The OP must've come during Rodeo season - which is about the only time the city generally has a "cowboy" feel to it. =) Unless, of course, they were located so

The OP must've come during Rodeo season - which is about the only time the city generally has a "cowboy" feel to it. =) Unless, of course, they were located some many miles to the northwest of the city, out in Waller county or something. BTW, you left out flooding every other week or two, when we're not in a drought (and once a month when we are!). The running joke around here is that no one feels the heat of the summer for more than a few seconds, as that's how long it takes them to get from their house/office to their car. To the original point of the post, we haven't been able to find any value in getting a Nest, outside of having a "fun toy." Considering that we are able to regularly negotiate 0.08-0.10/kWh rates for 100% renewable, our highest electricity bill out of the year tends to be in Aug/Sept at about $58 on average. That is for a 1400 sqft. 1940's bungalow that only has a radiant barrier in its efficiency profile, along with large oaks that cover the canopy of the house. Our elec management is a simple process: set the thermostat to 80 when we leave, and back to 77 when we return. It's three clicks of a button that we've ingrained into our daily routine. The real big bill around here, which I'm sure other states can appreciate, is the water bill. Since the drought and the implementation of drainage fees, our water bill has shot up over 10x in the past three years. Not joking at all - we went from an average of $6/month to and average of $60/month in just three years, with our consumption remaining static. If only water consumption were able to be regulated more effectively, but in this environment, daily showers are a must =)