In the past, I’ve written about what it takes to create longevity, and I’ve also written about camping…specifically, our Annual Father’s Day Campout. This past weekend was our seventh consecutive one, and it was something else. My eldest, a 2nd-year Boy Scout, missed his Troop’s Summer Survival Campout, so he opted out of the tent, sleeping instead on the ground, next to the fire pit, under a tarp. We were able to borrow a couple of canoes from a friend who lived nearby, and spent Saturday morning learning how to row in a straight line, and Saturday afternoon teaching the boys how to row in a straight line. All the while, we were fighting the wakes of a literal swarm of speedboats – that’s what happens when it’s a great day to be on the lake. We kept the canoes hollow-side-up the whole time, so I consider it a win.
Seven years we’ve been doing this, and no signs of slowing down. I realized on the way to the campground this year that my youngest was four years old when we started this, so he doesn’t even have a clear memory of waking up on Father’s Day anywhere but in a tent. Our 7-year-old tradition is all he’s ever known.
Getting used to something can be good. Fathers and sons becoming accustomed to an annual event that draws them closer is undoubtedly in the “good” column. Same goes for the experience of two 12-year-olds and a 10-year-old younger brother learning how to paddle a canoe on both sides in order to go straight and fast, and weather the wakes of those speedboats. I’m sure there’s a life lesson analogy there if we think about it hard enough.
On the other hand, the very definition of a bad habit is “something detrimental that you’ve gotten used to.” I found a write-up in our Application Database (registration required) where a cable manufacturer had gotten used to the amount of compressed air they were using to blow off their product as it came out of a rinse tank. During an energy audit, they became aware of the amount of compressed air they were using in some open-end pipe blow offs, and decided to try an Air Wipe instead. Once they proved it out on the first line, they installed Super Air Wipes on their other eight lines, which decreased their compressed air demand so much, they were able to shut down a 100HP air compressor.
I think they got used to that pretty quickly. If you’re considering the possibility of getting used to lower compressed air consumption, and the corresponding savings, give us a call. We’re used to helping people save on compressed air…another one for the “good” column.
Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
EXAIR Corporation
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