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During winter’s coldest months, when we don’t have the luxury of heading to the beach or park, most of us find fun indoors whether it is TV-watching, going to the movies, playing video games or cooking a good meal. But most of this fun comes with a price—on the planet and your home energy bills—since they all likely run off of electrical power.
Whether or not you find yourself stuck in a power outage, the following list of eight electricity-free activities prove not only to be enjoyable, but a means to unplug from the usual grind—and save cash in the process.
1. Get sexy
This is sort of the elephant in the pink room that seemed impossible to leave off the list. The only energy needed is a rarin'-to-go libido and some electrifying chemistry between you and your sweetie. Have that and you’re on your way to horizontally tangoing your way to a sexy, sustainable time. Just remember pop on protection to prevent overpopulation!
Winter warming perk: It creates body heat and releases healthy endorphins to ward off colds and flu.
2. Enjoy a glass of wine
Break open a bottle of red. This nectar of the gods requires zero refrigeration making your sipping a bit more sustainable. Make a toast with your lover, best pal or neighbor to good conversation and laughs that Skype just can’t cut. Even greener? Have local, organic or biodynamic wine on hand.
Winter warming perks: It warms the belly and heart-healthy Resveratrol keeps your ticker in fine tune.
3. Write an old fashioned letter
Most of us are enslaved to our e-mail inbox. Here’s the perfect opportunity to give yourself an electronic detox and re-connect with soul-satisfying traditions like the hand-written letter. In the summer, I love to sit out on my apartment stoop with a bottle of eco-friendly beer and recycled stationary to write letters to my out-of-state friends. Sure, the winter won’t allow the luxury of warm breezes and street-side scenery but you can have just as much fun nestled inside. Make sure to stock up on eco-friendly supplies like Ellie Pooh paper and recycled pens.
Winter warming perks: Writing letters means better odds of receiving letters. And who doesn’t get giddy at the sight of mail that’s not junk?
4. Get eco-competitive
You know those board games you have piled up collecting dust? Pick a weekend afternoon and round up at least three other family member or friends (an even number of players makes it easier) for a marathon game day. Battle each other individually with games like Monopoly, Scrabble and Poker. Or couple up with games like Scattergories, Pictionary and Taboo. Whoever wins two out of three games gets to be treated as the green queen or king.
Winter warming perk: If you have a working fireplace, you can roast marshmallows for homemade game-snacking s’mores.
5. Watch the birds flock
Critter watching isn’t exclusive to the great outdoors. Even a city-dweller like me who’s holed up inside can be privy to all sorts of outdoor excitement. From my back window, I can usually spot squirrels, red-robins, pigeons and more—usually in search of food. Why not help them out, and in return, get the benefits of their beautiful presence? We’ve listed a number of crafty, DIY feeders you can make but there’s nothing simpler to me than the trusty pine cone and peanut butter kind.
Winter warming perk: Have a bird-watching book nearby and let your inner amateur naturalist-self shine.
6. Read a book to yourself—or out loud
Strong winds recently wiped out electricity in my parents house for 18-hours straight. My mom called me up on her cell phone to share that she and my dad were curled up in front of the fireplace reading poetry and that she was practicing her memorization of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”—something she hadn’t done for years. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a tinge of envy. Which I then realized was so silly! You don’t need a power outage to re-awaken a passion like poetry or the simple luxury of reading.
Winter warming perk: Who wants to spend time in a library come summer? Now is the time to stock up on classic (or guilty pleasure) reads.
7. Go raw
Curious about the raw food craze? With a potentially well-stocked fridge that’s not working, here’s your chance to get creative and salvage your food without the convenience of a stove. Instead of looking at it as an inconvenience, take it as a challenge to save food from the compost and in the process, discover a way of eating that many raw foodists deem the healthiest and most nutritionally complete. Start off with a medley of fresh fruit for breakfast, a green salad topped with avocado for lunch and Slivered Veggie Chop Suey for supper.
Winter warming perk: Since raw foodists believe that the consumption of uncooked foods encourages weight loss and prevents/heals various forms of sickness, you can shed some winter pounds and stave off the sniffles!
8. Or don’t...
If the idea of raw food seems about as fun and exciting to you as “rabbit food,” you might find more enjoyment in cozy, conventional winter fare like soups and stews. If your home has a wood burning stove and you’ve never used it to cook—here’s your adventure. Grab your cast-iron pots and pans and then get the instructions here. Whip up everything from fried eggs and bacon to pancakes, stir-fry and more. Yum!
Winter warming perk: Making multiple uses out of your wood stove will keep you home—and your belly—nice and toasty.
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