With the ridiculously high cost of energy this summer here are some efficiency tips. These are things that we as a family have been doing that work for us, both around the homestead and in the car. Ben Franklin was right! Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.
1) I know it’s tough, but Drive the speed limit. You’ll get the best MPG if you keep it between 50 and 65 MPH. Besides if you slow down a little you can actually enjoy the beautiful surroundings a little more here in the Pine Tree State.
2) Rapid starts and stops really waste gas; you’ll be surprised how much smooth driving increases your MPG.
3) Check the pressure in your tires. Under inflated tires create more drag, like throwing out an anchor. Keep them inflated properly and they’ll last longer too. It’s also a good idea to rotate them once and a while. I do it every other oil change. Keeping your car tuned up and your filters clean will help as well.
4) Turn off the Air Conditioner. Both on the road and at home. If you don’t really need it, turn it off. It burns a lot of extra fuel in your car and makes the electric meter spin on your house. Save it for those really hot days.
5) During World War 2 they had a saying, “Was this trip really necessary?” Try and consolidate trips as often as possible. We try and go to the Grocery Store once a week now; in the past we were just going when we needed something. A little planning goes a long way.
6) We’ve changed over to all compact fluorescent light bulbs. It took a while but we gradually changed them all. You can get an 8 pack of the bulbs that replace incandescent 60 watt bulbs at Sams Club for about $11.00 and they’ll save you a lot of money over their lives. We’re saving about $40 a month just from changing to CFL’s.
7) If you have the ability to burn different kinds of fuel go to this web site and make the comparison in cost, you’ll just need to know the price per unit (cord, ton, gallon) and the efficiency percent of the furnace or stove. http://hearth.com/econtent/index.php/articles/fuel_
cost_comparison_calculator/
We usually use about 900 gallons of oil in a forced hot air furnace. We’ve got to cut that down. Fortunately a few years ago I bought an Ashley Coal Stove but never really used it. This year with the cost of oil being what it is, I’ve already started buying coal by the bag, I make a stop at the Farm Supply store when we’re out grocery shopping and buy a few bags at a time when ?I have the extra money, I figure I’ll have a ton before the end of the summer and buying it in bags will make it easier to lug around and store and even bagged it’s less than half the cost of oil.
8) Check your windows on a windy day with a candle, if the candle flickers your window is drafty and you’re just throwing your dollars into the wind. We’ve got 3 drafty windows so we went on line and found insulated roman blinds that will insulate the windows and cut the draft, they were about $40 each at www.sportsmansguide.com . You can also get insulated curtains for about the same price at www.solutions.com .
9) Get your furnace cleaned NOW. A clean furnace burns more efficiently and if you do it now you’ll beat the fall rush. It’s also time to call the chimney sweep. With more people using wood to heat with it’s a good idea to call them now as well.
10) Turn that thermostat down!!! We like it cooler in the house and usually set the thermostat at around 60 or 62, wearing a sweatshirt or sweater around the house isn’t the end of the world. Also at bedtime, an extra wool blanket doesn’t hurt. The layered hunting clothing theory works just as well here. One of my favorite old timey items is a hot water bottle, they’ve got covers for them these days that look like stuffed toys for the kids and there’s nothing wrong with wrapping it in an old flannel pillowcase either. Speaking of flannel, flannel sheets are a good idea as well.
When it comes to these kind of changes like many other changes in your lifestyle, the best rule of thumb is do what you can, and do what works for you.
All the best,
Rich Cebra
Click on the link to read the story.
China threatens economic "Nuclear Option" against the US...
Why is this story in the UK news but no where in the US media?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/mo
ney/2007/08/07/bcnchina107a.xml
Political Infighting Makes for Bad Government
By Rep. Rich Cebra
During the three years that I have spent in the Maine Legislature, one of the most frustrating things is witnessing first-hand the inefficiencies in government. In the past, I have outlined some of the problems that we face as a state as well as some of the common-sense solutions to fix those problems. Many of the problems we face in Maine and in the nation as a whole are caused by a government that, for want of a better expression, can’t get out of its own way.
Too often in state and federal Government there is too much partisanship and way too little statesmanship. That attitude in both parties does nothing to advance the lives of the hardworking people of Maine or the nation. That’s why the Founding Fathers warned against the rise of political parties. They feared that people would place loyalty to their party above loyalty to their country. Once again, our nation’s founders were right.
Having spent the last three years in Augusta, I have come to believe that the single biggest obstacle to a better quality of life for all our residents is not necessarily the individual Republicans or Democrats serving their communities, but the growth of government and the inefficient bureaucracy that it breeds. As an observer of government in Washington, I believe that this is true in Washington, as well. For a good example of public distrust in government bureaucracy today all one needs to do is look at the approval rating for the U.S. Congress. Currently at 14% these approval ratings are the lowest in history. Clearly the system has become broken.
Earlier this year I spent a considerable amount of time on the Transportation Committee in Augusta working on a piece of legislation called LD 1790. This bill will completely redefine the way the state plans and executes a long term strategy for our road and bridge maintenance, repair and replacement. It establishes goals and objectives, sets a timetable for their completion and puts a framework for the long-term funding of those projects into place. I co-sponsored this legislation.
The way that this bill was amended, debated and discussed in committee is a great example of what we should be working towards in government. We put partisan politics aside completely and focused on a common goal of fixing the way the state does business in regards to our highway infrastructure. We worked together to craft legislation that accomplished our goals and could pass in both houses of the Legislature as well as get the governor’ signature to make it law.
In the Transportation Committee, when it came to LD 1790, we all compromised on certain parts of the bill, but no one compromised their core beliefs. We all worked together for the common good and for the future of Maine’s infrastructure. It was a privilege to stand before the House Republican caucus and then on the floor of the House to persuade and debate the merits of the bill.
The experience of LD 1790 should serve as a shining example to all the members of the Legislature, as well as the people of Maine, to show that good government can happen if we rise above the partisan bickering, territorialism, and a pattern of doing things in government for the sole reason that “it’s the way things are done”. We need to break out of the box and start looking for 21st Century solutions to our 21st Century problems. It’s time to stop doing things in government over and over and getting the same failed results.
That is why I have joined a unique non-partisan organization designed to rise above traditional gridlocked partisanship, to provide real, significant solutions to the most important issues facing our country. The organization is called American Solutions.
It is clear that Maine, and for that matter America, is faced with enormous challenges both at home and abroad. It is equally clear that the current political-governmental system is stuck in a pathology of attack ads, short attention spans, gridlocked partisanship and lack of effective solutions. This is a big problem. Solving it will require a big solution as well as people who are not afraid of taking up the challenge of fighting for the future of our state and our nation.
If you agree with the simple idea that "real change requires real change", then you will find American Solutions a useful project for improving our state’s and nation’s chance to be successful in the next generation. I am planning to host a Solutions Day event in Naples on September 27th. On that day, concerned citizens in over 1,500 events across the country will reach out to activists, volunteers; all elected office holders in America, their staffs, and the citizens who are seeking to serve in those offices. Our goal is to help create a new wave of transformational change which will move government into the 21st century, strengthen and revitalize our core values, and help protect America against enemies.
I will be announcing the time and location as September approaches. You can learn more about American Solutions at www.americansolutions.com or call my district office in Naples at 693-4951.
State Rep. Rich Cebra (Naples) is a second-term legislator. He serves on the Transportation Committee and is the Minority lead on the Committee on Engrossed Bills.
