MLGW customers may find holiday cheer in the fact that costs are likely to be lower this winter. Lower natural gas and electric purchasing costs should mean savings for customers compared to utility costs last winter. This winter’s bills are expected to be about 9.5 percent lower than last winter.
Nationally, the demand for natural gas has fallen throughout this year while supplies have increased. The increase in supply has led to lower costs. On the electric side, TVA has temporarily lowered its estimated Fuel Cost Adjustment for the winter months due to increased supplies of materials used to produce electricity. Water rates have remained steady throughout the past year and MLGW customers have the lowest residential water rates in the nation, according to a 2009 study.
The 9.5 percent savings is estimated for the average residential MLGW customer and covers the typical heating season, November through March and is the total expected savings over the five month period.
Despite the expected lower costs this winter, customer consumption is still the key to controlling energy bills. Weather is the most influential factor on consumption, so customer bills could be higher if a colder than normal winter hits the Mid-South.
“We want our customers to know that they should see a savings this winter, but that savings could disappear if customers do not continue to make energy smart choices. If they increase the amount of electricity and natural gas they use, customers may see higher bills than last year even though our costs are lower,” said MLGW President and CEO Jerry Collins Jr.
Assistance programs
While energy costs are expected to be lower this year, MLGW has several programs to help customers who may be struggling to pay their utility bill.
Budget Billing
MLGW's Budget Billing is designed so that you can pay the same amount every month on your utility bill. Your "budget bill" is calculated by averaging your utility bills over two six-month periods from the previous year (April-September and October-March). If in any month your actual bill is less than your budget bill, you will still be billed the budget amount. The excess is placed in your reserve account and held until it's needed to bring higher bills down to the budget amount. If our reserve fund is not enough to lower the bill to the budget amount, the available funds will be applied and you will pay the difference.
Net Due Date Program
If you are retired or on a fixed income and receive only one check at the beginning of each month, you may qualify for this plan. You may request that the net due date on your bill be delayed until after you have received your check.
Electronic Payments through eBilling
Customers who enroll in MLGW's electronic billing service, eBilling, have the added option of making electronic payments from a checking or savings account at no added fee. Individual and recurring payments can be made. Consolidated payment for multiple accounts can also be handled. Payments scheduled on a business day before 3:00pm Central are posted after 3 p.m. Payments scheduled after 3 p.m. are posted the following business day. MLGW absorbs the transaction costs for participants’ payments, in exchange for bill production and postage savings from paperless billing. You can opt for eBilling during your initial My Account registration, or update your existing profile by logging in and clicking the My User Profile link at mlgw.com.
My Account
MLGW’s residential customers can log in to the utility’s Web site (www.mlgw.com) to determine the factors that have caused their monthly bill to increase or decrease. The new Bill Analysis application enables customers to explore the reasons behind monthly billing fluctuations—such as temperature, usage, billing period, service fees, home improvements and other factors.
Online Payment Arrangements
MLGW customers who have received a cut-off notice can now go to MLGW's Web site at www.mlgw.com/payarrange and complete an online form to request a payment extension. By requesting an extension, the payment date can be extended beyond the current due date.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
National Day of Listening
I interviewed my husband when the StoryCorps' airstream came to Memphis a few years ago. It was a great experience. I love their idea for National Day of Listening...
StoryCorps' National Day of Listening asks you to set aside an hour on Friday, November 27, to ask a loved one about their lives. The simple act of listening tells them how much they matter, and preserving that conversation on tape, CD or with a pen and paper tells them they and their stories won't be forgotten.
To help you participate, StoryCorps has created a simple, free and downloadable Do-It-Yourself guide to show you how to share and save the stories of the people most important to you. You can find that guide, and a YouTube video showing a DIY interview step by step, on their website.
StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit that has helped more than 40,000 Americans record their stories. As one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, it is their mission to help people honor and celebrate one another's lives through listening.
StoryCorps' National Day of Listening asks you to set aside an hour on Friday, November 27, to ask a loved one about their lives. The simple act of listening tells them how much they matter, and preserving that conversation on tape, CD or with a pen and paper tells them they and their stories won't be forgotten. To help you participate, StoryCorps has created a simple, free and downloadable Do-It-Yourself guide to show you how to share and save the stories of the people most important to you. You can find that guide, and a YouTube video showing a DIY interview step by step, on their website.
StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit that has helped more than 40,000 Americans record their stories. As one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, it is their mission to help people honor and celebrate one another's lives through listening.
TVA, MLGW, CDCs, and IHEE
TVA and MLGW have agreed to allow Community Development Corporations (CDCs) that receive funds from HUD through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) access to the TVA In-Home Energy Evaluation (IHEE) program.
The typical requirement is for homes to be occupied however this way the CDCs can schedule a pre & post audit of the property and receive the rebates as if they were the homeowner.
In turn, many of the CDCs will require the future homeowners to attend EnergySmart classes. The CDCs in most cases will add these identified energy improvements to the scope of work scheduled for the home.
The hope is that through the combination of home buyer education and energy-related improvements will prevent a future foreclosure. The rebates that the CDCs get back from TVA can then be plugged back into the next house in the neighborhood.
The typical requirement is for homes to be occupied however this way the CDCs can schedule a pre & post audit of the property and receive the rebates as if they were the homeowner.
In turn, many of the CDCs will require the future homeowners to attend EnergySmart classes. The CDCs in most cases will add these identified energy improvements to the scope of work scheduled for the home.
The hope is that through the combination of home buyer education and energy-related improvements will prevent a future foreclosure. The rebates that the CDCs get back from TVA can then be plugged back into the next house in the neighborhood.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Architect's Mud Island residence first in Memphis to receive LEED honor
From today's Commercial Appeal...
Architect's Mud Island residence first in Memphis to receive LEED honor
By Tom Bailey Jr.
A 2,500-square-foot house needs 68 tough points to attain Silver LEED status, and sacrifices a point if too much glass is placed on the hot western wall.
But architect Barry Alan Yoakum didn't have a choice if his sleek home on Mud Island was to have a view of the Mississippi River.
"It's why I bought the lot," the archimania principal said of the vista.
Despite the home's orientation, Yoakum's "Sky Cottage" this fall became the first custom-built home in Memphis to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
He just had to "work the design" harder to get it.
The extra effort included using a high-performance glass that excels in not letting the outside temperature affect the inside temperature.
The U.S. Green Building Council had certified 3,050 LEED homes across the country as of last month. Another 19,063 are registered, meaning they're in the pipeline for certification.
In January, Yoakum hired a "provider" -- a third-party business -- to inspect and verify for the U.S. Green Building Council that Sky Cottage met the requirements for a Silver LEED certification.
Yoakum said he studied the council's list of certified homes in Tennessee and found that no other architect in the state has a LEED home.
Five other archimania designers worked on his house. Yoakum said the LEED attainment shows the firm's commitment to sustainable, environmentally friendly design.
"It's an extension of our work at archimania. You should try to live what you do . . .
"We can say we've done it and not just talked about it, or just did it for other people," he said.
Thirteen other Memphis residences were designated as LEED structures last summer, but they are in a different category than Yoakum's. They are apartment units in the new University Place Hope VI redevelopment.
Even though Yoakum's house has more than 2,500 square feet and glass comprises a high percentage of its walls, the utility bills have averaged less than $180 a month, he said.
"It's certified, meaning you've gone through the hurdles," Yoakum said.
The second Memphis home to achieve LEED status likely will be the "Terra House," 586 N. Main, that was designed by University of Memphis architecture students, said Becky Williamson, staff member of Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division's EcoBuild program.
"It takes forever to get the (LEED) paperwork done," she said.
Yoakum also enrolled his house in the EcoBuild program.
EcoBuild is simpler than LEED, in that it prescribes exactly what the home builder has to do to ensure the house will use energy efficiently.
EcoBuild focuses exclusively on measures that allow the house to save energy, while LEED encompasses other environmental issues such as recycled building materials, Williamson said.
Generally, power bills for homes built to EcoBuild standards are at least 30 percent less, she said.
-- Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388
EcoBuild, too
People building houses can participate in Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division's EcoBuild program and save big on power bills.
MLG&W prescribes specific, energy-saving ways to construct the house, and inspects the site twice during construction.
Since the program began five years ago, 523 homes have qualified. Compared to homes that just meet codes, one MLG&W study found that power bills for EcoBuild homes are 34 percent less for electricity and 56 percent less for natural gas, spokesman Becky Williamson said.
The program fee for a house under 2,500 square feet is less than $350.
Visit mlgw.com for more information, or email EcoBUILD@mlgw.org.
Architect's Mud Island residence first in Memphis to receive LEED honor
By Tom Bailey Jr.
A 2,500-square-foot house needs 68 tough points to attain Silver LEED status, and sacrifices a point if too much glass is placed on the hot western wall.But architect Barry Alan Yoakum didn't have a choice if his sleek home on Mud Island was to have a view of the Mississippi River.
"It's why I bought the lot," the archimania principal said of the vista.
Despite the home's orientation, Yoakum's "Sky Cottage" this fall became the first custom-built home in Memphis to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
He just had to "work the design" harder to get it.
The extra effort included using a high-performance glass that excels in not letting the outside temperature affect the inside temperature.
The U.S. Green Building Council had certified 3,050 LEED homes across the country as of last month. Another 19,063 are registered, meaning they're in the pipeline for certification.
In January, Yoakum hired a "provider" -- a third-party business -- to inspect and verify for the U.S. Green Building Council that Sky Cottage met the requirements for a Silver LEED certification.
Yoakum said he studied the council's list of certified homes in Tennessee and found that no other architect in the state has a LEED home.
Five other archimania designers worked on his house. Yoakum said the LEED attainment shows the firm's commitment to sustainable, environmentally friendly design.
"It's an extension of our work at archimania. You should try to live what you do . . .
"We can say we've done it and not just talked about it, or just did it for other people," he said.
Thirteen other Memphis residences were designated as LEED structures last summer, but they are in a different category than Yoakum's. They are apartment units in the new University Place Hope VI redevelopment.
Even though Yoakum's house has more than 2,500 square feet and glass comprises a high percentage of its walls, the utility bills have averaged less than $180 a month, he said.
"It's certified, meaning you've gone through the hurdles," Yoakum said.
The second Memphis home to achieve LEED status likely will be the "Terra House," 586 N. Main, that was designed by University of Memphis architecture students, said Becky Williamson, staff member of Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division's EcoBuild program.
"It takes forever to get the (LEED) paperwork done," she said.
Yoakum also enrolled his house in the EcoBuild program.
EcoBuild is simpler than LEED, in that it prescribes exactly what the home builder has to do to ensure the house will use energy efficiently.
EcoBuild focuses exclusively on measures that allow the house to save energy, while LEED encompasses other environmental issues such as recycled building materials, Williamson said.
Generally, power bills for homes built to EcoBuild standards are at least 30 percent less, she said.
-- Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388
EcoBuild, too
People building houses can participate in Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division's EcoBuild program and save big on power bills.
MLG&W prescribes specific, energy-saving ways to construct the house, and inspects the site twice during construction.
Since the program began five years ago, 523 homes have qualified. Compared to homes that just meet codes, one MLG&W study found that power bills for EcoBuild homes are 34 percent less for electricity and 56 percent less for natural gas, spokesman Becky Williamson said.
The program fee for a house under 2,500 square feet is less than $350.
Visit mlgw.com for more information, or email EcoBUILD@mlgw.org.
SmartPay changes name to Budget Billing
SmartPay changes name to Budget Billing
So why the name change? Clinton Richardson, MLGW Customer Relations Manager, explains, “Customers tell us they wish MLGW would start a program where they pay the same amount every month so that they can budget their expenses, but they are unaware that the company already has this. We feel that the Budget Billing name better explains what the program does.”
The program works this way: MLGW analyzes a participant’s total utility usage for the previous six months, adjusts for rate changes and weather conditions, and divides the total into 12 monthly installments, which the customer pays each month until the following March, when the Budget Billing installment for the next 12 months is determined.
The name was not the only change made to the program. MLGW also eliminated the creditworthiness criteria and shortened the length of service requirement. To qualify, all you have to do is have an active account at your current address for six months. You must be current on your account to remain in the program, and if you are disconnected for non-payment or change addresses, you will be removed from the program and will not be able to participate in Budget Billing for six months.
Customers can sign up for Budget Billing by calling 544-MLGW (6549) or visiting an MLGW Business Office Mon.-Fri. during business hours. Customers can also apply online at www.mlgw.com or e-mail their information to budgetbilling@mlgw.org.
So why the name change? Clinton Richardson, MLGW Customer Relations Manager, explains, “Customers tell us they wish MLGW would start a program where they pay the same amount every month so that they can budget their expenses, but they are unaware that the company already has this. We feel that the Budget Billing name better explains what the program does.”
The program works this way: MLGW analyzes a participant’s total utility usage for the previous six months, adjusts for rate changes and weather conditions, and divides the total into 12 monthly installments, which the customer pays each month until the following March, when the Budget Billing installment for the next 12 months is determined.
The name was not the only change made to the program. MLGW also eliminated the creditworthiness criteria and shortened the length of service requirement. To qualify, all you have to do is have an active account at your current address for six months. You must be current on your account to remain in the program, and if you are disconnected for non-payment or change addresses, you will be removed from the program and will not be able to participate in Budget Billing for six months.
Customers can sign up for Budget Billing by calling 544-MLGW (6549) or visiting an MLGW Business Office Mon.-Fri. during business hours. Customers can also apply online at www.mlgw.com or e-mail their information to budgetbilling@mlgw.org.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Geek Factory Founder Comes to Memphis Dec. 1st
The Memphis Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) will be hosting Peter Shankman, founder and CEO of the Geek Factory, on December 1, 2009 from 8-10am at the University of Memphis' Fogelman Business Center.
Shankman will discuss the importance of understanding how to utilize the many aspects of social media. He will elaborate on the benefits of using social networking and viral marketing correctly, as well as the dangers of using it improperly. Shankman's discussion also will include information on using social media to spearhead marketing and public relations initiatives, understanding which social media tools to use or not use and learning it's not about making something viral but about making something good.
To register, or get more information, click here.
Shankman will discuss the importance of understanding how to utilize the many aspects of social media. He will elaborate on the benefits of using social networking and viral marketing correctly, as well as the dangers of using it improperly. Shankman's discussion also will include information on using social media to spearhead marketing and public relations initiatives, understanding which social media tools to use or not use and learning it's not about making something viral but about making something good.To register, or get more information, click here.
Memphis Companies Tap Into Renewable Energy Sources
Memphis Companies Tap Into Renewable Energy Sources
ERIC SMITH | The Daily News
From solar power to wind power, from hybrid automotive technology to geothermal engineering, Memphis companies large and small are tapping into renewable energy.
The biggest news story surrounding local businesses going green involves shipping giant FedEx Corp., whose president and CEO Fred Smith earlier this year unveiled the company’s plans to become more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly through its EarthSmart initiative.
“That’s just good economics as far as the economy is concerned,” Smith told a green transportation conference at the University of Memphis. “Over the last decade, it’s obviously become a greater issue for FedEx – for humankind, for that matter – to have a more sustainable and environmentally efficient economy. The twin imperatives of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability have been at the heart of our EarthSmart initiative.”
FedEx has put its money where its founder’s mouth is by investing in numerous gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles for FedEx Express, the largest of the company’s subsidiaries. Also, FedEx made its Bronx, N.Y., station its first all-hybrid facility with about 100 trucks.
Solar growth
It’s not the only local corporation tapping into consumers’ demand for all things green.
Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America has been manufacturing solar panels since 2003 at its Hickory Hill plant, the company’s lone U.S. facility that produces the panels.
Sharp completed its one millionth solar panel this year, but it has steadily ramped up production and is now making 500,000 residential and commercial solar panels annually, serving domestic and international markets.
Sharp spokesman T.C. Jones Jr. said customers are looking at the environmental as well as the economic benefits of installing solar panels and switching part of their energy to the sun’s resource.
“The demand for renewable energy has skyrocketed within the last three years, especially with the new administration and all of the incentives being provided throughout the country,” Jones said. “State by state, the demand is escalating.”
The company is looking at increasing its output to meet the growing demand, although Jones said there are no specific, measurable plans, only that officials are seriously considering another bump in production.
“It is under study at this time,” Jones said. “As to how much of an increase, we’re trying to project what the future demand is going to call for.”
Trend growing
Green energy isn’t limited to the rooftops; it can be found underground as well.
Engineered Comfort Inc. engineers, designs and installs heating and cooling systems for residential properties. Company founder Walter Nelms said the demand for such eco-friendly systems has risen along with environmental consciousness and federal tax credits that reward green choices.
“In 2008 about 15 percent of our business was geothermal heat pumps, and this year it’s over 65 percent of our business,” Nelms said. “It’s primarily due to the federal tax credit from the stimulus package.
“It is a good thing for the environment,” he added, “and it is a good thing for the consumer’s pocketbook.”
Rob Hurston, technical services coordinator for the Memphis Area Home Builders Association, said green energy for residential properties got a huge jumpstart at last month’s Vesta Home Show, the first all-green home show.
Also, more local builders are becoming Certified Green Professionals through the National Association of Home Builders, meaning they will be ready to meet the needs of the public should demand rise.
Where that demand sits is anyone’s guess, Hurston said, because the sluggish economy has stunted the new home market. That is especially true with components like residential solar panels, which are still expensive for the average homebuyer and don’t offer quick returns on investment that some might like to see.
“I would love to be self-sufficient and not have to give (Memphis) Light, Gas and Water my money every month,” Hurston said. “But the upfront cost on a solar panel … buys a lot of months of electricity.”
Still, Hurston added, the writing is on the wall that interest in green building is increasing. More buyers are requesting locally made materials, more builders are recycling construction waste and more homeowners are buying Energy Star appliances.
That means the pieces are in place for a surge in green building as more customers ask for it and the financial climate improves.
“(Builders are) positioning themselves to be able to meet the demand,” Hurston said.
‘New wave in America’
Will hotel travelers demand green energy during their overnight stays? The developer of the La Quinta Inns and Suites under construction at 2839 New Brunswick Road near Wolfchase Galleria is banking on it.
CBH Hospitality LLC is combining two green energies – solar and wind – to create the first LEED-certified hotel in town. Company principal Bhavesh Patel said general contractor Boone & Sons Inc. is working on the third floor of the hotel, which should be completed by spring. (LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.)
Thanks to solar panels and a windmill on the roof, the hotel will produce much of its own energy and even send power back to the grid. But the solar panels and windmill are only parts of the hotel’s green efforts. Patel said at least half of the building’s lights will be the highly efficient LED (light-emitting diode), reducing the building’s carbon footprint even further.
Though Patel said only a small percentage of Memphis is going green, he hopes the La Quinta can be a catalyst for environmentally friendly building.
“That’s the way we should be going. That’s the new wave in America. Everybody should be going eco-friendly,” Patel said. “Even if you don’t believe in global warming you can still be environmentally friendly and save energy – and save money.”
ERIC SMITH | The Daily News
From solar power to wind power, from hybrid automotive technology to geothermal engineering, Memphis companies large and small are tapping into renewable energy.
The biggest news story surrounding local businesses going green involves shipping giant FedEx Corp., whose president and CEO Fred Smith earlier this year unveiled the company’s plans to become more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly through its EarthSmart initiative.
“That’s just good economics as far as the economy is concerned,” Smith told a green transportation conference at the University of Memphis. “Over the last decade, it’s obviously become a greater issue for FedEx – for humankind, for that matter – to have a more sustainable and environmentally efficient economy. The twin imperatives of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability have been at the heart of our EarthSmart initiative.”
FedEx has put its money where its founder’s mouth is by investing in numerous gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles for FedEx Express, the largest of the company’s subsidiaries. Also, FedEx made its Bronx, N.Y., station its first all-hybrid facility with about 100 trucks.
Solar growth
It’s not the only local corporation tapping into consumers’ demand for all things green.
Sharp Manufacturing Co. of America has been manufacturing solar panels since 2003 at its Hickory Hill plant, the company’s lone U.S. facility that produces the panels.
Sharp completed its one millionth solar panel this year, but it has steadily ramped up production and is now making 500,000 residential and commercial solar panels annually, serving domestic and international markets.
Sharp spokesman T.C. Jones Jr. said customers are looking at the environmental as well as the economic benefits of installing solar panels and switching part of their energy to the sun’s resource.
“The demand for renewable energy has skyrocketed within the last three years, especially with the new administration and all of the incentives being provided throughout the country,” Jones said. “State by state, the demand is escalating.”
The company is looking at increasing its output to meet the growing demand, although Jones said there are no specific, measurable plans, only that officials are seriously considering another bump in production.
“It is under study at this time,” Jones said. “As to how much of an increase, we’re trying to project what the future demand is going to call for.”
Trend growing
Green energy isn’t limited to the rooftops; it can be found underground as well.
Engineered Comfort Inc. engineers, designs and installs heating and cooling systems for residential properties. Company founder Walter Nelms said the demand for such eco-friendly systems has risen along with environmental consciousness and federal tax credits that reward green choices.
“In 2008 about 15 percent of our business was geothermal heat pumps, and this year it’s over 65 percent of our business,” Nelms said. “It’s primarily due to the federal tax credit from the stimulus package.
“It is a good thing for the environment,” he added, “and it is a good thing for the consumer’s pocketbook.”
Rob Hurston, technical services coordinator for the Memphis Area Home Builders Association, said green energy for residential properties got a huge jumpstart at last month’s Vesta Home Show, the first all-green home show.
Also, more local builders are becoming Certified Green Professionals through the National Association of Home Builders, meaning they will be ready to meet the needs of the public should demand rise.
Where that demand sits is anyone’s guess, Hurston said, because the sluggish economy has stunted the new home market. That is especially true with components like residential solar panels, which are still expensive for the average homebuyer and don’t offer quick returns on investment that some might like to see.
“I would love to be self-sufficient and not have to give (Memphis) Light, Gas and Water my money every month,” Hurston said. “But the upfront cost on a solar panel … buys a lot of months of electricity.”
Still, Hurston added, the writing is on the wall that interest in green building is increasing. More buyers are requesting locally made materials, more builders are recycling construction waste and more homeowners are buying Energy Star appliances.
That means the pieces are in place for a surge in green building as more customers ask for it and the financial climate improves.
“(Builders are) positioning themselves to be able to meet the demand,” Hurston said.
‘New wave in America’
Will hotel travelers demand green energy during their overnight stays? The developer of the La Quinta Inns and Suites under construction at 2839 New Brunswick Road near Wolfchase Galleria is banking on it.
CBH Hospitality LLC is combining two green energies – solar and wind – to create the first LEED-certified hotel in town. Company principal Bhavesh Patel said general contractor Boone & Sons Inc. is working on the third floor of the hotel, which should be completed by spring. (LEED is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council.)
Thanks to solar panels and a windmill on the roof, the hotel will produce much of its own energy and even send power back to the grid. But the solar panels and windmill are only parts of the hotel’s green efforts. Patel said at least half of the building’s lights will be the highly efficient LED (light-emitting diode), reducing the building’s carbon footprint even further.
Though Patel said only a small percentage of Memphis is going green, he hopes the La Quinta can be a catalyst for environmentally friendly building.
“That’s the way we should be going. That’s the new wave in America. Everybody should be going eco-friendly,” Patel said. “Even if you don’t believe in global warming you can still be environmentally friendly and save energy – and save money.”
Friday, November 20, 2009
Homemade Windmill
After dropping out of school as a teenager because of poverty and drought, William Kamkwamba built a windmill out of discarded materials in his village. Kamkwamba tells Public Radio International anchor Marco Werman how the windmill brought electricity to his tiny village in Malawi. Read more...
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Nike Warehouse in Frayser
From today's Commercial Appeal...
Nike's $135 million distribution center saves energy as it ships shoes
By Wayne Risher
Nike's $135 million investment in a new distribution center in Frayser-Raleigh drew rave reviews from Memphis warehouse and distribution industry insiders.
"Fascinating," said Kara Peyton, president of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' Memphis unit.
"Way above average," said Robert Milner, a sales consultant with ADC Integrated Systems, a warehouse technology company.
It's huge, at 1.1 million square feet, the equivalent of more than 20 football fields.
It's Earth-friendly, from skylights and energy-efficient conveyor motors to a major commitment to recycling to shredded blue jeans used to insulate office and cafeteria walls.
It's all about the Nike Swoosh, holding 6.7 million pairs of athletic shoes in 69,000 distinct variations of size, color and style.
Nike built the footwear distribution center at 3100 New Frayser Boulevard to consolidate operations from 8400 Winchester in Hickory Hill and Wilsonville, Ore. The Winchester site became a national return center, and a Shelby Drive facility distributes Nike apparel and athletic equipment.
The supply chain council organized an early morning tour at Nike Tuesday as an alternative to the group's typical after-working-hours events. Peyton was happy with the outcome, because about 40 members got to see the inner workings of the warehouse live and up close.
They saw a cavernous building filled with conveyor belts, chutes, sorting equipment and storage shelves stacked high with boxes, cases and pallets of shoes. Workers combined bar-code scanners, radio frequency identification tag technology and voice-based warehouse management systems to scan, sort, store and ship boxes of shoes.
"This is very high technology," said Milner.
Nike employs about 450 full-time at the center and uses another 100 to 300 temporaries based on the daily workload.
The building is the largest in the country to achieve a silver level certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
Among its green features: stormwater capture for irrigation, motion detector that turns out lights when a space isn't in use and internal reuse of corrugated paper. In the cafeteria, disposable cutlery is made out of potato peels.
Employees have 24-7 access to a well-equipped fitness center, and in the courtyard outside the cafeteria are two basketball courts and a sand volleyball court.
"What you are going to see today represents a $135 million investment not only in the community, but in the Nike supply chain network," general manager Stephen Smith told council members.
Director of operations Marcus Buford said volume has grown from about 100,000 a day to as high as 240,000 a day since the center processed its first shipments last fall.
"This ramp-up here has been nothing short of amazing," Buford said. "There's not a contingency plan. We are Nike footwear for the United States."
Nike's $135 million distribution center saves energy as it ships shoes
By Wayne Risher
Nike's $135 million investment in a new distribution center in Frayser-Raleigh drew rave reviews from Memphis warehouse and distribution industry insiders.
"Fascinating," said Kara Peyton, president of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' Memphis unit.
"Way above average," said Robert Milner, a sales consultant with ADC Integrated Systems, a warehouse technology company.
It's huge, at 1.1 million square feet, the equivalent of more than 20 football fields.
It's Earth-friendly, from skylights and energy-efficient conveyor motors to a major commitment to recycling to shredded blue jeans used to insulate office and cafeteria walls.
It's all about the Nike Swoosh, holding 6.7 million pairs of athletic shoes in 69,000 distinct variations of size, color and style.
Nike built the footwear distribution center at 3100 New Frayser Boulevard to consolidate operations from 8400 Winchester in Hickory Hill and Wilsonville, Ore. The Winchester site became a national return center, and a Shelby Drive facility distributes Nike apparel and athletic equipment.
The supply chain council organized an early morning tour at Nike Tuesday as an alternative to the group's typical after-working-hours events. Peyton was happy with the outcome, because about 40 members got to see the inner workings of the warehouse live and up close.
They saw a cavernous building filled with conveyor belts, chutes, sorting equipment and storage shelves stacked high with boxes, cases and pallets of shoes. Workers combined bar-code scanners, radio frequency identification tag technology and voice-based warehouse management systems to scan, sort, store and ship boxes of shoes.
"This is very high technology," said Milner.
Nike employs about 450 full-time at the center and uses another 100 to 300 temporaries based on the daily workload.
The building is the largest in the country to achieve a silver level certification in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
Among its green features: stormwater capture for irrigation, motion detector that turns out lights when a space isn't in use and internal reuse of corrugated paper. In the cafeteria, disposable cutlery is made out of potato peels.
Employees have 24-7 access to a well-equipped fitness center, and in the courtyard outside the cafeteria are two basketball courts and a sand volleyball court.
"What you are going to see today represents a $135 million investment not only in the community, but in the Nike supply chain network," general manager Stephen Smith told council members.
Director of operations Marcus Buford said volume has grown from about 100,000 a day to as high as 240,000 a day since the center processed its first shipments last fall.
"This ramp-up here has been nothing short of amazing," Buford said. "There's not a contingency plan. We are Nike footwear for the United States."
Cash for Caulkers
From the New York Times...
A Stimulus That Could Save Money
By DAVID LEONHARDT
The one highly visible success of the stimulus program has been the cash-for-clunkers program. It induced a boom in vehicle sales this summer that clearly would not have happened otherwise.
The rest of the stimulus has created a lot of jobs — 700,000 to 1.5 million, according to economists’ estimates. But it has done so in thousands of little ways: scattered construction projects, plugged-up school budgets and the like. Politically, these measures are not popular enough to create a groundswell for more of them.
And the economy still needs help. So White House officials are looking at creating a new version of cash for clunkers — this time for home weatherization.
John Doerr, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist, and former President Bill Clinton have separately suggested versions of the idea to the White House. Mr. Doerr calls his proposal, which would give households money to pay for weatherization projects, “cash for caulkers.” Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s chief of staff, told me, “It’s one of the top things he’s looking at.”
The idea has a lot to recommend it. The housing bust has idled contractors and construction workers, who could be put to work insulating homes and caulking air leaks. Many households, meanwhile, would save substantial money — not to mention help the climate — by weatherizing their homes, research by McKinsey & Company has shown. All in all, a cash-for-caulkers program seems like a promising part of the jobs program for 2010 that Mr. Obama has suggested he is planning.
But I would also mention one point of caution: the details of any caulkers plan will matter enormously. Weatherizing a home, as I recently discovered, turns out to be a lot more complicated than buying a car.
This year, my wife and I had an energy audit done on our home. We were interested in finding out if we could save money and, given the attention that weatherizing was starting to get, I figured it could also make for good column fodder. For $400, an auditor spent hours scouring our house, with the help of a big fan he set up in our front door and an infrared camera. He produced a full-color, 13-page detailed report, informing us of the leaks in our house, and he was also willing to tell us which changes were usually a waste of money (new windows).
Even so, we are still trying to figure out which weatherization projects we should do. The whole package would probably cost $4,500 and save us something like $400 a year. We may not stay in the house nearly long enough to justify the investment.
Such concerns are typical. How do you find an auditor? How do you know whether you should seal a few ducts or pay $2,000 for new insulation? Which of the existing subsidies — state and federal — might you qualify for?
Mr. Doerr and Mr. Clinton are well aware of these problems. Mr. Clinton has sent the White House a memorandum written by his foundation staff that lays out the reasons people don’t weatherize their homes. Mr. Doerr, who sits on a board of outside economic advisers to Mr. Obama that is working on a formal cash-for-caulkers proposal, told me that his goal was to “keep it really simple so we can do it really fast.”
The Doerr plan would cost $23 billion over two years. Most of the money would go for incentive payments, generally $2,000 to $4,000, for weatherization projects. The homeowner would always have to pay at least 50 percent of the project’s total cost. About $3 billion would be set aside for retailers and contractors in the hope that they would promote the program, much as car dealerships promoted cash for clunkers. (Mr. Doerr says he owns no stake in any weatherization companies.)
The Clinton plan depends on the reallocation of clean energy money from the stimulus bill that has not yet been spent. It covers not just houses and apartments but also commercial and industrial buildings.
Perhaps most intriguing is its proposal to help homeowners and building owners who are nervous they will end up selling their property before a weatherization project has paid for itself. Under the Clinton plan, they could add the project’s cost to their long-term property tax bill, effectively splitting the cost with the next owner. The New York State Legislature approved such a program on Monday.
All these efforts would lead to more weatherization. But I would be surprised if they were enough to create a program as successful as cash for clunkers. Remember: Many homeowners could already save money by weatherizing their homes. And they are not doing so.
That’s in large part because the projects can seem so daunting. To date, energy experts, in the government and the private sector, have not done a good job of distributing useful information. What does exist tends to be either too complicated or too general. I recently asked various experts what percentage of homes should get new insulation, for example, and several replied that it varied by region — which is both true and unhelpful.
Imagine, though, if the Energy Department put together a weatherization-for-dummies fact sheet and Mr. Obama began promoting it.
It could start by noting that almost all homes should have a programmable thermostat (about $100) to turn down the heat or the air-conditioning when nobody is home. Other simple steps can include wrapping a water heater with an insulation blanket and replacing heating and cooling filters. Next on the list would be sealing easily accessible holes in air ducts, which can cost just a few hundred dollars and pay for itself in a few years. In California, the average duct system loses 30 percent of its heating or cooling to leaks.
Finally would come the more complicated categories, including insulation and heating equipment. Yet some basic information could still help enormously here. What share, say, of Midwestern homes built before 1950 could use more attic insulation? How quickly would the insulation pay for itself on average? Every home is different, obviously. But without any reference point, many people won’t be confident enough to plunge into a project.
The shining example that Mr. Clinton cites is a Houston program in which the local government pays about $1,000 to weatherize any home in a given neighborhood. It works in part because the houses need similar improvements, which makes the program easy for residents to understand.
“Unlike traditional programs that provide an audit and a customized package of solutions for each home,” the Clinton memorandum notes, Houston “offers a fixed set of interventions that include climate-appropriate ‘low hanging fruit.’ ”
The bottom line is that cash for caulkers would be trickier than cash for clunkers — yet would have the potential to do far more good. McKinsey, the consulting firm, estimates that households could reduce their energy use by 28 percent over the next decade. In terms of greenhouse gases, that would be the equivalent of taking half of all vehicles in this country off the road.
And unlike many other climate-friendly policies, it would not cost money over the long term. Done right, cash for caulkers would be precisely the kind of stimulus that makes the most sense: spending money now to save money later.
A Stimulus That Could Save Money
By DAVID LEONHARDT
The one highly visible success of the stimulus program has been the cash-for-clunkers program. It induced a boom in vehicle sales this summer that clearly would not have happened otherwise.
The rest of the stimulus has created a lot of jobs — 700,000 to 1.5 million, according to economists’ estimates. But it has done so in thousands of little ways: scattered construction projects, plugged-up school budgets and the like. Politically, these measures are not popular enough to create a groundswell for more of them.
And the economy still needs help. So White House officials are looking at creating a new version of cash for clunkers — this time for home weatherization.
John Doerr, the Silicon Valley venture capitalist, and former President Bill Clinton have separately suggested versions of the idea to the White House. Mr. Doerr calls his proposal, which would give households money to pay for weatherization projects, “cash for caulkers.” Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s chief of staff, told me, “It’s one of the top things he’s looking at.”
The idea has a lot to recommend it. The housing bust has idled contractors and construction workers, who could be put to work insulating homes and caulking air leaks. Many households, meanwhile, would save substantial money — not to mention help the climate — by weatherizing their homes, research by McKinsey & Company has shown. All in all, a cash-for-caulkers program seems like a promising part of the jobs program for 2010 that Mr. Obama has suggested he is planning.
But I would also mention one point of caution: the details of any caulkers plan will matter enormously. Weatherizing a home, as I recently discovered, turns out to be a lot more complicated than buying a car.
This year, my wife and I had an energy audit done on our home. We were interested in finding out if we could save money and, given the attention that weatherizing was starting to get, I figured it could also make for good column fodder. For $400, an auditor spent hours scouring our house, with the help of a big fan he set up in our front door and an infrared camera. He produced a full-color, 13-page detailed report, informing us of the leaks in our house, and he was also willing to tell us which changes were usually a waste of money (new windows).
Even so, we are still trying to figure out which weatherization projects we should do. The whole package would probably cost $4,500 and save us something like $400 a year. We may not stay in the house nearly long enough to justify the investment.
Such concerns are typical. How do you find an auditor? How do you know whether you should seal a few ducts or pay $2,000 for new insulation? Which of the existing subsidies — state and federal — might you qualify for?
Mr. Doerr and Mr. Clinton are well aware of these problems. Mr. Clinton has sent the White House a memorandum written by his foundation staff that lays out the reasons people don’t weatherize their homes. Mr. Doerr, who sits on a board of outside economic advisers to Mr. Obama that is working on a formal cash-for-caulkers proposal, told me that his goal was to “keep it really simple so we can do it really fast.”
The Doerr plan would cost $23 billion over two years. Most of the money would go for incentive payments, generally $2,000 to $4,000, for weatherization projects. The homeowner would always have to pay at least 50 percent of the project’s total cost. About $3 billion would be set aside for retailers and contractors in the hope that they would promote the program, much as car dealerships promoted cash for clunkers. (Mr. Doerr says he owns no stake in any weatherization companies.)
The Clinton plan depends on the reallocation of clean energy money from the stimulus bill that has not yet been spent. It covers not just houses and apartments but also commercial and industrial buildings.
Perhaps most intriguing is its proposal to help homeowners and building owners who are nervous they will end up selling their property before a weatherization project has paid for itself. Under the Clinton plan, they could add the project’s cost to their long-term property tax bill, effectively splitting the cost with the next owner. The New York State Legislature approved such a program on Monday.
All these efforts would lead to more weatherization. But I would be surprised if they were enough to create a program as successful as cash for clunkers. Remember: Many homeowners could already save money by weatherizing their homes. And they are not doing so.
That’s in large part because the projects can seem so daunting. To date, energy experts, in the government and the private sector, have not done a good job of distributing useful information. What does exist tends to be either too complicated or too general. I recently asked various experts what percentage of homes should get new insulation, for example, and several replied that it varied by region — which is both true and unhelpful.
Imagine, though, if the Energy Department put together a weatherization-for-dummies fact sheet and Mr. Obama began promoting it.
It could start by noting that almost all homes should have a programmable thermostat (about $100) to turn down the heat or the air-conditioning when nobody is home. Other simple steps can include wrapping a water heater with an insulation blanket and replacing heating and cooling filters. Next on the list would be sealing easily accessible holes in air ducts, which can cost just a few hundred dollars and pay for itself in a few years. In California, the average duct system loses 30 percent of its heating or cooling to leaks.
Finally would come the more complicated categories, including insulation and heating equipment. Yet some basic information could still help enormously here. What share, say, of Midwestern homes built before 1950 could use more attic insulation? How quickly would the insulation pay for itself on average? Every home is different, obviously. But without any reference point, many people won’t be confident enough to plunge into a project.
The shining example that Mr. Clinton cites is a Houston program in which the local government pays about $1,000 to weatherize any home in a given neighborhood. It works in part because the houses need similar improvements, which makes the program easy for residents to understand.
“Unlike traditional programs that provide an audit and a customized package of solutions for each home,” the Clinton memorandum notes, Houston “offers a fixed set of interventions that include climate-appropriate ‘low hanging fruit.’ ”
The bottom line is that cash for caulkers would be trickier than cash for clunkers — yet would have the potential to do far more good. McKinsey, the consulting firm, estimates that households could reduce their energy use by 28 percent over the next decade. In terms of greenhouse gases, that would be the equivalent of taking half of all vehicles in this country off the road.
And unlike many other climate-friendly policies, it would not cost money over the long term. Done right, cash for caulkers would be precisely the kind of stimulus that makes the most sense: spending money now to save money later.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
EPA Announces New Energy Star Requirements for Audio/Video Equipment
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is announcing new requirements for audio/video (AV) products to earn the Energy Star label. AV products meeting EPA's new, more stringent specification will help protect the environment and reduce energy costs because they will be up to 60 percent more efficient than conventional models.If all AV products sold in the United States met the new Energy Star requirements, Americans would save more than $1 billion in energy costs annually while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 1 million vehicles every year.
EPA revised the earlier Energy Star requirements for AV to address the rapid turnover of products and technologies, as well as changes in usage patterns within the category. The more inclusive and flexible specification will promote greater energy efficiency in today's diverse market for audio/video products.
The new requirements for audio/video equipment cover a wider range of products including home-theater-in-a-box, audio amplifiers, AV receivers, shelf systems, DVD players, Blu Ray players, and docking stations that offer audio amplification or optical disc drive functions. Commercial AV products are also covered.
To earn the Energy Star label, AV products must consume less power when they are on and must power down automatically after a period of inactivity, using only small amounts of power to maintain settings and other features.
The new requirements for audio/video products previously eligible for the Energy Star will be effective July 30, 2010. For products previously excluded from Energy Star, such as commercial AV products and docking stations, the new requirements are effective immediately.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Office Temperatures
The temperature in my office can vary quite a bit, so this article made me think.
Working Adults Willing to Sacrifice Comfort to Save Energy
Business owners should think twice before tweaking workplace temperature settings this fall. According to a new survey of office workers, 69 percent said they would be willing to sacrifice their preferred ideal temperature in the office to help their company conserve energy. However the survey also found that nearly four in five participants (78 percent) say they are less productive at work when they are too hot or cold.
Johnson Controls commissioned a survey of nearly 800 American adults who work in an office setting. The good news: The findings indicate that many workers think their employers could be doing more to be energy efficient. The challenge: Business owners must avoid a negative impact on office productivity and the possibility that workers may take action to circumvent their discomfort, including the use of portable heaters or fans, if temperatures are not ideal.
"Employers may be tempted to turn down the thermostats this fall, but this quick fix could lead to hidden costs," Clay Nesler, vice president of global energy and sustainability for Johnson Controls, said. "Energy-efficient systems and equipment is the win-win alternative, allowing businesses to save energy and money without sacrificing workplace productivity."
Productivity Suffers and Energy Costs May Rise When Workplace Temperature is Not Ideal
Almost all participants said their office has been too hot or cold at some point (98 percent) and when that occurs, most (78 percent) said they are less productive. Not only does workplace productivity suffer, individual actions, such as bringing a heating or cooling device into the office, result in increased energy use.
* Forty-nine percent of office workers have used a fan when it was too hot in their office, and 28 percent have used a space heater when it was too cold.
* Nearly one-third (30 percent) have left their office building to take a walk outside when it was too hot or cold in their workspace.
* Forty-one percent have informed their office manager or custodian of their discomfort.
* Approximately seven in ten (69 percent) have adjusted their clothing, such as adding a sweater or removing a layer.
* American workers expect their employers to take action. The results indicate that 45 percent think their employer is not doing enough to make their office environments energy efficient.
For complete survey results and a full methodology statement, contact Sarah McGath at smcgath@branigan.biz.
Working Adults Willing to Sacrifice Comfort to Save Energy
Business owners should think twice before tweaking workplace temperature settings this fall. According to a new survey of office workers, 69 percent said they would be willing to sacrifice their preferred ideal temperature in the office to help their company conserve energy. However the survey also found that nearly four in five participants (78 percent) say they are less productive at work when they are too hot or cold.
Johnson Controls commissioned a survey of nearly 800 American adults who work in an office setting. The good news: The findings indicate that many workers think their employers could be doing more to be energy efficient. The challenge: Business owners must avoid a negative impact on office productivity and the possibility that workers may take action to circumvent their discomfort, including the use of portable heaters or fans, if temperatures are not ideal.
"Employers may be tempted to turn down the thermostats this fall, but this quick fix could lead to hidden costs," Clay Nesler, vice president of global energy and sustainability for Johnson Controls, said. "Energy-efficient systems and equipment is the win-win alternative, allowing businesses to save energy and money without sacrificing workplace productivity."
Productivity Suffers and Energy Costs May Rise When Workplace Temperature is Not Ideal
Almost all participants said their office has been too hot or cold at some point (98 percent) and when that occurs, most (78 percent) said they are less productive. Not only does workplace productivity suffer, individual actions, such as bringing a heating or cooling device into the office, result in increased energy use.
* Forty-nine percent of office workers have used a fan when it was too hot in their office, and 28 percent have used a space heater when it was too cold.
* Nearly one-third (30 percent) have left their office building to take a walk outside when it was too hot or cold in their workspace.
* Forty-one percent have informed their office manager or custodian of their discomfort.
* Approximately seven in ten (69 percent) have adjusted their clothing, such as adding a sweater or removing a layer.
* American workers expect their employers to take action. The results indicate that 45 percent think their employer is not doing enough to make their office environments energy efficient.
For complete survey results and a full methodology statement, contact Sarah McGath at smcgath@branigan.biz.
Manhole Covers
Last year, my coworker and I took a tour of downtown manhole covers with Jimmy Ogle. Today is the Season Finale of his Tuesday tours and I highly recommend you attend!The UNION AVENUE MANHOLE COVER & HISTORY TOUR will assemble this morning at 11:45 at at the FRONT STREET DELI, at the intersection of Front Street and Union Avenue. Lee Busby will have some coffee and chili there, as well as some of his other great sandwiches.
You can contact Jimmy at 604-5002 if you have any questions about the tour.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Best Inventions of 2009
You know the year is almost over when people start compiling lists. I especially like Time's 50 Best Inventions of 2009. My personal energy-related favorites are below...
A thermostat that is (possibly) smarter than me:
A couple of years ago, Seth Frader-Thompson was driving a Prius. Priuses have little screens on the dashboard that tell you what gas mileage you're getting, in real time, as you drive. It crossed Frader-Thompson's mind that houses should have something similar. So he built the EnergyHub Dashboard, a little device, with a screen, that can talk wirelessly to your furnace and your various appliances and let you know exactly how much electricity (or gas) each one is using and how much it's costing you. It can also turn appliances on and off and raise or lower the temperature in your house so you can rein in the real power hogs. EnergyHub is currently partnering with utilities for trials and will be available direct to consumers in early 2010.
The best lightbulb EVER!
With the flick of a switch, Philips Electronics may have just dramatically lowered America's electric bill. In September the Dutch electronics giant became the first to enter the U.S. Department of Energy's L Prize competition, which seeks an LED alternative to the common 60-watt bulb. Sixty-watt lights account for 50% of the domestic incandescent market; if they were replaced by LED bulbs, the U.S. could save enough electricity per year to light 17.4 million households. If Philips wins the L Prize, it will claim a cash award and federal purchasing agreements worth about $10 million.
Philips' LED bulb emits the same amount of light as its incandescent equivalent but uses less than 10 watts and lasts for 25,000 hours — or 25 times as long
Finally! A fan you can stick your fingers in!
Ever since Schuyler Skaats Wheeler introduced the electric fan 127 years ago, there hasn't been much innovation in the field. The old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind. But who ever said it was perfect? Certainly not James Dyson, which leads us to the bladeless, nonbuffeting Air Multiplier. Air is pulled in through vents in the base and then pushed out by a hidden impeller over a circular airfoil-shaped ramp that runs inside the rim of the halo, creating an uninterrupted stream of cool air. Because it's bladeless, the Air Multiplier is safer than conventional fans, and it retains normal functions like tilt, oscillation and speed control. It looks cooler too.
Behold the Human Powered Vending Machine:
When it comes to building a healthier vending machine, lesser minds have considered only swapping out the sodas and Snickers for apples and granola bars. But Pep Torres has a better idea. At his Barcelona workshop, Stereo-Noise, he attached a stationary bicycle to a vending machine so a customer who wants a product would have to pedal a certain distance to get it. Thus far, Stereo-Noise has had just one taker — a Spanish baked-goods company — but Torres has high hopes for the device. "We'd like to see it in subway stations and schools," he says. "That way, people can eat their potato chips and still get in shape."
A thermostat that is (possibly) smarter than me:
A couple of years ago, Seth Frader-Thompson was driving a Prius. Priuses have little screens on the dashboard that tell you what gas mileage you're getting, in real time, as you drive. It crossed Frader-Thompson's mind that houses should have something similar. So he built the EnergyHub Dashboard, a little device, with a screen, that can talk wirelessly to your furnace and your various appliances and let you know exactly how much electricity (or gas) each one is using and how much it's costing you. It can also turn appliances on and off and raise or lower the temperature in your house so you can rein in the real power hogs. EnergyHub is currently partnering with utilities for trials and will be available direct to consumers in early 2010.
The best lightbulb EVER!
With the flick of a switch, Philips Electronics may have just dramatically lowered America's electric bill. In September the Dutch electronics giant became the first to enter the U.S. Department of Energy's L Prize competition, which seeks an LED alternative to the common 60-watt bulb. Sixty-watt lights account for 50% of the domestic incandescent market; if they were replaced by LED bulbs, the U.S. could save enough electricity per year to light 17.4 million households. If Philips wins the L Prize, it will claim a cash award and federal purchasing agreements worth about $10 million.
Philips' LED bulb emits the same amount of light as its incandescent equivalent but uses less than 10 watts and lasts for 25,000 hours — or 25 times as long
Finally! A fan you can stick your fingers in!
Ever since Schuyler Skaats Wheeler introduced the electric fan 127 years ago, there hasn't been much innovation in the field. The old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind. But who ever said it was perfect? Certainly not James Dyson, which leads us to the bladeless, nonbuffeting Air Multiplier. Air is pulled in through vents in the base and then pushed out by a hidden impeller over a circular airfoil-shaped ramp that runs inside the rim of the halo, creating an uninterrupted stream of cool air. Because it's bladeless, the Air Multiplier is safer than conventional fans, and it retains normal functions like tilt, oscillation and speed control. It looks cooler too.
Behold the Human Powered Vending Machine:
When it comes to building a healthier vending machine, lesser minds have considered only swapping out the sodas and Snickers for apples and granola bars. But Pep Torres has a better idea. At his Barcelona workshop, Stereo-Noise, he attached a stationary bicycle to a vending machine so a customer who wants a product would have to pedal a certain distance to get it. Thus far, Stereo-Noise has had just one taker — a Spanish baked-goods company — but Torres has high hopes for the device. "We'd like to see it in subway stations and schools," he says. "That way, people can eat their potato chips and still get in shape."
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Old Fridge Horders--You Know Who You Are
Do you really need that old fridge? When many of us get that kitchen makeover, we take a working refrigerator out and decide what a great place for the leftovers, beer, holiday food and anything else we've ever wanted to keep cold. We just move it to the garage or wherever and plug it in. Why not, it's free! Unfortunately, it's not free. Refrigerators are one of the biggest energy users in our homes, especially older models. If you really need a second refrigerator, consider a new, smaller model with an Energy Star rating. Or better yet, stay with one refrigerator and save even more energy, money and CO2.
Plastic Bag Fabric
Obviously we're feeling a bit crafty here. Check out the cute purses below made entirely from plastic bags! All you need to make this is a few plastic bags, an iron, and wax paper. Read the detailed "how to" here.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Bows
The holiday/gift giving season is upon us. I like wrapping presents in old newspaper, especially the comics. Now I've found the perfect topper--a bow made from a colorful magazine page. Check out this tutorial. Cute and easy!
Leave the Leaves Alone
I have two giant gumball trees at my house. I rake year round. However, I'm thinking of stopping after reading this article on fall landscape maintenance. They recommend leaving them on the lawn and mowing them once week to fertilize the ground.
They also mention a few downsides to raking and bagging:
* The Environmental Protection Agency has reported that landscape debris including leaves and garden trimmings contribute 32 million tons or 13 percent of all solid waste that enters landfills in the United States. Landfill space is expensive and unnecessary waste adds to the country's tax burden.
* Plastic bags used to transport leaves and clippings add insult to injury, since plastic is not biodegradable and will pollute in whole or in part for thousands of years to come. The leaves held in bags and transported to landfills decompose in the absence of oxygen and create methane gas. Methane is a greenhouse gas more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
* Landfills often leak toxic pollutants into ground water and waterways. Leaves that are raked and disposed of in ravines and stormwater right of ways surrounding suburban lots quickly make their way into streams, rivers, and major waterways. The Chesapeake Bay, a waterway that drains 5 states, and the Gulf of Mexico, which drains many more, are already plagued by excess nutrients that have robbed them of oxygen. This creates dead zones where fish and shellfish are unable to survive.
* A considerable amount of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere when spewed from collection vehicles. Leaf blowers also emit the greenhouse gas.
* The EPA also warns that leaf burning has environmental consequences. Particulates are hazardous to the health of homeowners and their community. Burning leaves creates a number of toxic pollutants that impair the lungs and cause cancer.
* Leaves removed from the landscape create a less hospitable environment for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife. A diverse environment is essential to our overall health as various plants and animals provide food, clean air, filter water, and provide myriad other life-sustaining services.
Pretty convincing, huh?
Photo by Naomi Van Tol
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
PEG = Personal Energy Generator
Now you can personally generate enough power to keep all of your gadgets going. Yes, another reason to start exercising! I heard this on NPR yesterday:
Recharging Portable Electronics One Step At A Time
The next time your batteries need a recharge, try taking a walk. A tiny Cleveland startup is trying to capture the renewable energy of your footsteps — no outlet required.
At 6 feet tall and about 180 pounds, Aaron LeMieux is a pretty powerful guy.
A few years ago, as he was walking along the Appalachian Trail, he had to stop in little towns to find batteries for his Walkman. For a mechanical engineer like LeMieux, this was a problem waiting to be solved.
Mobile electronic devices like the iPhone only require 2.5 watts of power to fully recharge themselves, he says. "So, in the end, all we have to do is harvest 2.5 percent of your human walking energy, without you knowing it, and put it in your mobile electronic device."
So, after years of tinkering, LeMieux's company Tremont Electric is about to launch its first product that takes a little of your walking energy and sends it to your portable electronics. It's called the Personal Energy Generator, or PEG, and it's about the size of a flashlight.
LeMieux says with a new unit a leisurely walk would be good enough to get wall-outlet-level power.
With each step, magnets bounce back and forth off springs inside the PEG, generating electricity. The springs amplify movement, allowing the PEG to make a lot more power than past attempts at capturing kinetic energy.
Sara Bradford, of Texas-based market research firm Frost & Sullivan, is impressed.
"As a category, it's a breakthrough that we're now starting to see commercial products hit the market and being able to be sold to the mass market," Bradford says.
This kind of technology isn't expected to become mainstream until it's cheaply built into devices we already have. But LeMieux is trying to get his company off the ground, and the $149 PEG into customers' hands by the holidays.
Recharging Portable Electronics One Step At A Time
The next time your batteries need a recharge, try taking a walk. A tiny Cleveland startup is trying to capture the renewable energy of your footsteps — no outlet required.At 6 feet tall and about 180 pounds, Aaron LeMieux is a pretty powerful guy.
A few years ago, as he was walking along the Appalachian Trail, he had to stop in little towns to find batteries for his Walkman. For a mechanical engineer like LeMieux, this was a problem waiting to be solved.
Mobile electronic devices like the iPhone only require 2.5 watts of power to fully recharge themselves, he says. "So, in the end, all we have to do is harvest 2.5 percent of your human walking energy, without you knowing it, and put it in your mobile electronic device."
So, after years of tinkering, LeMieux's company Tremont Electric is about to launch its first product that takes a little of your walking energy and sends it to your portable electronics. It's called the Personal Energy Generator, or PEG, and it's about the size of a flashlight.
LeMieux says with a new unit a leisurely walk would be good enough to get wall-outlet-level power.
With each step, magnets bounce back and forth off springs inside the PEG, generating electricity. The springs amplify movement, allowing the PEG to make a lot more power than past attempts at capturing kinetic energy.
Sara Bradford, of Texas-based market research firm Frost & Sullivan, is impressed.
"As a category, it's a breakthrough that we're now starting to see commercial products hit the market and being able to be sold to the mass market," Bradford says.
This kind of technology isn't expected to become mainstream until it's cheaply built into devices we already have. But LeMieux is trying to get his company off the ground, and the $149 PEG into customers' hands by the holidays.
LED Light Exchange
Home Depot began its second annual Eco Options Christmas Light Trade In event last Thursday. Customers can bring in their old working or non-working holiday light strings to be recycled and receive a $3 off coupon towards the purchase of energy efficient seasonal light-emitting diodes (LED) string lights. Customers must purchase their new LED lights between November 5 and November 15 and are limited to five redemptions.LED lights are shown to use 80 percent less electricity than standard mini lights and last up to 10 times longer. This holiday season, The Home Depot will carry traditional white and multicolored ENERGY STAR qualified LED lights that offer superior connectivity - allowing consumers to link up to 87 strands (or one-quarter mile) of lights off of one outlet without the scare of overloading the circuit.
Monday, November 9, 2009
FREE Electronics Recycling Drop off Days
Also in celebration of America Recycles Day, 5R Processors is sponsoring two FREE Electronics Recycling Drop off Days, November 13 and 14, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
5R Processors is located at 3274 Democrat Road (Democrat & Tchulahoma). Call 546-0088 or visit their website for more information.
There is a $10 fee for each TV that must be paid in cash.
5R Processors is located at 3274 Democrat Road (Democrat & Tchulahoma). Call 546-0088 or visit their website for more information.
There is a $10 fee for each TV that must be paid in cash.
Free Mulch Saturday, Nov. 14
Free Mulch Event Scheduled by City of Memphis Public Works
In celebration of America Recycles Day, the City of Memphis Public Works will provide free mulch on Saturday, November 14th beginning at dawn at Bert Ferguson Park, located at 8505 Trinity and Rodney Baber Park at 2215 James Road on a load-your-own, while-it-last, basis for Memphis residents only.
The landscape quality mulch will be available beginning at dawn and residents must provide their own loading equipment and containers. Commercial businesses and non Memphis residents are not eligible.
The free mulch is derived from trees and other wood wastes collected at Memphis homes by City Solid Waste Management crews, then processed into mulch by the City’s Recycling and Compost Department. This will mark the 33nd and 34rd free mulch event provided by the City, since yard waste recycling began in 1995.
For additional information about recycling call 576-6851 ext.1 or visit the City's website.
In celebration of America Recycles Day, the City of Memphis Public Works will provide free mulch on Saturday, November 14th beginning at dawn at Bert Ferguson Park, located at 8505 Trinity and Rodney Baber Park at 2215 James Road on a load-your-own, while-it-last, basis for Memphis residents only.
The landscape quality mulch will be available beginning at dawn and residents must provide their own loading equipment and containers. Commercial businesses and non Memphis residents are not eligible.
The free mulch is derived from trees and other wood wastes collected at Memphis homes by City Solid Waste Management crews, then processed into mulch by the City’s Recycling and Compost Department. This will mark the 33nd and 34rd free mulch event provided by the City, since yard waste recycling began in 1995.
For additional information about recycling call 576-6851 ext.1 or visit the City's website.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Smart Grid Demo Volunteers Needed
Customer volunteers interested in having smart meters installed their homes in 2010 for a Smart Grid Demo should email smartgrid@mlgw.org.
There is no particular part of town that is being targeted for this effort right now, though MLGW would prefer concentrated areas or neighborhoods in order to minimize the amount of communications equipment needed.
Demo volunteers will receive a smart meter that will provide them with hourly information about their energy usage and additional energy saving tools through MLGW's My Account feature online. Customers without Internet access will receive an in-home display that will provide them with energy usage information.
There is no particular part of town that is being targeted for this effort right now, though MLGW would prefer concentrated areas or neighborhoods in order to minimize the amount of communications equipment needed.
Demo volunteers will receive a smart meter that will provide them with hourly information about their energy usage and additional energy saving tools through MLGW's My Account feature online. Customers without Internet access will receive an in-home display that will provide them with energy usage information.
Smart Grid--Where are we now?
Things are probably getting confusing, so here's a handy breakdown of the grants we have been pursuing and where we stand:
(1) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) : This grant has been received by the City of Memphis. Of the $6.76 million awarded to the City of Memphis, $5 million will be distributed through MLGW, largely for low-income residential programs. More information will be available about this soon. This grant does not have anything to do with Smart Grid.
(2) Smart Grid Investment Grant Downtown/Medical Center Grant (Part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009):
(3) Smart Grid Phase II Grant (Also Part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009):
(1) Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) : This grant has been received by the City of Memphis. Of the $6.76 million awarded to the City of Memphis, $5 million will be distributed through MLGW, largely for low-income residential programs. More information will be available about this soon. This grant does not have anything to do with Smart Grid.
(2) Smart Grid Investment Grant Downtown/Medical Center Grant (Part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009):
--MLGW is receiving about $5 million in stimulus funds in order to bring automation and reliability improvements to the downtown and medical center areas.
--The total cost of the project is a little over $10 million, with the grant covering half of this total and MLGW providing the other $5 million. This $5 million is in the 2010 MLGW budget.
--This will allow MLGW to monitor circuits and transformers that serve the downtown and Med Center areas.
--This will help with preventative maintenance because we will know more about what is happening with the system at any given time.
--MLGW's SCADA operators will be notified immediately of problems on the system.
--No MLGW employees will be affected by this grant.
(3) Smart Grid Phase II Grant (Also Part of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009):
-- In June 2009, the Department of Energy announced that applications for this grant would be accepted in August 2009, October 2009, and March 2010. They later pushed back the dates for Phase 2 and canceled Phase 3, then recently canceled Phase 2 as well.
--MLGW never got the chance to submit its grant application.
--Because MLGW did not receive this federal funding, there will not be a large-scale implementation of smart meters inside the I-240 loop in 2010.
--MLGW does plan to implement a smaller Smart Grid project that will add 40 automated switches that would help to reduce the number of customers affected by a particular outage. The switches would allow power to be automatically redirected in order to minimize an outage's effect.
--MLGW is targeting those circuits that have had the longest average restoration times for these automated switches.
--At some point in 2010, MLGW will seek 1,000 customer volunteers for a Smart Grid Demo project, in which smart meters would be installed at these customer's homes. There is no particular part of town that is being targeted for this effort right now, though MLGW would prefer concentrated areas or neighborhoods in order to minimize the amount of communications equipment needed.
--These demo volunteers would receive a smart meter that would provide them with hourly information about their energy usage and additional energy saving tools through MLGW's My Account feature online. Customers without Internet access would receive an in-home display that would provide them with energy usage information.
--No MLGW employees would be affected by the Smart Grid Demo.
--In addition to energy usage information, these customers would not have to report outages (they would be automatically detected) and would not be subjected to estimated bills.
--Other utilities such as Chattanooga's Electric Power Board (EPB) that received larger grants were already in the process of implementing Smart Grid enhancements.
MLGW scales back 'smart grid' project
From today's Commercial Appeal...
MLGW scales back 'smart grid' project
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division plans to implement a scaled-down version of its "smart grid" project, now that it's clear that the utility will get less federal grant money than it had hoped for.
Instead of installing sophisticated energy meters for 70,000 business and residential customers throughout six local ZIP codes, the utility will offer 1,000 in-home metering devices to volunteers at sites to be determined, said Laura Campbell, MLGW's assistant manager of energy resources.
"Our customers use 40 percent more electricity than the national average," Campbell said. "We as a community have a great opportunity to learn more about how we use energy and use energy more wisely."
The in-home monitors would give people rapid feedback about how much energy they're using.
The utility also plans to put in place switching devices that are meant to reduce the size of power outages, as well as new equipment to help watch the functioning of the electric grid in the medical center district and Downtown.
The new measures should be in place by the end of 2010, Campbell said.
The federal government is pouring huge sums of money into infrastructure projects meant to bring old utility equipment into the modern age. Current utility equipment is based on decades-old technology that relies on analog techniques, such as hiring people to read meters.
MLGW recently received a $5 million grant to upgrade the grid in its medical center district and Downtown.
But the federal government also announced that it wouldn't be giving out a pool of money that MLGW had planned to apply for.
"They canceled it before it even got to the date to turn in the proposal," Campbell said.
As a result, MLGW is scaling down its 2010 budget for smart-grid projects which had anticipated spending $13.8 million for the project, with $6.8 million reimbursed by the federal government.
Now the utility plans to spend $6.3 million, with $1.9 million reimbursed by the federal government, said controller Dana Jeanes.
-- Daniel Connolly: 529-5296
MLGW scales back 'smart grid' project
Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division plans to implement a scaled-down version of its "smart grid" project, now that it's clear that the utility will get less federal grant money than it had hoped for.
Instead of installing sophisticated energy meters for 70,000 business and residential customers throughout six local ZIP codes, the utility will offer 1,000 in-home metering devices to volunteers at sites to be determined, said Laura Campbell, MLGW's assistant manager of energy resources.
"Our customers use 40 percent more electricity than the national average," Campbell said. "We as a community have a great opportunity to learn more about how we use energy and use energy more wisely."
The in-home monitors would give people rapid feedback about how much energy they're using.
The utility also plans to put in place switching devices that are meant to reduce the size of power outages, as well as new equipment to help watch the functioning of the electric grid in the medical center district and Downtown.
The new measures should be in place by the end of 2010, Campbell said.
The federal government is pouring huge sums of money into infrastructure projects meant to bring old utility equipment into the modern age. Current utility equipment is based on decades-old technology that relies on analog techniques, such as hiring people to read meters.
MLGW recently received a $5 million grant to upgrade the grid in its medical center district and Downtown.
But the federal government also announced that it wouldn't be giving out a pool of money that MLGW had planned to apply for.
"They canceled it before it even got to the date to turn in the proposal," Campbell said.
As a result, MLGW is scaling down its 2010 budget for smart-grid projects which had anticipated spending $13.8 million for the project, with $6.8 million reimbursed by the federal government.
Now the utility plans to spend $6.3 million, with $1.9 million reimbursed by the federal government, said controller Dana Jeanes.
-- Daniel Connolly: 529-5296
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Low Flow
If you wanna take a long shower (we recommend 5 minutes or less) at least get a low flow showerhead!
Easy Ways to Save Energy This Winter
Here's a nice list from About.com
Easy Ways to Save Energy This Winter
Taking a few simple steps can save hundreds in heating bills
There are plenty of expensive ways to save energy -- installing a new, energy-efficient furnace, for example, or sealing and insulating all duct work -- but the eight tips below were selected because they’re easy and cost next to nothing. Heating and cooling account for over 50 percent of energy costs, so winterizing your home can save you hundreds each year while helping to save the planet, too.
1. Sweat It Out
One of the greenest inventions ever is a warm sweater. Match it with a comfortable pair of sweatpants, and though you won’t set the fashion world on fire, you’ll feel toasty and warm while setting your thermostat down in the 60-something degree range. Reducing your thermostat setting from 75 down to 65 for 8 hours -- like when you’re all tucked into bed -- can lower your heating bill by 10 to 20 percent. And speaking of thermostats, have you looked into the energy savings that come from installing a programmable thermostat?
2. Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans aren’t just for summer anymore. By flipping the little black switch that makes the fan rotate clockwise -- and keeping the fan speed set to low -- you can circulate the warm air that has risen to the ceiling all around the room. This can be a boon to folks with space heaters, wood stoves or other heating devices that don’t produce a lot of air circulation.
3. Snake Charmers
Doors, no matter how well-sealed they may be, always seem to leak a bit of cold air, especially around the base of the door. Since you’re not using that beach towel in winter, roll it up and use it as a “snake” to block the draft coming in from the door’s base. Some folks have even found that a necktie filled with sand or kitty litter works just as well. Or, if you’re feeling flush, buy a decorative new draft snake at your local hardware or home furnishings center.
4. Hearth and Home
Fireplaces may look warm and inviting, but they’re notorious for wasting energy. Remember to always close the damper when the fireplace is not in use -- consider a rubber damper for a tighter seal, or install glass fireplace doors. Chimney balloons also seal up the flue, keeping warm air inside.
5. Blowing Smoke
Put a sheet of paper in a door jamb, then close the door -- if you can pull the paper out without tearing it, you’ve got an air leak. (The same trick works for windows.) Another good way to check for air leaks involves a burning incense stick or other smoking item on a windy day. Hold the item near doors, windows, vents, electrical outlets, attic hatches, baseboards, pipes, dryer vents, utility lines (like TV cables) and other openings. If the smoke blows, you’ve got drafts. You can seal these money-sucking drafts quickly and inexpensively with weather stripping, caulk, electric outlet gaskets, or plastic window film.
6. Furnaces and Filters
Most furnace filters need to be changed monthly during the winter. Fiberglass filters are meant to be thrown away, but since they only trap a fraction of airborne debris, consider replacing them with electronic filters or HEPA filters, which are far more effective and create less waste because they can be cleaned instead of thrown out. And if it’s been a while since your furnace had a professional tune-up, you can easily save enough money through lower energy use to pay for that bit of maintenance.
7. Let the Sun Shine
There’s a truism in sustainable design: Passive solar requires active residents, meaning you have to get a little more involved than just flipping a switch. But even a few simple steps can make a big difference, like opening the drapes when the sun is shining in your windows, then closing the drapes when it’s not. This is an especially good idea when your drapes are heavy or insulated. Energy experts also encourage folks to consider pruning trees or shrubs that may be blocking the sun.
8. Home Energy Audits
Getting a home energy audit is perhaps the best way to start making your home greener and more energy efficient. Call 528-4188.
Easy Ways to Save Energy This Winter
Taking a few simple steps can save hundreds in heating bills
There are plenty of expensive ways to save energy -- installing a new, energy-efficient furnace, for example, or sealing and insulating all duct work -- but the eight tips below were selected because they’re easy and cost next to nothing. Heating and cooling account for over 50 percent of energy costs, so winterizing your home can save you hundreds each year while helping to save the planet, too.
1. Sweat It Out
One of the greenest inventions ever is a warm sweater. Match it with a comfortable pair of sweatpants, and though you won’t set the fashion world on fire, you’ll feel toasty and warm while setting your thermostat down in the 60-something degree range. Reducing your thermostat setting from 75 down to 65 for 8 hours -- like when you’re all tucked into bed -- can lower your heating bill by 10 to 20 percent. And speaking of thermostats, have you looked into the energy savings that come from installing a programmable thermostat?
2. Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans aren’t just for summer anymore. By flipping the little black switch that makes the fan rotate clockwise -- and keeping the fan speed set to low -- you can circulate the warm air that has risen to the ceiling all around the room. This can be a boon to folks with space heaters, wood stoves or other heating devices that don’t produce a lot of air circulation.
3. Snake Charmers
Doors, no matter how well-sealed they may be, always seem to leak a bit of cold air, especially around the base of the door. Since you’re not using that beach towel in winter, roll it up and use it as a “snake” to block the draft coming in from the door’s base. Some folks have even found that a necktie filled with sand or kitty litter works just as well. Or, if you’re feeling flush, buy a decorative new draft snake at your local hardware or home furnishings center.
4. Hearth and Home
Fireplaces may look warm and inviting, but they’re notorious for wasting energy. Remember to always close the damper when the fireplace is not in use -- consider a rubber damper for a tighter seal, or install glass fireplace doors. Chimney balloons also seal up the flue, keeping warm air inside.
5. Blowing Smoke
Put a sheet of paper in a door jamb, then close the door -- if you can pull the paper out without tearing it, you’ve got an air leak. (The same trick works for windows.) Another good way to check for air leaks involves a burning incense stick or other smoking item on a windy day. Hold the item near doors, windows, vents, electrical outlets, attic hatches, baseboards, pipes, dryer vents, utility lines (like TV cables) and other openings. If the smoke blows, you’ve got drafts. You can seal these money-sucking drafts quickly and inexpensively with weather stripping, caulk, electric outlet gaskets, or plastic window film.
6. Furnaces and Filters
Most furnace filters need to be changed monthly during the winter. Fiberglass filters are meant to be thrown away, but since they only trap a fraction of airborne debris, consider replacing them with electronic filters or HEPA filters, which are far more effective and create less waste because they can be cleaned instead of thrown out. And if it’s been a while since your furnace had a professional tune-up, you can easily save enough money through lower energy use to pay for that bit of maintenance.
7. Let the Sun Shine
There’s a truism in sustainable design: Passive solar requires active residents, meaning you have to get a little more involved than just flipping a switch. But even a few simple steps can make a big difference, like opening the drapes when the sun is shining in your windows, then closing the drapes when it’s not. This is an especially good idea when your drapes are heavy or insulated. Energy experts also encourage folks to consider pruning trees or shrubs that may be blocking the sun.
8. Home Energy Audits
Getting a home energy audit is perhaps the best way to start making your home greener and more energy efficient. Call 528-4188.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Credit Policy refined to protect customers’ identities
In 2003, the federal government enacted into law The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), a measure designed to protect American consumers while in the routine business of establishing or obtaining credit in the market place. Of particular interest to someone seeking utility services is the requirement that all customers be properly identified by their utility company in order to safeguard customers from identity theft by third parties.
Effective November 1, 2009 MLGW will require from all new residential and general power customers a service agreement between the customer and MLGW. MLGW will require all new residential customers, sole proprietors and general partnerships to provide two forms of identification. Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships, and Limited Partnerships seeking service must be registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State to be eligible to receive utility service.
MLGW will continue to connect utility services over the telephone. A service agreement will be mailed to the new customer, who will have approximately 30 business days to return the agreement, along with the required identification, to MLGW. MLGW will remind the customer during that time that all documentation should be returned or disconnection of services will occur. Should the service agreement and valid identification not be returned to MLGW by the date requested, the utility services supplied to that customer will be subject to disconnection. Doing business with MLGW on behalf of another customer will now require written authorization from that customer. MLGW’s customer of record may designate an agent for requesting utility service orders and/or accessing billing records and other information. Agents may be an individual or company. Established, properly documented customers need not take any further action at this time. However, a customer who alters service in the future may be asked to update identification as a protective measure. You can examine the MLGW credit policy on our website.
Effective November 1, 2009 MLGW will require from all new residential and general power customers a service agreement between the customer and MLGW. MLGW will require all new residential customers, sole proprietors and general partnerships to provide two forms of identification. Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Limited Liability Partnerships, and Limited Partnerships seeking service must be registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State to be eligible to receive utility service.
MLGW will continue to connect utility services over the telephone. A service agreement will be mailed to the new customer, who will have approximately 30 business days to return the agreement, along with the required identification, to MLGW. MLGW will remind the customer during that time that all documentation should be returned or disconnection of services will occur. Should the service agreement and valid identification not be returned to MLGW by the date requested, the utility services supplied to that customer will be subject to disconnection. Doing business with MLGW on behalf of another customer will now require written authorization from that customer. MLGW’s customer of record may designate an agent for requesting utility service orders and/or accessing billing records and other information. Agents may be an individual or company. Established, properly documented customers need not take any further action at this time. However, a customer who alters service in the future may be asked to update identification as a protective measure. You can examine the MLGW credit policy on our website.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Community Conservation Day
MLGW representatives are out in the Community Offices today handing out free conservation kits and explaining energy saving techniques. Stop by on your way back from lunch!
MLGW launches MLGW MobileAlerts program
MLGW customers can now receive text message mobile notification of billing due dates and possible impending cut-offs. Customers can register for the program here.
Customers will need their 16-digit MLGW account number and access code--found on your MLGW bill--in order to sign up. Participants in the MLGW Mobile Alerts program will receive a notification approximately three business days prior to their billing due date and/or scheduled cut-off date only if there is a balance due.
“Text messaging has surpassed e-mail as a means of communication. MLGW has a commitment to keep up with changes in technology and the Mobile Alerts program is yet another example. This will help our customers keep track of when their bill is due and hopefully help them avoid late charges,” said MLGW President and CEO Jerry Collins Jr.
Requirements for participation in MLGW's Text Messaging Program:
Customers will need their 16-digit MLGW account number and access code--found on your MLGW bill--in order to sign up. Participants in the MLGW Mobile Alerts program will receive a notification approximately three business days prior to their billing due date and/or scheduled cut-off date only if there is a balance due.
“Text messaging has surpassed e-mail as a means of communication. MLGW has a commitment to keep up with changes in technology and the Mobile Alerts program is yet another example. This will help our customers keep track of when their bill is due and hopefully help them avoid late charges,” said MLGW President and CEO Jerry Collins Jr.
Requirements for participation in MLGW's Text Messaging Program:
Customers will be responsible for paying any fees charged by their carrier for text messages.
Customers can opt out of the program by returning to www.mlgw.com/mobilealertsand selecting the opt-out option.
MLGW respects our customers’ privacy, and will not sell a user's personal information to third parties for any purpose.
Monday, November 2, 2009
The CA's New Going Green Digital Edition
Not to be outdone by Nashville, the CA announced its new digital only Going Green Edition in yesterday's print edition of the paper. Individual articles can't be linked, unfortunately, but give it a peek.
The CA focuses on ‘Going Green’ for environment
Digital-only edition debuts today with eco-friendly tips
Beginning today CA Media is adding a new section to the digital edition of The Commercial Appeal. For three months only, both Going Green and the digital edition will be available at no charge.
A digital edition targeted toward readers interested in ways they can live a little lighter on the earth, Going Green can be found at goinggreen.commercialappeal.com.
In line with the Green theme this section is not delivered as ink-on-paper. No need to recycle this one. Instead, Going Green content will be formatted for reading on an e-reader (like Kindle or Sony reader), a laptop, or a desktop computer. The design will carry the aesthetic feel of print, with headlines, text and photos that unfold in columns and pages. Content will be designed to be read in story form, not to be searched like a Web site.
“Going Green is CA Media’s first venture into a hybrid print-and-digital publication and one of the first such experiments in the country,’’ said Chris Peck, editor of The Commercial Appeal. “So we’re really excited about this new section. We think it will be a hit with readers and will help our newspaper learn more about how to develop a print-and-digital subscription model for our content.’’
Scott Sines, managing editor of The Commercial Appeal, developed most of the content and worked out many of the delivery details. “Subscribers who get our newspaper’s regular ink-on-paper sections every Sunday will also receive Going Green as a digitally delivered, story-based section accessible by password on any Internet-connected computer or e-reader,” Sines explained.
Sines said content for Going Green’ will focus on four areas: Home and Garden, Transportation, Sustainable Living and Earning and Spending Green. Each week, the Going Green section will feature efforts by local people trying to live greener but will also include national and international trends to provide more information and context.
Today’s first edition, Home and Garden, contains two main topics: Green ways to stay warm during the coming cold months and some things you need to know about composting fall yard waste. The Home section contains several local stories on ways to weatherize your house including information on energy audits, how to do it yourself, or how to find a contractor to do the work for you. There are tips on easy ways to reduce your utility bills, how to qualify for tax credits and the latest news about solar panels.
The Garden section is all about how to recycle your household and yard waste in ways that produces rich soil for next year’s vegetables, flower beds and perennials. It includes tips on building your own compost bin and what you should put in it. It includes a local column recounting personal adventures, or in this case, misadventures in Going Green.
The rest of the section is filled with useful information including The Green Page, which contains information on Green events and groups, syndicated columns and a profile of a local gardener you might even know.
Please take a look and let us know what you think. You can e-mail Sines at sines@commercial appeal.com or section editor Roland Klose at klose@commercial appeal.com.
Next Sunday’s edition will be devoted to fuel efficiency and transportation under the new rules passed by Congress and signed into law by the Obama administration.
The CA focuses on ‘Going Green’ for environment
Digital-only edition debuts today with eco-friendly tips
Beginning today CA Media is adding a new section to the digital edition of The Commercial Appeal. For three months only, both Going Green and the digital edition will be available at no charge.
A digital edition targeted toward readers interested in ways they can live a little lighter on the earth, Going Green can be found at goinggreen.commercialappeal.com.
In line with the Green theme this section is not delivered as ink-on-paper. No need to recycle this one. Instead, Going Green content will be formatted for reading on an e-reader (like Kindle or Sony reader), a laptop, or a desktop computer. The design will carry the aesthetic feel of print, with headlines, text and photos that unfold in columns and pages. Content will be designed to be read in story form, not to be searched like a Web site.
“Going Green is CA Media’s first venture into a hybrid print-and-digital publication and one of the first such experiments in the country,’’ said Chris Peck, editor of The Commercial Appeal. “So we’re really excited about this new section. We think it will be a hit with readers and will help our newspaper learn more about how to develop a print-and-digital subscription model for our content.’’
Scott Sines, managing editor of The Commercial Appeal, developed most of the content and worked out many of the delivery details. “Subscribers who get our newspaper’s regular ink-on-paper sections every Sunday will also receive Going Green as a digitally delivered, story-based section accessible by password on any Internet-connected computer or e-reader,” Sines explained.
Sines said content for Going Green’ will focus on four areas: Home and Garden, Transportation, Sustainable Living and Earning and Spending Green. Each week, the Going Green section will feature efforts by local people trying to live greener but will also include national and international trends to provide more information and context.
Today’s first edition, Home and Garden, contains two main topics: Green ways to stay warm during the coming cold months and some things you need to know about composting fall yard waste. The Home section contains several local stories on ways to weatherize your house including information on energy audits, how to do it yourself, or how to find a contractor to do the work for you. There are tips on easy ways to reduce your utility bills, how to qualify for tax credits and the latest news about solar panels.
The Garden section is all about how to recycle your household and yard waste in ways that produces rich soil for next year’s vegetables, flower beds and perennials. It includes tips on building your own compost bin and what you should put in it. It includes a local column recounting personal adventures, or in this case, misadventures in Going Green.
The rest of the section is filled with useful information including The Green Page, which contains information on Green events and groups, syndicated columns and a profile of a local gardener you might even know.
Please take a look and let us know what you think. You can e-mail Sines at sines@commercial appeal.com or section editor Roland Klose at klose@commercial appeal.com.
Next Sunday’s edition will be devoted to fuel efficiency and transportation under the new rules passed by Congress and signed into law by the Obama administration.
Simple actions help homeowners go green
Nice article in the THE TENNESSEAN yesterday...
Simple actions help homeowners go green
As Congress battles over controversial climate change legislation, Herb and Amy Williams of East Nashville have cut their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25 percent.
The couple didn't put up solar panels or buy a hybrid car. They took the relatively low-cost steps of adding insulation to their home and sealing its crawl space and ducts. For this they not only cut their energy bills and their carbon footprint, they also will receive tax credits.
Finding the right triggers — whether they are financial incentives or providing facts — to persuade people nationwide to take simple actions like these could result in about a 20 percent reduction in household-related emissions within 10 years, according to a new study by Vanderbilt University researchers and others.
Overall, that would reduce total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by about 7.4 percent.
"It's not going to solve the whole problem, but it could be a good beginning while we're waiting for some of the harder, more experimental things to work themselves out," said Jonathan Gilligan, a co-author of the study published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.
Technology fixes will take time, as will Congress hammering out new legislation designed to reduce U.S. carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and help drive climate change.
After looking into past energy-efficiency programs around the country, the researchers targeted 17 household changes and determined the chances that people would actually make them.
Weatherization ranked highest. Low-flow shower heads and efficient appliances are among items that also had the most promise, with convenience being a key. Showing much less likelihood of catching on widely were setting back thermostats and using cold water for laundry. Carpooling was lowest of all.
In a perfect world where everyone did the right thing, the carbon from household energy use in a year might be voluntarily reduced by 200 million tons, said Gilligan, one of two Vanderbilt researchers who worked on the study, along with colleagues from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and the National Research Council.
In a world of imperfect people, the study estimated that well-designed public policy to spur change could result in a drop of 120 million tons in energy use.
Financial incentives were viewed as helpful, but social influences — what your neighbors do — also mattered.
"This isn't just some pie- in-the-sky thing, hoping people will do the right thing," Gilligan said. "Part of what's so appealing about these behavior changes is that we can do them right now and we can do them cheaply."
Additional research will help provide needed details to design an effective public policy, Gilligan said.
What researchers do know is that burning fossil fuels for energy, including coal, natural gas and oil, is the major source of carbon and other greenhouse gases that humans add daily to the atmosphere. Coal emits the most carbon when burned, and, in Tennessee, about 60 percent of the electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. On top of that, Tennessee consumes more residential electricity per person than any other state except Alabama, according to the most recent Department of Energy information.
Gasoline and other fuels that power vehicles are also among the large sources of emissions.
Bills and flare-ups drop
The Williamses took action to bump up the energy efficiency of their 110-year-old home because their utility bills were too high, the house was drafty and their two children had asthma.
"We didn't expect as big an effect as we got," said Amy Williams, a nurse practitioner.
The utility bills dropped about 25 percent, and her children's asthma flare-ups have dramatically dropped. She figures less dust is slipping into the house, especially by cutting the seepage from what had been a dirt crawl space below.
"You could stand here in winter and it was like an air conditioner was blowing in," she said, standing in a doorway inside her home where tall pocket doors slide into the wall.
The couple spent about $3,000 with E3 Innovate of Nashville for a test of the house's tightness and several fixes last January, which would have the most impact for the least amount of money.
That included caulking, adding insulation to the attic and better sealing for the ducts that carry heating and cooling.
They put an additional $2,000 into laying laminate plastic over the dirt crawl space under their home and insulating the crawlspace walls.
Erik Daugherty, who founded E3 Innovate, said low-hanging fruit is everywhere when it comes to energy efficiency. He had worked in Europe as a leader of a bioenergy team on climate change, and said he realized that basic work was needed on the ground at homes.
Hybrid cars and solar panels are great for those with the income, but less costly steps are attainable and effective, he said.
"Why would you worry about getting a 50 mpg car when your house is a 5 mpg house?" he said.
Church saves on energy
First Presbyterian Church of Franklin found that low-hanging fruit was not always that easy to pick.
People weren't turning off lights or cutting back thermostats, and some mysterious mechanical glitch in the church's supposedly efficient heating and air conditioning system plagued their efforts to conserve for more than 10 years.
"We were opening the doors and throwing $100 bills out," said Jim Mahurin, co-chair of the 35,000-square-foot church's facility management committee.
Adding compact fluorescent light bulbs along with persuading staff and members to turn off lights made a difference.
Numbers helped people understand the situation. Mahurin would say that leaving the air conditioner or the heat running and lights on in one of the church's 38 rooms could cost $10-$15 an hour.
Once that message took hold, along with installing programmable thermostats and finally ferreting out the climate control system's design flaw, utility bills dropped by about $30,000 a year, Mahurin said. In environmental terms, the changes result in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1 million pounds a year.
Even better, lowering the load on the heating and air conditioning system should extend its life by several years for a major cost savings, he said.
Studies are increasing that show energy savings can be found in many measures. It's referred to as silver buckshot, rather than a silver bullet.
"The South has some of the biggest opportunities to squeeze wasted energy out of its economy," said Marilyn Brown, a Georgia Tech energy-efficiency expert who co-authored two recent studies.
"We should be able to prevent the growth in energy demand over the next 10 to 20 years. We should be able to save at least 1 percent a year and offset projected growth. That means we wouldn't have to build new power plants."
A SIMPLE ROUTE TO CUT GREENHOUSE GASES
Household energy can be reduced easily — and substantially — through voluntary actions, according to a study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Some of the easiest things to do that give off the most environmental savings include:
• Home weatherization, including insulating and sealing off drafty areas.
• Regular vehicle maintenance.
• Installing low-flow shower heads.
• Maintaining air-conditioner and heating equipment.
• Purchasing energy-efficient appliances and vehicles — though only when the current ones are ready to be retired.
Simple actions help homeowners go green
As Congress battles over controversial climate change legislation, Herb and Amy Williams of East Nashville have cut their greenhouse gas emissions by more than 25 percent.
The couple didn't put up solar panels or buy a hybrid car. They took the relatively low-cost steps of adding insulation to their home and sealing its crawl space and ducts. For this they not only cut their energy bills and their carbon footprint, they also will receive tax credits.
Finding the right triggers — whether they are financial incentives or providing facts — to persuade people nationwide to take simple actions like these could result in about a 20 percent reduction in household-related emissions within 10 years, according to a new study by Vanderbilt University researchers and others.
Overall, that would reduce total U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by about 7.4 percent.
"It's not going to solve the whole problem, but it could be a good beginning while we're waiting for some of the harder, more experimental things to work themselves out," said Jonathan Gilligan, a co-author of the study published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.
Technology fixes will take time, as will Congress hammering out new legislation designed to reduce U.S. carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and help drive climate change.
After looking into past energy-efficiency programs around the country, the researchers targeted 17 household changes and determined the chances that people would actually make them.
Weatherization ranked highest. Low-flow shower heads and efficient appliances are among items that also had the most promise, with convenience being a key. Showing much less likelihood of catching on widely were setting back thermostats and using cold water for laundry. Carpooling was lowest of all.
In a perfect world where everyone did the right thing, the carbon from household energy use in a year might be voluntarily reduced by 200 million tons, said Gilligan, one of two Vanderbilt researchers who worked on the study, along with colleagues from Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and the National Research Council.
In a world of imperfect people, the study estimated that well-designed public policy to spur change could result in a drop of 120 million tons in energy use.
Financial incentives were viewed as helpful, but social influences — what your neighbors do — also mattered.
"This isn't just some pie- in-the-sky thing, hoping people will do the right thing," Gilligan said. "Part of what's so appealing about these behavior changes is that we can do them right now and we can do them cheaply."
Additional research will help provide needed details to design an effective public policy, Gilligan said.
What researchers do know is that burning fossil fuels for energy, including coal, natural gas and oil, is the major source of carbon and other greenhouse gases that humans add daily to the atmosphere. Coal emits the most carbon when burned, and, in Tennessee, about 60 percent of the electricity comes from coal-fired power plants. On top of that, Tennessee consumes more residential electricity per person than any other state except Alabama, according to the most recent Department of Energy information.
Gasoline and other fuels that power vehicles are also among the large sources of emissions.
Bills and flare-ups drop
The Williamses took action to bump up the energy efficiency of their 110-year-old home because their utility bills were too high, the house was drafty and their two children had asthma.
"We didn't expect as big an effect as we got," said Amy Williams, a nurse practitioner.
The utility bills dropped about 25 percent, and her children's asthma flare-ups have dramatically dropped. She figures less dust is slipping into the house, especially by cutting the seepage from what had been a dirt crawl space below.
"You could stand here in winter and it was like an air conditioner was blowing in," she said, standing in a doorway inside her home where tall pocket doors slide into the wall.
The couple spent about $3,000 with E3 Innovate of Nashville for a test of the house's tightness and several fixes last January, which would have the most impact for the least amount of money.
That included caulking, adding insulation to the attic and better sealing for the ducts that carry heating and cooling.
They put an additional $2,000 into laying laminate plastic over the dirt crawl space under their home and insulating the crawlspace walls.
Erik Daugherty, who founded E3 Innovate, said low-hanging fruit is everywhere when it comes to energy efficiency. He had worked in Europe as a leader of a bioenergy team on climate change, and said he realized that basic work was needed on the ground at homes.
Hybrid cars and solar panels are great for those with the income, but less costly steps are attainable and effective, he said.
"Why would you worry about getting a 50 mpg car when your house is a 5 mpg house?" he said.
Church saves on energy
First Presbyterian Church of Franklin found that low-hanging fruit was not always that easy to pick.
People weren't turning off lights or cutting back thermostats, and some mysterious mechanical glitch in the church's supposedly efficient heating and air conditioning system plagued their efforts to conserve for more than 10 years.
"We were opening the doors and throwing $100 bills out," said Jim Mahurin, co-chair of the 35,000-square-foot church's facility management committee.
Adding compact fluorescent light bulbs along with persuading staff and members to turn off lights made a difference.
Numbers helped people understand the situation. Mahurin would say that leaving the air conditioner or the heat running and lights on in one of the church's 38 rooms could cost $10-$15 an hour.
Once that message took hold, along with installing programmable thermostats and finally ferreting out the climate control system's design flaw, utility bills dropped by about $30,000 a year, Mahurin said. In environmental terms, the changes result in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1 million pounds a year.
Even better, lowering the load on the heating and air conditioning system should extend its life by several years for a major cost savings, he said.
Studies are increasing that show energy savings can be found in many measures. It's referred to as silver buckshot, rather than a silver bullet.
"The South has some of the biggest opportunities to squeeze wasted energy out of its economy," said Marilyn Brown, a Georgia Tech energy-efficiency expert who co-authored two recent studies.
"We should be able to prevent the growth in energy demand over the next 10 to 20 years. We should be able to save at least 1 percent a year and offset projected growth. That means we wouldn't have to build new power plants."
A SIMPLE ROUTE TO CUT GREENHOUSE GASES
Household energy can be reduced easily — and substantially — through voluntary actions, according to a study from the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Some of the easiest things to do that give off the most environmental savings include:
• Home weatherization, including insulating and sealing off drafty areas.
• Regular vehicle maintenance.
• Installing low-flow shower heads.
• Maintaining air-conditioner and heating equipment.
• Purchasing energy-efficient appliances and vehicles — though only when the current ones are ready to be retired.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Anthony Pack
I met Anthony Pack at River Arts Fest a few weekends ago. I just love the way he turns old cans and silverware and who knows what else into lovable robots. Upcycling trash into treasure is one of my favorite things. Here's a sampling of his work from his Flickr site.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
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