I completely agree with the title of the linked article. I consider an old blanket-sized towel to be an essential kitchen item. So many things can just be brought to boiling, then left on the still hot stove but with heat turned off, and covered with (a lid and) a blanket and they either become ready within 20 minutes, or in the worst cases need one more round of the same process (e.g. beans in a pressure cooker). I’ve also read somewhere that you can save up to 40% of the used energy just by using lids while cooking, and while I’m not certain about the exact number, the ratio is definitely right.
Another underused energy saving item are heavy curtains and shutters. Windows are the weakest point in the insulation of buildings and covering them at night does help a fair bit.
I believe a lot of the EA movement suffers from certain lack of modesty. By looking at history, we see that most progress was slow and gradual, even individuals with very large impact were building upon decades of ground work, yet the EA is full of talk about being exceptional and aiming for exceptionally large impact.
I believe that most people who read lesswrong will eventually have to admit that they’re not that exceptional after all and that there is no EA-themed job for them. It’s rather depressing to accept that. Yet at the end of that phase is a hopeful realization that the direction of the world is determined by the billions of people who each only influence their nearest surroundings. It requires certain modesty to base one’s life on the hope that the billions of small changes for the better will eventually lead to a global improvement, and to hope that the x-timeline will work out despite the dangers.