[Energy Efficiency]
Stimulus Bill Boosts Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extends, expands, and simplifies federal income tax credits for homeowners.
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a federal stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, ARRA) that made significant changes to energy-efficiency tax credits available to homeowners. ARRA extends, expands, and simplifies the federal income tax credits for homeowners ...
[Energy Efficiency]
Don’t Burn Your Poles
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Burning grass in your ditches may have unintended and expensive consequences.
’Tis the season for tidying up rural areas before spring planting occurs. Often, that involves burning grasses and weeds in the ditches surrounding your home and fields. If you are thinking about conducting a spring burn, beware of the power poles positioned in or close to your ditches, grass ...
[Co-op EnergyCast]
EnergyCast #1: Electric Space Heaters
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Will they save you money and energy?
By Kathy Roth Eastman, Smart Choices editor
As editor of Smart Choices, I was excited to “attend” the first REC-sponsored Co-op EnergyCast. I wanted to know more about space heaters, and I had a few questions for the expert, Jeff Springer, manager of technical services with GEN~SYS Ener...
[Co-op EnergyCast]
March EnergyCast: Home Tightening
Monday, March 16, 2009
Expert Bill McAnally shares secrets to tightening up your home from air leaks.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 18, 7:00 p.m.
Mr. Tight Watt invites you to attend a 30-minute Webcast to learn more about insulation and how to make your home more energy efficient!
WHERE: Join us from your computer. A high-speed internet connection is not required! You computer needs to ...
[Ask Mr. Tight-Watt]
Ask Mr. Tight-Watt: Turning Down the Thermostat
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
If you have an air-to-air heat pump, should you turn down the thermostat?
Question: We have an air-to-air heat pump. Is it still beneficial to lower the temperature every night? At one point we had heard it was not efficient to do that.
Marilyn, a Smart Choices reader
Mr. Tight Watt asked Randy Camblin, Camblin Mechanical, and president of the Iowa Heat Pump Association...
[Energy Efficiency]
Information from Home-Building Experts
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Speakers at Momentum Is Building conference share their presentations.
The annual Momentum Is Building conference, sponsored by Iowa’s electric cooperatives with a grant from the Iowa Energy Center, provides REC staff and local home building professionals with the latest information on building for energy efficiency and other related topics.
Chec...
[Ask Mr. Tight-Watt]
Ask Mr. Tight-Watt: TV Energy Use
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A reader wants to know: How much energy does her new TV use?
Question: How much more energy does my new flat screen TV use than my old TV?
—Marilyn, a Smart Choices reader
Answer: Mr. Tight Watt says, “You can find the answer by using our online calculator. Simply input the number of TVs of any/all types and the number of hours you typically wat...
[Your Efficient, Comfortable, Safe Home]
Greening Your Workshop
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Try these easy ways to protect yourself, your wallet, and the planet!
Spring has sprung, making us itch to start those home improvement projects we’ve been planning all winter. Before you leap in, though, take a day or two to get your workshop ready with the three R’s of environmentalism: reduce, re-use, and recycle. With the help of these tips from the We...
[Food & Nutrition]
Eat Safely if the Power Goes Out
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
You’ll need emergency supplies and know-how to escape food-borne illness.
If you lose power because of a storm, it’s important to know how to keep foods and beverages safe. Follow these instructions for before, during, and after a power outage to keep your family safe.
Water
Stock up on at least one gallon of water per person, enough for three to...
[Energy Efficiency]
Install a Low-Flow Toilet
Monday, February 16, 2009
Today’s versions, saving water and money, are well worth the investment!
History
The toilet has come a long way from the days when residents of ancient Babylonia cut a hole in the floor above a cesspool. Our modern toilet was conceived in 1596, when Sir John Harington invented an early prototype for his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I of England—but because both...
[Environment]
Geoengineering: A way to affect global climate?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A new science, sounding more like science fiction, may just offer help in the battle against global climate change.
According to reports in Time and Newsweek, global climate change could make the Arctic Ocean ice-free in the summer as soon as 2013, just four years from now, and 30 years sooner than expected. Since 2000, worldwide air emissions have been going up by 3 percent a year.
To combat this change, some s...
|