November 2009
The Small Stuff Makes the Difference
It amazes me how my children have matured into the responsible adults. I recently had the pleasure to have all three children home during the Limon Homecoming weekend. We didn’t just talk football during this visit. The siblings wanted to learn and discuss the role of renewable energy in our generation mix and how that would help conserve our resources. They were also very interested in the whole cap and trade scenario and how it would impact their own bottom line in the future. All three of my children live in the Denver area. My daughter is a Real Estate agent. The oldest son studying engineering economics and works for an atmospheric gas provider and the younger son is a business and accounting major working as a financial planner. All three grew up in the electric cooperative world so this kind of stuff is very familiar to them.
They wanted to know the cost benefit analysis of adding a solar panel to their homes to produce electricity. It is obvious that many news articles focus on installing renewable resources to your home. After listening to their take on the situation and the concerns they have, I finally said to them, “Don’t concentrate on making a big investment in solar panels until you have taken advantage of reducing the excessive energy use in your homes.” The large investment of solar or wind of $5,000 to $20,000 is cost prohibitive to most people. A person can make some changes in their lifestyle and make small investments in their home that will conserve far more energy than can be produced by and expensive wind and solar generation investment. I went on to explain that people waste an incredible amount electricity and if we cut back to what we actually need, we could reduce the CO2 emissions and decrease the need to build new generation facilities. We can achieve the same results by being conscious of our usage, insulating our homes and changing out old appliances for new energy efficient ones. We can concentrate on taking a few easy steps.
First and foremost, live by the rule if you don’t need it on, turn it off. It costs nothing and it is quick and easy. Another quick and easy measure you can take is to invest less than $100 to change out all of your incandescent light bulbs to the more efficient compact fluorescent lamps. Next, only buy energy efficiency appliances. As an added bonus, MVEA offers rebates on certain appliances and heating and cooling systems and even pays you to get rid of that old refrigerator.
These actions were confirmed in a recent study conducted by the Electric Power Research Institute on the potential to reduce CO2 emissions. The conclusion, if people used energy efficient appliances, expanded their conservation efforts and utilized new technologies, we could reduce CO2 emissions by 4 percent by the year 2030.
I found it interesting that an Oklahoma Electric Cooperative developed a prepaid electric service for their members that had a totally different result from what they expected. OEC implemented a web based prepaid service primarily to offer quality service to credit-challenged accounts while protecting the general membership from bearing the costs associated with delinquent accounts and write-offs. However, it created unanticipated energy efficiency opportunities through usage monitoring where all residential members can take an active role in managing their electric usage. Similar programs have experienced a 10 to 15 percent residential energy savings through behavioral changes such as turning off unnecessary lights, electric water heater temperature reduction and electric heat setback. This program is proof that with a little diligence, we can all enjoy a reduction in our electric bill and help with the climate issue.
I would encourage all of our members to take a good look at the energy they are consuming and see where they can make changes in their lives. For more energy saving tips, log onto MVEA’s web site at www.mvea.coop and check out our energy library and audit and take a look at our energy efficiency credits to see if you qualify. And remember, the small stuff and the minor actions on your part will add up to significant savings of money and energy. Regardless of the actions of your neighbors, you can make a difference and save money at the same time.
MVEA Sponsors Home Lighting Contests
MVEA will provide credit on electric bills as prizes for organizations wishing to organize home lighting contests over the holidays. The organization must be a non-profit to qualify. Homeowners’ organizations are also eligible for the sponsorship. For more information on sponsoring a contest, contact Deborah Skillicorn at either MVEA office.
Attention High School Juniors
Win a trip to Washington, D.C.!
For over 40 years, electric cooperatives have sponsored high school students from across America to visit the nation’s capitol and meet their members of congress. If you are a high school junior, you could be part of this tremendous opportunity.
During your all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. in June 2010, you’ll have the opportunity to hook up with approximately 1500 other high school juniors from around the U.S. Students gain a personal understanding of American history and their role as a citizen by meeting their representative and senators and exploring the sights around the nation’s capital. Don’t be surprised if you run into a former Youth tour participant who is a congressional aide on Capitol Hill. Over 40,000 students from rural areas and small towns across America have participated in this unique program. It is an opportunity to make some great new friends and the experience of a lifetime.
Or, you could win a trip to Clark, Colorado, located just outside of Steamboat Springs in July. High school juniors from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming will gather at a beautiful resort located on the Elk River and spend the week at an outstanding leadership camp. You’ll participate in activities to improve personal goals, set up and run your own cooperative and get an inside view of the state and national legislatures. There is plenty of time for swim parties, barbeques, dances, and banquets during the week. Many of the attendees call this camp a “life changing experience.”
All you have to do to enter is write a 500-word essay on the following topic – “What do you feel is the best method of generating reliable electricity for our future and why?”And, meet the qualifications listed below. Information can be found at www.ourenergy.coop and your own opinion is important. So have at it! Attach the entry form to your essay and send it to: MVEA, Attn: Deborah Skillicorn, P.O. Box 1600, Limon, CO 80828. Your parents or guardians must receive electric service from MVEA and you must be at least 16 years old by January 1, 2010. Entries must be received or postmarked by November 16, 2009.
Don’t miss out on these two great trips! Call Deborah Skillicorn at 800-388-9881 ext 2577 or go on line at www.mvea.coop if you have questions. GOOD LUCK! Click here for your entry form.
Give the Gift of Light this holiday season!
Click here for details.
It’s MVEA Scholarship Time
Don’t miss out on the cash!
Don’t miss out on the 14-college scholarships available through MVEA.
10 - $1,000 MVEA Scholarships
1 - $1,000 MVEA Vocational/Technical Scholarship
1 - $1,000 Tri-State Generation & Transmission Scholarships
1 - $1,000 Basin Electric Scholarship
1 - $1,000 E.A. “Mick” Geesen Memorial Scholarship
To qualify for these scholarships
- Your parents or guardians must receive electric service from MVEA
- You must be a graduating high school senior
- You must meet ACT or SAT and GPA requirements (these vary according to which scholarship you apply for).
- Applications must be received by January 15, 2010
Applications are currently available on our website at www.mvea.coop, at either MVEA office, or by calling Deborah Skillicorn or Patsy Tompkins at (719) 775-2861 or (719) 495-2283.
Don’t miss out on the cash!
Fourth Graders Learn to Stay Safe
It was a blustery day at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Hugo on September 30 when 80 fourth grade students from eight schools converged upon the fairgrounds ready to soak up all the safety tips presenters could dish out. Farm Safety 4 Just Kids sponsored their annual Safety Day to help prevent senseless accidents to young people around their home and ranches.
Local businesses support the program through their membership each year. This year, presenters taught the children on how to stay safe around guns, electricity, ladders, grain, animals, PTO and fire. In addition, the children learned the correct way to make a 911 call and to administer simple First Aide. Culmination of the day’s activities was the Karval FFA’s enactment of an ATV accident.
The mission of Farm Safety 4 Just Kids is to promote a safe farm environment to prevent health hazards, injuries and fatalities to children. In the fall of 1986, 11-year old Keith Algreen suffocated in a gravity flow wagon of shelled corn on his family’s Iowa farm. After her son’s death, Marilyn Adams began a campaign to promote farm safety awareness and founded the organization FS4JK in 1987. But, the lessons learned at Farm Safety Days do not pertain just to children that live on ranches, but to every child that is around electricity, guns, lawn mowers or many of the other hazards we come in contact with on an everyday basis.
MVEA is an active supporter of FS4JK and urges our members to educate their children on how to stay safe in the home. For more information go to www.fs4jk.org.
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