A Visit to Sheahan Pumping Station

In honor of last week’s It’s Easy to be Green theme, water conservation, I decided to visit Sheahan Pumping Station (near the University of Memphis), one of MLGW’s ten pumping stations. I wanted to see firsthand how our amazing water is pumped from the Memphis Sands Aquifer into our homes.

The Sheahan Pumping Station is one of MLGW’s oldest. It was built in the 1930s on an old plantation. (The plantation house and barn are still adjacent to the pumping station, but they have been modernized considerably!) Sheahan has three separate buildings—one for pumping, one for aeration, and another for filtering.


When Sheahan was first built, it operated on steam and required 181 people to work three shifts around the clock. Today, the facility runs on electricity and it only takes one water treatment operator four hours per day to service the plant. (The facility is monitored 24/7 by our Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system.) However, it takes a lot of electricity to power the pumps. Sheahan’s average monthly utility bill is $25,000-$30,000!

Our drinking water is trapped under impermeable clay, so when it is pumped out of the ground, it's a cool 65 degrees. It is then aerated. These two factors help give our water its refreshing taste.


The aeration building is like a giant waterfall. It gives off the most pleasant sounds and when you climb to the top, it is cool and misty inside. I imagine that many employees find a reason to visit the aeration building in the middle of July!

Considering the name of this blog, I feel compelled to mention that all of MLGW’s aeration buildings have bird screens to keep them from making the lovely environment their permanent home.

When the water is aerated, it splashes over rocks. This increases the surface area of the water and reintroduces oxygen, allowing any absorbed gases to escape.


Once the water is aerated, it goes to the filtering building to be filtered and to have sodium hypochlorite and fluoride added. There are ten gravity fed filters in the filtering building that utilize seven layers of support media (i.e. gravel and small rocks).

Every 70 hours, the filters are backwashed to remove iron build-up. I got to watch this process, which was very interesting. The process only takes a few minutes and the power of the water makes it sound as though a freight train is rushing through the building!


In the basement of the filter building one can see the color coded pipes that make it easy to distinguish where the filtered and non-filtered water are going. These colors are the same at pumping stations all over the United States and Canada, which means that a person trained in Memphis could walk into a filtering station in Toronto and know exactly what was what.

Each of MLGW’s pumping stations has an underground reservoir containing 20 million gallons of water. The underground reservoirs keep the water cool and protect it from algae.

The Sheahan Pumping Station also houses MLGW’s Water Quality Assurance Lab. Technicians routinely monitor our water supply and handle customer complaints. The lab technicians are highly trained & certified with access to top of the line technology. (And they get to wear white lab coats to work!) They keep extremely detailed records and quickly know if there is a problem with our water.

I was really amazed by the inner workings of the pumping station and can see why it is such a popular spot for school groups. Contact MLGW's Community Relations Department at 528-4820 to see the pumping station for yourself!

Tree Removal in Lakeland

Today’s Commercial Appeal is running a story about some tree trimming and removal that MLGW did in conjunction with the construction of Substation 85, which will alleviate power shortages in Lakeland. The story contains a few inaccuracies that I’d like to clear up.

Lakeland officials are up in arms about what they say is unauthorized tree cutting by Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division in the "Tree City."

Early Wednesday morning, employees with MLGW began clearing more than 70 trees on private property along Monroe Road just north of the back entrance to the Lakeland Factory Outlet Mall… (Read the full article here.)

Both Lakeland and MLGW agreed that, unfortunately, tree trimming and removal was necessary for the installation of the much needed power lines. Eight trees, not 70 as the article suggests, were cut down on private property. The rest of the tree trimming and removal was done on a public right-of-way along Monroe Road. State and County law allows MLGW to trim trees on public property that interfere with electric lines. Sixty small trees (between 2-10 inches in diameter), 21 medium trees (11-23 inches in diameter) and 4 large trees (24+ inches in diameter) were removed in all.

We tried to follow Lakeland’s original plan for the tree removal on private property, but the owner would not agree to the plan. Lakeland’s original proposal would have put power lines across the middle of the property. This would inhibit any future development on the property unless the property owner paid to have the lines moved, and also would require more trees to be trimmed.

With the property owner’s help, we came up with a different solution. We agreed to place the power lines on the edge of the property and cut trees along Monroe Road. This solution resulted in MLGW clearing 15 feet of trees rather than the original 30 feet in the Lakeland plan, since the existing road provided clearance on one side of the lines.

We have tried very hard to work with Lakeland officials to find a solution that worked for all parties and to make sure that all parties were aware of our plans. On Feb. 19, we presented our suggested tree trimming project to the Lakeland Municipal Planning Commission. The recommendation of the Lakeland MPC stated:

“Staff feels that MLGW has demonstrated the need for these improvements, has considered reasonable alternatives, and has limited the damage to a 600’ stretch of roadway. Thus, while staff does not think this is the best case scenario, we feel that denial of this proposal would be more detrimental to the citizens than its approval.”

On Friday, we faxed a letter to Town Administrator, Bob Wherry, stating we would begin work on Monday. We did not receive a response, and waited two additional days before starting work on Wednesday.

The trees that were removed were cut into manageable pieces, loaded into a MLGW truck, and deposited at the adjacent property owner’s house, by his request, for use as firewood, which prevented the trees from going to a landfill. The chips and limbs from the trees were delivered to the City’s mulch plant.

Channel 24 will be covering this topic in more detail this evening.

Bird in the Wire

Did you know that conductors for electrical transmission and distribution wires are codenamed after birds?


The size and functionally of all of the connectors, supports and specialties depend on the specific size of the conductor. Common strandings are manufactured in slightly different conductor combinations so having absolute descriptors—the bird names—reduces the number of mistakes made when ordering. For example, instead of ordering a 1590 ACSR which comes in a 45/7 and a 54/19 stranding, we order a Lapwing.

A transmission engineer would look at the Bird on a Wire masthead and say, “Look, there’s a Red-tailed Hawk between a couple of Merlins.”

Another fun fact: If a conductor is not clamped or terminated properly, the outer wires open up spirally away from the central radius; this is commonly called birdcaging.

3, 2, 1, Action!

Over the last few weeks, I got a behind the scenes look at the making of MLGW’s television show, Memphis Energized.


When I went to visit the Household Hazardous Waste Center, the show’s producer, MLGW’s very own Tamara Nolen, and Randy Paige, a cameraman from Media Source, came along with me to conduct an on-camera interview with Environmental Programs Coordinator Lisa Williams and shoot some footage for the show. Tamara was really good at putting Lisa—who was extremely nervous about being on TV—at ease. In addition to the interview, Randy filmed the various items that were stored in the bays. (He went back on a busy Saturday morning to get footage of customers making drop offs.)

I quickly realized that putting together this thirty minute show takes a lot of work. Tamara is responsible for selecting the show’s content, scheduling and conducting interviews, coordinating filming and voiceovers, writing the script, editing, and who knows what else!


The most fun I had behind the scenes, was at the Media Source studio in Bartlett where the show’s hosts—MLGW’s Chris Stanley and local anchorwoman Jane Segal—film their segments. The Memphis Energized set closely resembles a living room thanks to Media Source President, Joe Incardona, who says he’s the only man who regularly shops at Hobby Lobby. Much attention is paid to the greenery in the background, the magazines on the coffee table, etc. to give the show a “homey” feel. (Joe also spent a good deal of time extolling the virtues of his new in studio fluorescent lighting.)


I got a real kick out of watching my coworker, Chris, apply hairspray and make-up, worry whether his green sweater made him look fat, and flub a few of his lines. Jane kept everyone entertained between takes with tales of her Ebay adventures. I learned a lot of TV lingo thanks to Joe, Randy, and Tamara. (If you ever want to know what “Over Video,” “On Screen,” “One Shot,” or “Two Shot” means, then I’m your girl.)

It was amazing how much material is covered in one show. For the upcoming March/April episode there are spots on MLGW’s Energy Smart Program, Plus-1, free energy kits from TVA, online bill payment, the TVA rate increase, the new look of our Meter Readers, the Household Hazardous Waste Center, this blog, and much, much more!

Because I was really interested in the Household Hazardous Waste Center, Tamara let me do the voice over for the video segment. I much prefer the written word, but I did my lines in only two takes. (Take that, Chris!)

Please tune in to the show and let us know what you think!

Memphis Energized Schedule
March/April 2008

WKNO
3/2 at 9:00 a.m.
3/30 at 9:30 p.m.
3/31 at 2:30 a.m.

WKNO 2
3/1 at 8:30 p.m.
3/31 at 9:30 p.m.

WREG Channel 3
March 1 at Noon

The Library Channel
Sundays at 1:30 p.m.
Mondays at 6 p.m.
Tuesdays at 1 a.m.
Wednesdays at 8:00 a.m.
Thursdays at midnight and 7:30 a.m.
Fridays at 8:00 p.m.
Saturdays at 5:00 p.m.

My 50 TV
Saturdays at 4:30 p.m.

Tune In

Jerry Collins, MLGW's CEO, and Eliza King, Customer Accounts and Records, will be on WDIA's Bev Johnson show at 11 a.m. this morning. Click here to listen.

Mail Call

I got my free TVA energy kit in the mail yesterday! The kit includes two compact fluorescent light bulbs, outlet and light switch gaskets, filter whistle for your HVAC air filter (which sounds when your filter becomes 50% clogged letting you know it will soon need replacing), two faucet aerators, hot water temperature gauge, home thermometer, and a “How to Save” brochure.

MLGW has partnered with TVA so that customers who enroll in MLGW's My Account services and complete both the "Home Profile" and "My Appliances" questions under the Home Energy Center tab can also receive a free kit.

Coffee or Soda?

MLGW customers who use cash to pay their utility bills at the automated kiosks located inside Exxon's On the Run markets in April and May will have an opportunity to receive a free fountain drink or coffee.

Drink coupons will be available starting in April at all MLGW community offices, online, and in the monthly bill insert. This promotion is being funded entirely by TIO Networks--the company that provides the kiosks-- and Exxon.

There is a $2 TIO Networks transaction fee to use the On the Run kiosks. MLGW does not receive any revenue from this fee.

Drink It Up!

Memphis water is delicious, plentiful, and inexpensive. It’s also available at every home and business in town. The next time you purchase a bottle of water rather than fill your own container from the tap consider this:

1) Eight out of ten plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or end up in a landfill.

2) The energy wasted producing bottled water would be enough to power 190,000 homes.

3) Making all of the bottles used in the US requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually. (That's enough to fuel 100,000 cars.)

Bottled water is neither purer nor safer than tap water in most communities. In fact, many of the leading bottled water brands are sourced from municipal tap water in other cities who’s water may or may not be as good as ours.

So, save your money and maybe even the earth by drinking Memphis’ pure and tasty tap water.

From Sky to Faucet

The water that comes from your tap could very well be a raindrop that is at least 2,000 years old. Talk about recycling!

Raindrops slowly filter through layers of sand and gravel over hundreds of years and are then held under pressure by 350 feet of nearly impermeable clay in reservoirs called aquifers. When the water finds a hole, it defies gravity and goes up instead of down, creating an artesian well. Shelby County is located over four natural aquifers, one of which is best known as the Memphis Sand Aquifer.

When 500 foot wells are drilled here, pressure forces the water to rise to a point near the surface, thereby allowing Memphis to tout itself as the largest city in the world with artesian wells as its solitary water source. The Memphis Sand Aquifer is estimated to contain more than 100 trillion gallons of water. Since the tapping of the well in 1887, the aquifer has only descended 125 feet, suggesting a reliable water source in Memphis for years to come.

MLGW operates 10 water pumping stations that electrically pump water to the surface. Each pumping station generates a maximum of 35 million gallons a day—an ample supply for MLGW’s 250,000+ customers.

It's Easy To Be Green, Week 3

This is another installment of Lichterman Nature Center's twelve week It's Easy To Be Green program that MLGW employees are participating in.

This week we are focusing on water usage. Did you know that you use more water in the bathroom than in any other room or area in your home? Water conservation means we must be aware of our water wasting habits and adjust our behavior to find sustainable alternatives. Become a water saver rather than a water waster.

Action Items

• Take a shower rather than a tub bath. A full tub holds 36 gallons of water. A shower uses only 3-5 gallons per minute.

• By cutting back a shower to 5 minutes, you can save 9 gallons of water. The average shower lasts 8 minutes and uses 3 gallons per minute with a low-flow shower head. That’s about 24 gallons per shower.

• Does your bathroom have a low-flow showerhead? With a low-flow showerhead, your water usage can be decreased by 50%! A low-flow showerhead dispenses 2-3 gallons of water per minute vs. 5-15 gallons by a standard showerhead. You save water, energy, and money.

• 4.8 billion gallons of water are flushed down toilets every day. If you have old toilets, reduce the water usage by placing a brick in the tank. Another alternative is to place a water-filled 2 liter plastic bottle in the tank.

• Turn off the water when brushing your teeth or shaving. A running faucet can pour out 6 gallons of water in 3 minutes.

• Don’t be a drip. Keep your plumbing (faucets, showerheads and toilets) in good repair. A moderate drip wastes two gallons of water—or more—per hour.

• Don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket. Every extra flush wastes up to 7 gallons of water.

New Board Member Approved

The City Council has approved the nomination of Darrell Cobbins to fill a vacancy on MLGW's board of commissioners. Darrell Cobbins established Universal Commercial Real Estate, LLC in 2007, as Memphis’ first African-American owned commercial real estate and community development services firm.

He served for seven years as Vice President at Commercial Advisors, LLC, where he worked in commercial real estate brokerage and corporate real estate advisory services, serving many of Memphis’ most notable corporations and institutions.

Darrell was also previously in economic development with the Memphis Regional Chamber of Commerce from 1999-2001, where he was Senior Resource Development Officer, and at Guardsmark, Inc, serving as Unit Manager, beginning his professional career immediately after college.

Mr. Cobbins possesses a strong background in civic leadership, commercial and corporate real estate, and economic development. Combined with his commitment to client service, Darrell makes a tremendous contribution to the company’s professional and community service to small business, corporate, non-profit, and institutional clients.

The council also approved the reappointments of V. Lynn Evans and Rick Masson to the board. The appointments are not final until the council minutes are approved in two weeks.

Free Energy Kits from TVA

As I reported in January, TVA is giving out free energy kits to customers who complete an energy audit. Ads have started running locally in the newspaper and on the radio.

MLGW has partnered with TVA so that customers who enroll in MLGW's My Account services and complete both the "Home Profile" and "My Appliances" questions under the Home Energy Center tab can also receive a free kit. This energy audit allows you to use local rates and your actual billing history, thus giving you the most accurate results.

The campaign runs through 6/30/08, or while supplies last. (Customers who completed the required sections of MLGW's My Account website earlier this year will qualify, too.) Limit one per household.

TVA sends the kits in 8-10 weeks. The kit includes two compact fluorescent light bulbs, outlet and light switch gaskets, filter whistle for your HVAC air filter (which sounds when your filter becomes 50% clogged letting you know it will soon need replacing), two faucet aerators, hot water temperature gauge, home thermometer, and a “How to Save” brochure.

Learn more about MLGW's My Account services here.

Gas Leaks

Our own Richard Thompson wrote an article about the gas restoration component of last week's tornado damage for the APGA's newsletter, that I thought I'd share here.

On February 5, tornados struck Memphis and Shelby County late that afternoon, leaving thousands without power and causing 24 major gas leaks. Yet, all of the reported gas leaks were controlled and isolated by the 10 p.m. newscast that day. How so?

Experience, said Lamar Lusk, a customer service supervisor in field operations for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division.

“We’ve been through wind storms. We’ve had ice storms,” said Lusk, who works in Hickory Hill, where one of four MLGW service centers are located. Hickory Hill is an area of Memphis that suffered the most damage. “Through experience and training, we knew what to expect.”

Indeed, the storm left downed power lines, damaged gas meters and gas leaks in its wake. All expected. Crews were activated at 4:30 p.m.

While the MLGW service building was spared any heavy damage, crews inside the center took precautions while the storm passed before heading out to serve customers.

As soon as weather conditions were safe, MLGW crews began combing the streets looking for gas leaks. What crews found on the streets was damage to commercial buildings as multi-ton HVAC units had flown off of rooftops.

Customers in Hickory Hill were reporting gas leaks, and Lusk said utility crews also smelled gas in the air at Challenge Drive, where several warehouses among other structures took the brunt of a tornado.

“And we proceeded to go and eliminate the gas leaks,” Lusk said. As crews turned off the gas at the riser, he added, “People came up the hill (from an adjacent residential neighborhood) and were saying that they smelled gas.”

The smell of gas may have been blown over that neighborhood as it pushed out of two damage pipes at a nearby warehouse that had been destroyed. Those pipes were quickly valved off.

Still, as a precaution, MLGW crews checked every meter in the severely impacted area—be it commercial, industrial and residential—and turned off the meters if it showed consumption just in case. MLGW kept safety at the forefront because crews were unable to go inside of the buildings to take readings (which is standard procedure) because they were prevented by storm damages or no one was there to give them access late that evening.

Twenty to 25 Commercial Industrial meters were affected, but thankfully, no main line valves that would affect a large area had to be shut off. The reported gas leaks were controlled and isolated around 10 p.m. on Feb. 5, Lusk said.

Not long after that Tuesday, gas service was restored to impacted customers as they notified MLGW.

Overall, the February 5 storm system was deadly, killing three people in Memphis. More than 50 people were killed across five states. At one point, 64,000 MLGW customers were without power. Service was fully restored five days later with the help of 23 out-of-town crews, including workers from City Utilities in Springfield, Mo. MLGW suffered an estimated $6.5 million in damages and permanent repairs to its infrastructure could take months.

That storm occurred a week after Memphis and Shelby County had been struck by strong winds on January 29, which left 31,000 customers without power at one point. MLGW and five out-of-town crews worked around the clock, an estimated 58 hours, in order to fully restore service from that storm on February 1.

Underground Utility Lines

This is from today's Commercial Appeal, and clearly good news to the birds.

Price high to bury utility lines
Discussion raised when storms leave residents without power
By Michael Erskine

Buried at least 42 inches in the soil of Shelby County, close to 2,500 miles of electric distribution cables snake under lawns, sidewalks and streets.

But it's the 4,200 miles of overhead electric lines that get the attention of most Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division customers, especially when a tree crashes down and cuts their electricity.

After back-to-back storms this year that each knocked out power to more than 60,000 MLGW customers, local utility officials have been hit with an age-old question:

Why not bury MLGW's existing overhead electric infrastructure to prevent future outages from storms and winds?

MLGW has fielded dozens of such inquiries from customers and reporters since tornadoes barreled through town Feb. 5, leaving some customers without power for as long as five days.

The bottom line, according to MLGW, is cost.

After the windstorm dubbed "Hurricane Elvis" slammed Memphis in 2003, utility officials put the price tag of burying its existing overhead electric lines at "in excess of $1 billion."

MLGW officials now say it would cost in the "$5 billion range" to put all electric lines underground -- the equivalent of about 20 FedExForums.

Over a 30-year period, MLGW would have to spend about $166 million a year on underground electric system infrastructure, compared to the roughly $70 million paid now to maintain overhead lines, said Alonzo Weaver, MLGW's vice president of engineering and operations.

Furthermore, Weaver said MLGW believes the life span of an underground system would be about 30 years, compared to the 50-year life of an overhead system. So once the underground system is paid for after 30 years, MLGW would have to start paying for it again.

"What we try to do is strike a balance," Weaver said. "... We look at our standards. We try to put in the best system that we can put in for the money and try to provide the best reliability we can for the money."

In maintaining its overhead system, MLGW spends about $9 million a year on tree trimming, which has increased by about $3 million over the past five years.

Industry officials say there are some benefits to going underground.

There are the aesthetics of not having power lines crisscross the city, which has been a central argument since Lady Bird Johnson started pushing for the "beautification" of America in the 1960s and targeted overhead electric lines.

In addition, power outages from storms are less frequent when lines are underground.

But outages indeed occur with underground lines -- whether they stem from equipment failure, water seepage or animals that eat through cables -- and those outages often take longer to diagnose and repair.

But the expense of installing underground lines, which can be almost 10 times the cost of new overhead power lines, is the major factor nationwide in whether utilities bury existing lines, said Mike Hyland, vice president of engineering at the American Public Power Association.

Every city in the country, he said, struggles with this issue.

"The question always comes up right after storms, because people don't care about cost right now. They want their juice flowing. They want their refrigerator on. They want their heater on, and all they're caring about is 'do whatever it takes to get me electricity,'" he said.

"... Underground has its value and has its good side. But don't believe the hype that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread."

Still, as new subdivisions spring up across Shelby County, miles of underground electric cables are being installed.

In 1996, MLGW started requiring that low-voltage service lines extending to individual homes in new subdivisions be installed underground and offered incentives to developers to promote the underground installation of high-voltage "primary" lines, which was done in response to the devastating ice storm of 1994.

Just over one-third of MLGW's roughly 6,700 miles of electric distribution lines are now underground.

City Councilman Bill Morrison, who is vice chairman of the council's MLGW committee, said, aesthetically, he'd like to see MLGW bury all its existing power lines.

But he said the capital cost -- which would be passed along to customers through higher utility rates -- may be too great an obstacle.

"We really don't want to do that," Morrison said of raising rates for such a project. "We're making it more and more difficult to live in the city."

Scandalous

Ragan recently interviewed Glen Thomas, MLGW's supervisor of Corporate Communications, on how to respond to an ethics scandal.

As the story got legs, “we got a ton of negative media coverage,” Thomas says. “It got to the point that I contemplated a career in the cigarette industry in order to be a more popular spokesperson.”

Read the full interview here.

TVA Rate Increase

Just what you want to hear on a Friday...

The board of the Tennessee Valley Authority passed a seven percent rate increase today that is expected to add $5 to $6 on the typical MLGW customer’s monthly energy costs. MLGW receives no additional revenue from this increase. The increase becomes effective April 1.

This increase impacts utility customers served by all of TVA’s 158 locally-owned distributor utilities in seven states. By law and under the terms of MLGW’s contract with TVA, the utility is required to pass the increase on to customers.

According to TVA, the rate increase will generate approximately $300 million of additional revenue for fiscal year 2008. TVA says the revenue is needed in order to lessen its dependence on more costly power from other energy suppliers and meet growing energy demand. TVA must invest in new generating facilities and energy efficiency initiatives in 2008 and into the future.

Despite the TVA increase, MLGW customers will still enjoy among the lowest combined energy costs in the nation. Customers can find practical tips for saving energy and money on MLGW's website.

MLGW Credit Assistance for Customers Impacted by Disasters

When the President of the USA declares a disaster in Shelby County, MLGW's current credit policy allows flexibility at the supervisors’ level to assist in meeting the needs of our customers.

Residential Customers impacted by disasters such as earthquakes, tornados, etc. who have lost a job due to the disaster, experience death of an immediate family member, or sustain significant property damage can qualify for payment arrangements without paying 25% of the total bill up front. They can also qualify for deferred billing plans up to 12 months.

Customers must come into an MLGW office to make arrangements 45 days from the date of the disaster and show proof of hardship (i.e. FEMA claim, insurance claim, community assistance agency supporting documents).

Household Hazardous Waste

Since I am thinking outside of the garbage can this week, I decided to make a trip to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility out on Farm Road in Shelby Farms. Improperly disposing of household hazardous wastes by pouring them down the drain, on the ground, into storm sewers, or (in some cases) putting them out with the trash can pollute the environment and pose a threat to human health.

While the collection facility is not exactly close to my house, it is in a prime location. Driving through Shelby Farms—one of the largest urban parks in the United States with approximately 700 acres of wetlands and hardwood forest—one can’t help but think about the importance of protecting our natural resources. Of primary concern to Shelby County residents is protecting the Memphis Sands Aquifer, our source of drinking water.

Now that the permanent collection facility is open, Shelby County residents can drop off household materials twice a week, rather than just once a year. The facility is open every Tuesday and Saturday from 8:30am-1:00pm. Since opening in late November, the facility has had over 2700 people drop off household hazardous waste.

Inmates who work at the facility unload hazardous items from cars, in a convenient drive-through system. Items are then sorted into four categories: flammable, non-flammable, caustic, and acidic. From there items are packaged in boxes, barrels, or on pallets for pick up by a variety of vendors.


The number one collected item at the facility is latex paint. However, latex paint is not hazardous when dry. Lisa Williams, the Environmental Programs Coordinator, suggests removing the lid and placing the can in a safe, well-ventilated area. Cans with ¼ or less will dry in a few days. For cans with greater volume, you can add mulch or cat-litter to dry up the paint. Once dry, it is okay to place the can in a separate bag in your garbage.

However, since we are thinking green here, remember you can donate unopened cans of paint to schools, community, religious, and theater groups or even a neighbor. Also, if you take the time to clean the can, it can be recycled or reused.


The second most popular item collected at the facility is electronics. They will accept all computers (PCs and laptops), monitors, ink cartridges, printers (small desktop & combo/fax), scanners, servers, audio/visual equipment, telephones/cell phones, typewriters, calculators, circuit boards, and misc. electrical equipment. (They cannot accept microwaves or TVs.) The electronic equipment is picked up by local company 5R Processors, who recycles it. (You can also drop off electronics, including TVs, at 5R’s warehouse at 3274 Democrat Road.)

I was specifically interested in properly disposing of CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs), since they will soon be the norm. Currently Williams says they get a lot of fluorescent tubes, but not many light bulbs. Once incandescent light bulbs are obsolete, this is sure to change. If the facility begins collecting a lot of CFLs then they may be able to find a vendor who recycles them. In the meantime, they can safely store them and keep the mercury out of our landfills.


For a full listing of acceptable drop-off items, visit the Household Hazardous Waste Facility website. Set aside items at home and on your next visit to Shelby Farms, drop them off!

Black Vultures

This just in from one of our resident substation engineers/bird enthusiasts:

We saw a family of black vultures at SUB 39 the other day. As you can see I took some really bad pictures. They patrol the transmission easements. It's funny how the "Mom" always has to make the first move and then all the rest follow suit. Then they sit and look at her to do something else. I'm probably the only one who thinks buzzards are hilarious.

Community Services Disaster Relief Fund

From The Commercial Appeal:

Relief fund to assist victims of tornado
Financial aid available for Shelby Countians

By Alex Doniach
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton and former congressman Harold Ford Jr. called on the community Wednesday to assist victims of last week's tornado.

Wharton said in a press conference that Shelby County has launched a "Community Services Disaster Relief Fund" to assist people whose property was destroyed or who are out of work because their workplace was shut down as a result of last week's storm.

"We want a locally based fund without a lot of red tape that ... would be able to give immediate assistance to get people back to work, get their vehicles repaired, those types of things," Wharton said.

Ford said while FEMA did a "pretty decent job this go around," this fund would help those people who don't qualify for a specific FEMA aid package -- a "fall through the cracks" effort, according to Wharton.

And while Wharton did not specify a fund-raising goal, he has asked Gov. Phil Bredesen for $250,000 and also indicated he would be ask the County Commission for aid funds.

A representative from Wal-Mart presented a $5,000 check Wednesday to jump start the effort, and The Harold Ford Jr. Charitable Fund donated $2,500.

Wharton reminded those at the press conference of the damage to businesses in the Hickory Hill area. The Hardy Bottling Company in Southeast Memphis, for example, was completely destroyed, and though no employees were injured, about 170 employees are out of work.

John W. Moore, president of the Memphis Regional Chamber, said the reach of the damage has not been fully realized, but he estimates at least 22 larger facilities sustained damage.

With possible exceptions for special needs cases, the fund will generally address the following:

Utility assistance and rent/mortgage assistance for workers who have been suspended from jobs due to damage to their workplace.

Meal assistance to low-income families who were without electricity for an extended period.

Minor home and building repairs for select homes that sustained damage, especially those of the elderly.

"If government can't help at a time like this, when can it help?" Wharton said.

For assistance from this program, call the Mayor's Assistance Center at 545-4311.

Companies or organizations interested in donating to the funs should call the Mayor's office at 545-4500.

Plastic Bags Blow

Since it is week two of the It's Easy to be Green Program, which focuses on thinking outside of the garbage can, I thought I would tackle a major waste issue: plastic grocery bags.

First, a few facts...
1. Well over a billion single-use plastic bags are given out for free each day.
2. The production of plastic bags requires petroleum and often natural gas, both non-renewable resources that increase our dependency on foreign suppliers.
3. In a landfill, plastic bags take up to 1,000 years to degrade. As litter, they breakdown into tiny bits, contaminating our soil and water.
(See a comprehensive list of facts about plastic bags at Reusablebags.com.)

So, what can we do to reduce our plastic bag consumption?

Open our eyes to how many bags we consume. For instance, if you have a giant plastic bag holding plastic bags in your closet, take five minutes and count how many you have. The results may surprise you.

Open our eyes to plastic bags littering our community. Take a walk or look out the window as you drive home and notice the number of plastic bags stuck to tree limbs, lining sidewalks, and flying in the breeze.

Refuse a bag. Cashiers are programmed to keep the line moving and don't always stop to think or bother to ask if you need a bag, or even ask if you would prefer paper. If you don't need a bag, don't take one. Choose paper when given a choice.

Reuse the plastic bags we have already accumulated. A common reuse is as a small garbage can liner.

Recycle the plastic bags that we cannot avoid using. Many area grocery stores have bins where you can drop off your bags. Currently only 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled.

Get Crafty. Turn your plastic bags into a reusable bag. The Memphis Botanic Garden is hosting a Recycled Tote Bag Workshop on March 1st from 9:30am-12:30pm. If you miss the class, you can still make your own bag. Needlepointers.com has a list of projects you can teach yourself.

Start using reusable bags when we go shopping.
Plastic bags have been banned in California and as a result, many retailers are now offering inexpensive reusable bags in their stores. Target just started selling bags made from recycled polypropylene fabric that are available in two sizes and self zip into a small pouch for convenient storage. The larger size sells for $1.49 and the smaller size for $.99. (I have also seen inexpensive reusable bags for sale at the Midtown Schnuck's. If you want something more substantial, or hip, Reusablebags.com has a very extensive collection of reusable bags for sale.)

DHS Emergency Assistance for Tornado Victims

Food Stamp Replacement Benefits

• If a Food Stamp program participant lost food due to a power outage (24 hours or more), the current month’s benefits are replaced.

• If a Food Stamp EBT card was lost or damaged, replacement cards are available at the DHS county office, Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Low Income Emergency Cash Assistance

One-time cash payments of $250 (1-2 person household), $500 (3-4 persons), or $750 (5 or more) are available to:

• Applicants displaced from their homes.

• Applicants with a household income that does not exceed 125% of the federal poverty guidelines.

Eligibility will be determined at time of application.

For more information, go to the closest DHS Office or call the DHS Family Assistance Service Center (toll-free 1-866-311-4287) Mon - Fri 7:00Am - 5:30 PM.

Not in My Backyard

Any environmental activist will tell you that one of the best things you can do to help the environment is to plant a tree.

According a story I heard on National Public Radio this morning, some of those same activists might start asking you to cut trees down instead.

Especially if you live in California.

And your tree is blocking the activist's solar panels.

Listen to the whole story here.

A Disastrous Valentine's Day

For those of you looking for an alternative (or supplement) to romantic candle-lit dinners, long-stemmed roses, and heart-shaped chocolates, the University of Memphis is hosting an Open House at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) and a Public Forum on Disaster Preparedness this Thursday, February 14th.

Open House at CERI
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Center for Earthquake Research and Information (3892 Central)

CERI is partnering with the Mid-South Association of Contingency Planners, Memphis Light Gas and Water, Memphis & Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, and the American Red Cross to provide basic disaster preparedness and earthquake hazard information to the public. In addition to local experts, there will be displays and free information on hand.

Public Forum on Disaster Preparedness
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Michael D. Rose Theatre at The University of Memphis

An expert panel comprised of representatives from CERI, the Mid-South Association of Contingency Planners, Memphis Light Gas and Water, Memphis & Shelby County Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross will discuss local disaster preparedness strategies and answer questions from the public.

For more information on these events, contact Carol Bowker at 901-678-4923.

It’s Easy To Be Green, Week 2

We got a little off track with all of the storms, but I'm happy to bring you another installment of Lichterman Nature Center's twelve week It's Easy To Be Green program that MLGW employees are participating in.

This week we are "Thinking Outside the Garbage Can." Recycling is easy to do, and it takes very little time. Recycling paper, plastic, glass, steel, and aluminum saves not only natural resources but also the energy that goes into making and transporting them.


Action Items

• Use your municipal curbside recycling collection program or recycling drop off centers.

• Recycle aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles and jars, plastics, paper and cardboard. When you recycle, you send less trash to the landfill. You will also help save natural resources like trees, petroleum and other raw materials.

• Squash your aluminum cans! Crushed cans take up less space in recycling bins.

• Empty, rinse out and sort (if necessary) all containers for the recycling bin. No broken glass, please.

• Fold all cardboard containers and paper boxes. Place them in the recycling bin instead of putting them in the trash bin.

• Put junk mail, old newspapers, telephone books, catalogs, and magazines into paper grocery bags to be recycled.

• When shopping, examine all packaging to determine if it can be recycled. Look for the symbols #1 PEPE and #2 HDPE. These containers are recyclable in the City of Memphis’ recycling program.

• Take plastic planting pots to Lichterman Nature Center. The staff reuses them to propagate native plants.

• Too much junk mail? You can stop this unwanted mail by going to Catalog Choice.

Benefits of Recycling

• Reduces our reliance on landfills.

• Conserves natural resources by reducing the need for raw materials.

• Protects our health and the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and water pollutants.

• Saves energy. Recycling an aluminum can uses only 5% of the energy required to make a new one. Recycling glass uses 50% less energy. Every ton of paper recycled saves 60% less energy, as well as 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and six pounds of air pollution.

Compared to using materials once, throwing them away and then replacing them, recycling makes good sense. Recycling benefits the environment by reducing natural resource damage and pollution that occurs when extracting virgin materials in order to manufacture new products. Materials collected for recycling have already been refined and processed once. Manufacturing the second time around tends to be cleaner and less energy-intensive.

Power On, Relief Center Open

MLGW News

Significant repairs to substation 71 on Friday allowed MLGW to energize the facility and return power to residents and businesses in Hickory Hill.

Customers still without power may have damage to their weatherheads. The weatherhead is usually located above the roofline or attached to the gable or side of the house where the customer’s wiring connects to MLGW’s electric lines. The weatherhead is the homeowner’s property and therefore, is not maintained by MLGW. If it is damaged, a customer must have it repaired by a licensed electrician and inspected by Code Enforcement before MLGW can restore power.

FEMA News

The Federal Emergency Management Agency opened a disaster relief center at 7 a.m. today at the Hickory Hill Community Center, 3910 Ridgeway.

FEMA officials are asking victims of Tuesday's tornadoes to register online or by phone before visiting the center.

To register, call 1-800-621-3362 or visit fema.gov

Also, representatives from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army will be at the center today to offer aid.

A Heartfelt Gift

MLGW's Gift of Comfort program could be the perfect gift for your Valentine or a loved one who was affected by Tuesday's storms. The Gift of Comfort is a program that provides a means for individuals in the community to make a payment towards a customer's utility bill as a gift.

Gift of Comfort brochures are available at all MLGW community offices and can be downloaded here. To give this gift, you only need to know the recipient's address. Gifts can be purchased in any amount and will appear as a credit on the recipient's bill. Donations can be made anonymously (a secret Valentine) or a portion of the certificate can be detached and presented to the recipient.

After the Storm

Federal Assistance
Today Bush declared parts of Shelby County a disaster area. This action makes federal funds, including lower-interest loans, available to residents of Shelby county. Grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and "other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster," are now available.

Hickory Hill Community Meeting
There will be a community meeting at Greater Community Temple (5151 Winchester) on Saturday from 2-5 p.m. Representatives from the police, fire, City, County, etc. will be there, as well as many MLGW representatives from all over the company.

Substation 71
Expect to see and hear a lot about Substation 71, as the media is going on a tour there at 10:30am to see the damage first hand.

Safety First

MLGW crews have restored power to nearly 60,000 customers since Tuesday’s storms. As of now, approximately 4,400 customers remain without power.

Safety tips:

MLGW is reinforcing the need for safety around downed power lines and other potential hazards as Memphis and Shelby County residents begin debris removal from businesses and homes.

MLGW urges customers to be aware of their surroundings as they sift through debris. Customers should avoid contact with downed power lines—even if their home or area has experienced a loss of power the lines could still be energized. Also, if they are not careful, it is possible for the body to become a conduit for an electrical current, which could result in serious injury as well as death.

Customers are also asked to avoid the immediate area where MLGW crews are working. These work sites can be extremely hazardous.

As MLGW crews work to restore power, here are some tips for using portable generators:

• Never use a generator indoors or in an enclosed area such as a garage. Generators emit toxic carbon monoxide from the engine exhaust.

• A generator should only be operated in a well-ventilated and dry area, away from air intakes to the home. It should be protected from direct exposure to rain and snow, preferably under a canopy, open shed or carport.

• Do not attempt to restore power to your entire house by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. The electricity produced by a generator cannot only ruin your home’s wiring and start a fire, it can also feed back into the utility system and energize a line thought to be without power possibly killing utility workers trying to restore power. It can also cause damage to the generator when electric service is restored.

• Handle fuel carefully. Turn the generator off prior to refueling. Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled safety containers.

• Turn off or disconnect all appliances prior to operating a portable generator. Once the generator is running, appliances powered by the generator can be turned on one at a time.

Important MLGW numbers for customers:
• Outage Reporting 544-6500
• Emergency 528-4465
• Customer Care Center 544-MLGW (6549)

For more information, you can download MLGW’s storm preparedness brochure.

Damage Report

Substation 71 in the Hickory Hill area was de-energized last night due to damage from debris. Nearby warehouses were completely destroyed and the fence of the substation had collected cars, trees and roofing materials.














Downed power transmission towers just south of the airport/north of Stateline Road are unable to bring power into the station.














Substation 71 is at least 5-7 days from being re-energized, and even then the distribution will not be completed. It could be three weeks before that area is restored.

The reason for the long restoration time is that much of our electric system has been completely wiped out and must be completely rebuilt. This is different from the wind storm of 2003 because in that case, we had fairly significant damage over a wide area. In this case, we have complete devastation, but in a smaller area.

Tornado Warning

With twisters spotted around town yesterday, many people wisely took cover. MLGW's downtown employees were evacuated to an underground parking garage to wait out the severe weather. Many of us gradually made our way up a level so that we could use our cellphones and PDAs to get news of our friends & families, as well as our fellow Memphians.

Weathering the storm is just the beginning for MLGW employees. As we all stood there waiting for the winds to die down, we knew that there would be outages and damage to repair, and that our customers would need information. Even though it was 5:00pm, our workday was just beginning.

Restoration Update

Severe weather moving through the Memphis metropolitan area and Shelby County in the early evening hours Tuesday caused scattered power outages across the area. Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division is working around the clock to repair damage and restore electric service throughout the county. MLGW is also working to repair some water and gas equipment damage.

Hardest hit is the area around Hickory Hill due to direct storm and possible tornado damage. Power lines and utility poles are down, and crews are working to repair major damage. Approximately 36,000 MLGW customers were without power at the peak of the storm. Currently there are approximately 23,000 without power due to scattered outages across the county.

MLGW reports that four water pumping stations have been affected, and the utility is working to restore those stations, using electric generators when necessary. Storm damage to buildings has also caused some gas leaks in industrial areas in the southeast part of Shelby County.

TVA reported damage to two transmission towers near Moose Road in northeast Shelby County. Trees and power lines are down in some areas. Customers are asked to keep a safe distance from dangerous or arcing electric lines.

MLGW will continue to assess the damage, and work to restore service to its customers. Out of town crews have been called in to assist MLGW’s restoration efforts. Customers are asked to call 544-6500 to report power outages. To report downed power lines, customers should call MLGW's Emergency Number at 528-4465.

A Taste of Hollywood

A camera crew outside of the administration building caught our attention Monday afternoon. A little snooping revealed that Gordman's, an Omaha-based apparel and home fashions retailer, was shooting a commercial for its "On The Road" advertising campaign. The year-long campaign will introduce Gordmans customers to a variety of communities in the 15 states where the company operates stores.

As the first Gordman's market to be featured, Memphis attractions and sites will serve as a backdrop for fashion and home merchandise appearing in both printed and TV advertisements. (Gordmans sought out local models and production crew through area talent agencies and other resources.)

If you are now wondering why Gordman's would choose an MLGW building as a backdrop, it is because I failed to mention that our offices are located directly across from the historic and beautiful Orpheum Theater.

The printed advertising insert will appear on Sunday, March 16 in newspapers throughout the 15 states where Gordmans stores are located. The television commercial will air during the first three weeks in March.

Burning Green

MLGW is an original founding partner of the West Tennessee Clean Cities Coalition, which was created in August 2005 to help reduce our nation’s dependence on high carbon fuels and improve air quality by advancing the use of energy efficient technologies and cleaner burning, domestically produced renewable energy.

MLGW's role is to support clean and alternative energy fuels such as biodiesel (B20) and ethanol (E85) by using it in our operations when financially and operationally feasible.

In August of 2007, the Brunswick Service Center received their first shipment of B20 from Memphis Biofuels. Brunswick goes through approximately 10,000 gallons of biodiesel fuel per month. As long as the price of biodiesel is not too expensive compared to ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD), MLGW will continue purchasing B20 instead of ULSD.

MLGW employees have been pretty positive about using B20, which is about the same with regards to gas mileage, performance, etc. to ULSD. The only potential problem with B20 is gelling due to the cold weather. So far, there haven’t been any problems with engines not starting.

Later this year, there are plans to purchase flex fuel vehicles which utilize ethanol-blended fuel. Underground storage tanks will be installed to house the ethanol fuel at one or more of the service centers.

In addition, MLGW also has 10 hybrid vehicles in its fleet—four Priuses and six Ford Escape Hybrids. MLGW will continue to add hybrids to its fleet when they become more affordable and/or when Federal credits are available.

Judge Dismisses Water Rights Lawsuit

U.S. District Judge Glen Davidson today dismissed a $1.3 billion lawsuit against Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division and the City of Memphis finding that the Court did not have the authority to hear the dispute.

In the suit, the State of Mississippi had claimed that MLGW was misappropriating “Mississippi’s ground water” from the underground aquifer that lies beneath Tennessee, Mississippi and parts of other states.

In his ruling, Judge Davidson said that the State of Tennessee is a necessary party in any lawsuit regarding the apportionment of quantities of water rights in an interstate water body, a point MLGW raised at the beginning of the lawsuit.

“We are pleased with Judge Davidson’s ruling today,” said Charlotte Knight-Griffin, interim general counsel for MLGW. “We have maintained all along that the aquifer is a shared resource of the region.”

The Doctor is In

I recently had an opportunity to ride along with one of our Energy Doctors on a home energy survey. (These surveys are a free service offered by MLGW to residential customers.)

I am pretty versed in energy conservation and spend a good deal of time talking to customers about high bills and how to reduce them, but to actually go to someone’s house and do a one-on-one evaluation was enlightening to say the least.

We were called out by the owner of a rental property in Midtown. A large house built in 1917 that is divided into three apartments—two downstairs and one upstairs. The owner lives in another state, but employs a management company to oversee the property. The tenants pay rent only—utilities are paid by the owner. The January bill topped $700.

The tenants were very happy to see us and had a list of complaints about the management company overseeing the property. The Energy Dr. explained the reason for our visit and let the tenants know that we’d need to see the heating and air conditioning units, inspect the water heater, windows and doors, major appliances, and plumbing.

Our first stop was the basement. The Energy Dr. noted that the pilot lights were out on the hot water boiler which powered the heating. The tenants commented that they often went out and that they relit them on a regular basis. Also of note, was the fact that the water heater and water pipes were not insulated.

A non-functioning washer and a dryer with a broken timer were also in the basement. With a dryer that runs indefinitely, the tenants aren’t just running up their electric bill, they’re risking starting a fire!

Next, we went into the first unit. It was about 50 degrees outside, and 75 inside. There was a window unit that both heated and cooled the apartment, as well as a radiator in each room. The tenant explained that he had no control over the radiant heat in his unit and that it often got extremely hot. (There was not a thermostat in the apartment.) He was unaware that he could turn his radiator off with the knob at the bottom and stated that when it got too hot, he turned on his air-conditioning unit.

We inspected the unit and pointed out that the large gaps around the unit were allowing air to come in from the outside. The Energy Dr. explained several ways to plug the holes and we then continued around the apartment inspecting windows. Although there were storm windows, several of them were broken, open, or loose, allowing additional air to come in.

Finally the tenant showed us his bathtub, which has a dripping faucet. It’s dripping hot water which will increase the water and gas bill. Additionally, if you looked at the drainage pipes, you could see all the way into the basement.

Next door, in the second unit, the temperature was even higher. The tenant claimed to have no control over the radiators and felt that it was arbitrary when they came on, if at all. She also did not realize that she could adjust the radiator knobs.

The windows were in much better shape, but the security door had a large gap that allowed air in when the front door was open. Additionally, the fireplace had no damper. Despite all of this air infiltration, we remarked that the unit was extremely warm.

That’s when the tenant informed us that she had her oven on with the door open to heat the house. Using your oven to heat the house is definitely not efficient—or recommended. An electric oven was not designed for space heating. (A gas oven may go out or burn inefficiently, leading to carbon monoxide poisoning.)

Although this tenant did have a thermostat—a programmable one, it was unclear whether it was actually working properly. It was mounted unevenly on the wall, which can affect the mercury inside. (Newer models are no longer made with mercury.) It was set at 62, but the reading was 84.

Upstairs, in the last unit, the Energy Dr. found that he too was using his stove to supplement the erratic heat. When it got too hot, he opened his door.

Clearly the mysterious heating system is causing many problems for the tenants, and as a result, the owner of the property who is responsible for paying the utility bill.

To sum up the Energy Dr.’s suggestions:
1. Call a technician to make sure heating & cooling systems are operating properly.
2. Set thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter, 78 in the summer.
3. Repair the dryer’s timer.
4. Caulk around windows, especially those with window units, or cover with plastic on the outside.
5. Replace broken windows, repair loose windows, and close open ones.
6. Weatherstrip around doors.
7. Put a damper in fireplace, or cover fireplace with wood or plastic.
8. Repair leaky faucet.
9. Insulate water heater.

To schedule an Energy Doctor visit at your home, call 528-4188. This service is free for all residential customers.

Electric Blankets

Floyd Miller usually spends his workday disconnecting services, which doesn't make him too popular among customers. However, yesterday he had the opportunity to bring a smile to Ms. Pruitt and her child when he delivered one of the 50 electric blankets that MLGW is donating to needy customers.

MLGW is also giving out 150 space heaters to low-income, disabled and/or medically fragile individuals and families identified by the Tennessee Department of Human Services’ Adult Protective Services, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, and the Family Services Program. Recipients are also being provided with tips and brochures to safely operate these items.

“While we have limited resources to assist our customers, we want to ensure that we are able to help those who are in need right now,” said Jerry Collins, MLGW President.

The donations are part of MLGW’s continuing effort to help those in need manage their utility costs; space heaters and blankets are a good alternative to turning up a home’s thermostat on a cold day because they are more energy efficient.

Last August, in the midst of high temperatures, MLGW also assisted customers in need. The utility donated 200 air conditioning window units to CSA-identified recipients, gave 300 box fans to the Aging Commission of the Mid-South to be distributed to senior and disabled customers, and delivered bottled water to the city’s cooling centers and other areas in need. The utility also helped with the distribution of air conditioners donated by Governor Phil Bredesen.

It's Easy To Be Green, Week 1

Don't listen to Kermit! Several MLGW employees signed up to participate in Lichterman Nature Center’s It’s Easy To Be Green program that offers practical steps for making a positive impact on the environment in one’s daily life. Everyone who signed up received a workbook with weekly action items to try at home. After twelve weeks of adopting green behaviors, participants will celebrate at Lichterman’s EarthFest 2008 festival on April 19th.

I’ll be posting the weekly action items here for those of you who want to follow along. I will also be doing some special investigating that I will share here as well.

The first week focuses on your automobile. Americans buy 140 billion gallons of gasoline for their vehicles every year. Reducing gasoline usage is good for the planet and saves you money. If you cannot trade in that old gas guzzler for a more fuel-efficient vehicle, here are some actions you can take.

Action Items

• Maintain your vehicle. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for changing the engine oil, air filter, and spark plugs on a regular basis. A vehicle that is maintained properly operates more efficiently. It burns less gas and emits fewer pollutants.

• Slow down. Your vehicle uses less gas at 50mph than at 70 mph. Greater speed means greater air resistance. In turn, the engine uses more fuel because it has to work harder to maintain the vehicle’s speed.

• Use cruise control. Maintaining a steady speed saves gas. Avoid those jackrabbit starts and screeching stops.

• Avoid long engine warm-ups. Today’s vehicles don’t need them.

• Shut off the engine if you are idling for more than three minutes.

• Properly inflate tires. They will last longer and save you money on gas.

• Consolidate your errands. Before you hit the road, organize a “to-do” list. Plan routes that will shorten your travel time and use less gas.

• Lighten up! Empty the trunk and backseat. Every 100 pounds of weight decreases fuel efficiency by 1%. Every pound counts.

• Consider how you can drive less by doing things such as combining trips, biking or walking, joining a car pool, or using mass transit.

• If you change your vehicle’s oil, properly dispose of the waste oil and other fluids at designated drop-off locations, such as the Memphis and Shelby County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility.

In the United States, vehicles are responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gases produced. Cars and other vehicles are a major source of pollutants that create smog and acid rain as well as release other harmful substances.