find old candles at yard sales
Very nicely written. I make soy candles, and as an avid “candle user” I prefer them due to their burn times. The tea lights that I make burn anywhere between 6 to 10 hours! (depending on where they are placed in the house) I will sometimes burn three little tea lights in my bathroom and it lights the entire bathroom, even enough to shower. I have also been watching my electric usage and teaching my children ways to save power.
This is an exciting series! We started using oil lamps and candles a few months ago. We find it helps us to transition to sleep at the end of the night and sleep better. It’s so much nicer than having the blaring lights constantly shinning in our eyes.
This is a great series! I have definitely been feeling like we need to learn to use less! I dream for the day when we can have our own house with solar panels, use candles, and live more off grid! Thanks for sharing very useful information!
Amy,
Thanks so much for the encouraging words and I’m glad you’re here!
Kelly
Amy,
Thank you, I’m glad you’re enjoying it. Take one day at a time!
I love candles! In the winter we seem to use them a lot, but not as much during the summer. Now, if I could just get my husband to turn off the lights when he leaves a room!
Heather,
Ahhh, the never-ending battle to get family members to turn off lights!
I am curious about your final goal. Are you intending to go off grid, reduce your dependency on electricity, or something else? We are ‘low users’ compared to the averages put out by our electric co-op, but we don’t intend to go completely off grid. I have an electric fridge and deep freeze, for example. There are other options out there (like propane models), but they are much more expensive and still require fossil fuels to operate, so we decided to stick with electric models for both. And I’m typing this on my computer, which also requires electricity…and we have lamps and such. I guess I’m mostly curious about what your goals are!
Laura,
That’s a great question! I’ve been thinking about doing a post on that, perhaps I’ll work on that now!
you know i use oil lamps and candles
oh and i just picked up 2 bags of candles for a quarter a piece!
Man, oh, man. Thanks for this post! I love candles, but only bust them out for special occasions. There’s no reason to leave them tucked away when they could be serving a useful purpose!
Heather,
Candles have somehow maintained “emergency” status but they are very useful, as you said!! Thanks for reading!
Thanks for this post. A good reminder for sure. I will be adding candles to my list of things to look for at garage sales.
I, too, am curious about the goals you have in becoming less dependant on electricity. Personally, I absolutely love the Amish and have read most available books about their lifestyle, but don’t feel personally convicted to switch to other forms of energy. I love candles and we use them often, but mainly for the ambiance and comfort, rather than anything loftier. I am a very busy Mama and am very thankful to have the convenience of electricity. We actually don’t mind when it occasionally goes out – it’s a great excuse to ‘unplug’ and enjoy other things! Anyway, I will read your ‘goal’ post with interest!
I on the same page as Abigail above – falling asleep to candle light is so much nicer than the electric bulb (don’t worry candles get blown out before I’m out). I’d be curious to know if I’m saving money by using candle light in the last few hours of each day instead of electricity – has anyone else compared numbers?
Great post! Living off grid for 20 years, I have grown to prefer candlelight to electric light. Having solar panels makes you re-think your consumption habits
The candles with artificial scents always manage to give me a headache. I prefer unscented, natural candles, or unscented oil with a wick. Old blue jeans cut super thin for wicks then laid across a dallop of coconut oil, or ghee in a shallow container is very pretty, and works! No more headaches, and a frugally charming solution. Another trick is to always use a mirror nearby a candle, the light is magnified.
What is the cost comparison from burning candles to electricity? Aside from the issue that we shouldn’t feel guilty for electricity, I don’t appreciate being forced to “go green” such as the case with those yucky, twisted bulbs but this candle in the mason jar is a great idea. I don’t mind going off the grid mentality because the less dependent we are on others (the government, local and federal) the better we Americans are off.
Great article…in 2 days I will be back to off grid except for running cold water…..My lighting will be candles & oil lamps & windows……I have lived off grid before so with a wood stove for cooking & heating & the oil lamps I am looking forward to living this way again for the year I am on a friends farm…….There is something so calming & peaceful when a room is lite with candles, you learn to relax & enjoy the moment….thank you again for writing about this…M’