Keeping Your Cool and Your Cash
Summer heat challenges our attempts to stay cool and comfortable. It can also mean facing high electric bills. A few simple changes can add up to savings on home utility bills. Check out these suggestions and links for ideas about how to reduce your electricity costs this season.
Simple Things Matter
Many solutions to help reduce electric bills are simple and easily put into practice. Try these ideas for quick no-cost and low-cost conservation.
• Turning off lights when a room is unoccupied offers surprisingly effective results.
• Use ceiling fans only in rooms that are occupied and turn them off when no one is home. Fans make a room feel cooler to people and pets, but don't reduce air temperature.
• Keep your air-conditioner clean and clear of debris. Washing the outside coils and keeping plants away from the base will prevent air flow blockage.
• Refrigerators and freezers operate most efficiently when full. Keep them as full as possible, using bottles filled with water to fill space.
• Use dishwashers and clothes washers/dryers at night. Doing so keeps your home cooler and avoids straining the power grid during the peak use period between 4PM and 6PM.
• Use power strips. Even when turned off, many electronic devices and home office equipment can continue to consume power when plugged into an outlet. Turning off the power strip prevents machines from draining power in standby mode.
Changes to Consider
If you can spend a little to save a little, the marketplace offers products designed with efficiency in mind.
• Replacing the five most often used incandescent bulbs in a home with compact fluorescent lightbulbs can save an average of $60 in one year.
• Heating water can account for 14 - 25% of the energy consumed in your home. Monthly water heating costs may be reduced by the choice of which water heater http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12770
is used and by adopting energy-efficient water heating practices http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=13030
• When purchasing appliances and home electronics, choose models labeled with the Energy Star rating. These products meet the strict efficiency criteria established by the U. S. Department of Energy.
An Audit You'll Welcome. Really.
For additional savings and help locating points of energy inefficiencies, consider a home energy audit. Home energy audits assess the amount of energy your home consumes and evaluate what actions you can take to make your home more efficient. An audit will identify problems that may, when corrected, add up to significant cost savings over time.
Audits pinpoint areas where a home is losing electricity, determine the efficiency of a heating and cooling system, and determine a conservation plan of action. Check out TexasEfficiency.com to learn more about the services available to homeowners.
Following these simple remedies can help us all stay cool and rein in utility bills this summer. If you have questions or would like more information about energy efficiency, please contact my office at 214-370-8305.
Sources:
US Department of Energy
Public Utility Commission of Texas
July 8, 2008
Calloway's Timely Tips for August Gardeners
Bring on the Heat- Summer Color!
During this season of hot weather, re-vitalize your garden beds. Fertilizing, pruning, new mulch and fresh plantings can all bring your flower beds back to life!
Fresh color is still available at Calloway’s in larger sizes for instant impact. Celosia, Vinca (Periwinkle), Lantana and Moss Rose are all good, reliable summer bloomers. Plant these directly into beds or containers to replace flowers which have reached their prime. Add Calloway’s Flower Food, a slow release fertilizer, and you will not have to fertilize for two months. Keep old blooms trimmed off to encourage repeat blooming. Add a new layer of mulch to flower beds and to containers to lessen evaporation and keep the soil cooler. Color abounds even in the heat of summer!
Just a reminder, Saturday, August 9th at 10:15 am, Calloway’s will conduct a clinic titled “Bring on the Heat-Summer Color!” Please join us to hear more about summer color.
During this season of hot weather, re-vitalize your garden beds. Fertilizing, pruning, new mulch and fresh plantings can all bring your flower beds back to life!
Fresh color is still available at Calloway’s in larger sizes for instant impact. Celosia, Vinca (Periwinkle), Lantana and Moss Rose are all good, reliable summer bloomers. Plant these directly into beds or containers to replace flowers which have reached their prime. Add Calloway’s Flower Food, a slow release fertilizer, and you will not have to fertilize for two months. Keep old blooms trimmed off to encourage repeat blooming. Add a new layer of mulch to flower beds and to containers to lessen evaporation and keep the soil cooler. Color abounds even in the heat of summer!
Just a reminder, Saturday, August 9th at 10:15 am, Calloway’s will conduct a clinic titled “Bring on the Heat-Summer Color!” Please join us to hear more about summer color.
June 23, 2008
From the desk of Allen Vaught
The State of Summer Fun
Planning Your Summer Activities? Check out these State Guides. . .
School has ended and the temperature is above sweltering. Summer is officially here. This means it’s time to make plans for summer travel and fun.
Texas is home to a variety of activities as diverse as the state itself. From state parks to cultural activities to heritage touring here is a brief guide to finding what is available across Texas and close to home for your next outing.
The Great Outdoors
With ninety percent of our state’s land privately owned, our state parks system plays an important role in providing an outdoor experience for Texas’ increasingly urban population.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages our park system, provides outdoor recreation opportunities and educates outdoor enthusiasts. By redirecting the sporting goods sales tax to its originally intended target, increases to the parks system budget have brought about much needed repairs and improvements to both the facilities and services. So if you haven’t been to a state park recently, plan a visit and see what’s new.
To encourage more people to enjoy the sport of fishing, Texas Parks and Wildlife has waived the license and stamp requirements for fishing at our state parks. Just pay the entrance fees, and you are free to fish within the park. Parks and Wildlife also hosts many learn-to-fish days, so check out the schedule and start preparing your tale of the one that got away. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/familyfish/
Wireless internet service is available in several state parks for those who love the great outdoors but need to stay connected. The service offers working adults the potential to remain at a park longer than they otherwise would and provides connectivity to recreational vehicle users who are frequently away from home for extended periods of time. Also, park users are able to better plan their activities in the park using up-to-date weather reports. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/parkinfo/facilities/wireless_internet/
For Parks and Wildlife activities closer to home, the department offers a Dallas/Fort Worth Urban Outdoor program. The program features activities for kids, the Texas Outdoors-Woman Network, and fishing and boating opportunities in the North Texas area. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/urban_outdoor_programs/dallas_fort_worth/index.phtml
Hey, Where’s That?
Looking for recommendations on general Texas fun? Visit the Travel Texas website operated by the governor’s Economic Development and Tourism office. The site features a trip planner plus information about seasonal events and activities across the state.
If you have seen the beautifully photographed Texas tourism television and print ad campaigns and wondered about the locations, the site features a map which pinpoints each scene. The ads are online for viewing and mapping at http://www.traveltex.com/ .
Homegrown History
My fellow history buffs will enjoy the guides offered by the Texas Historical Commission’s Heritage Trail Program. Ten different trails cover the entire state and offer a look at the history and culture of each region. For those staying nearby this summer, the Metro area is covered by the Lakes Trail. Learn more about each region and find all the trail maps on the Historical Commission’s website. http://www.thc.state.tx.us/
The Commission’s website is also home to the Texas Historic Sites Atlas. Use this tool to find information about and locations of courthouses, museums and other historic sites. The atlas also features the text and locations of historical markers across the state.
Whether traveling to the far corners of the state or relaxing close to home, you are sure to encounter spectacular natural beauty, find a new adventure, or learn a little of our history using these state resources as your guide to Texas summer fun.
Questions about any of the guides? Call my District office at 214-370-8305.
Planning Your Summer Activities? Check out these State Guides. . .
School has ended and the temperature is above sweltering. Summer is officially here. This means it’s time to make plans for summer travel and fun.
Texas is home to a variety of activities as diverse as the state itself. From state parks to cultural activities to heritage touring here is a brief guide to finding what is available across Texas and close to home for your next outing.
The Great Outdoors
With ninety percent of our state’s land privately owned, our state parks system plays an important role in providing an outdoor experience for Texas’ increasingly urban population.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages our park system, provides outdoor recreation opportunities and educates outdoor enthusiasts. By redirecting the sporting goods sales tax to its originally intended target, increases to the parks system budget have brought about much needed repairs and improvements to both the facilities and services. So if you haven’t been to a state park recently, plan a visit and see what’s new.
To encourage more people to enjoy the sport of fishing, Texas Parks and Wildlife has waived the license and stamp requirements for fishing at our state parks. Just pay the entrance fees, and you are free to fish within the park. Parks and Wildlife also hosts many learn-to-fish days, so check out the schedule and start preparing your tale of the one that got away. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/programs/familyfish/
Wireless internet service is available in several state parks for those who love the great outdoors but need to stay connected. The service offers working adults the potential to remain at a park longer than they otherwise would and provides connectivity to recreational vehicle users who are frequently away from home for extended periods of time. Also, park users are able to better plan their activities in the park using up-to-date weather reports. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/parkinfo/facilities/wireless_internet/
For Parks and Wildlife activities closer to home, the department offers a Dallas/Fort Worth Urban Outdoor program. The program features activities for kids, the Texas Outdoors-Woman Network, and fishing and boating opportunities in the North Texas area. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/urban_outdoor_programs/dallas_fort_worth/index.phtml
Hey, Where’s That?
Looking for recommendations on general Texas fun? Visit the Travel Texas website operated by the governor’s Economic Development and Tourism office. The site features a trip planner plus information about seasonal events and activities across the state.
If you have seen the beautifully photographed Texas tourism television and print ad campaigns and wondered about the locations, the site features a map which pinpoints each scene. The ads are online for viewing and mapping at http://www.traveltex.com/ .
Homegrown History
My fellow history buffs will enjoy the guides offered by the Texas Historical Commission’s Heritage Trail Program. Ten different trails cover the entire state and offer a look at the history and culture of each region. For those staying nearby this summer, the Metro area is covered by the Lakes Trail. Learn more about each region and find all the trail maps on the Historical Commission’s website. http://www.thc.state.tx.us/
The Commission’s website is also home to the Texas Historic Sites Atlas. Use this tool to find information about and locations of courthouses, museums and other historic sites. The atlas also features the text and locations of historical markers across the state.
Whether traveling to the far corners of the state or relaxing close to home, you are sure to encounter spectacular natural beauty, find a new adventure, or learn a little of our history using these state resources as your guide to Texas summer fun.
Questions about any of the guides? Call my District office at 214-370-8305.
June 20, 2008
Several Lake Highlands neighborhood kids will be hosting an Alex's Lemonade Stand (Registration No. 59131) on Saturday, June 21, from 10 am-4 pm. The stand will be located at 10606 Larchfield Lane, near Walnut Hill and Plano Rd. They will serve fresh squeezed lemonade, just like Grandma makes.All proceeds will be sent to the Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, which funds pediatric cancer research. To find out more about Alex's Lemonade Stands, view the website at www.alexslemonade.org
Come celebrate the first day of summer by stopping by for a nice cool cup of lemonade and support neighborhood children in their pursuit to help fight pediatric cancer.
June 16, 2008
Gasoline Mower Exchange
New Air Quality Program – Trade in Your Gas Mower
Norio Tsuchiya—HMNA Environmental Representative
From: Medina, Maibel
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 2:22 PM
Subject: City of Dallas: Mow Down Air Pollution
Dear Community Associations,
The Office of Environmental Quality is working on a new air quality program that focuses on reducing emissions from lawnmowers. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the engines in gas-powered lawn equipment pollute more than car engines!
This program allows Dallas residents to trade in their gas mowers for electric mowers at a 50% discount. Program requirements are as follows:
All mowers MUST be in working condition and emptied of gas and oil in order to receive the discount. Participants must be residents of Dallas and show proof of residency. Participants must make a reservation with Nicole Cooper at 214-670-6646 or email: Nicole.cooper@dallascityhall.com. For more information about the Neuton Mower, visit www.NeutonPower.com.
The event information is as follows:
When: Saturday, June 21
Time: 9am-3pm (or while supplies last; only 400 movers available)
Where: Dallas City Hall - Horseshoe Parking Area (1500 Marilla St., Dallas, TX, 75201)
Norio Tsuchiya—HMNA Environmental Representative
From: Medina, Maibel
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 2:22 PM
Subject: City of Dallas: Mow Down Air Pollution
Dear Community Associations,
The Office of Environmental Quality is working on a new air quality program that focuses on reducing emissions from lawnmowers. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the engines in gas-powered lawn equipment pollute more than car engines!
This program allows Dallas residents to trade in their gas mowers for electric mowers at a 50% discount. Program requirements are as follows:
All mowers MUST be in working condition and emptied of gas and oil in order to receive the discount. Participants must be residents of Dallas and show proof of residency. Participants must make a reservation with Nicole Cooper at 214-670-6646 or email: Nicole.cooper@dallascityhall.com. For more information about the Neuton Mower, visit www.NeutonPower.com.
The event information is as follows:
When: Saturday, June 21
Time: 9am-3pm (or while supplies last; only 400 movers available)
Where: Dallas City Hall - Horseshoe Parking Area (1500 Marilla St., Dallas, TX, 75201)
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