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POWER TALK
LETTERS
More Stories Needed
Two pieces [on wind power] in your June issue and not a single mention of the possible effect of bird strikes on migratory bird populations? I believe you owe your readers a look at all sides to this story. You also did not mention the increased number of homeowners erecting micro-turbines in their own yards, the lawsuit over wind turbines at the King Ranch (not everyone wants to see these enormous structures in their backyard or on the nearest ridge) and the current situation with regards to state and federal incentives supporting wind energy. It would be nice to see more in a future issue.
John Abrams
Pedernales Electric Cooperative
Another Permanent Memory
Celia Yeary brought me home to my own childhood memories in her article “A Permanent Memory” [April 2008]. It transported me back to those days, identical to hers, of my mother’s kitchen and home perms. Some of my memories of those perms are not good ones! Also, I thank you for the reassurance that I am not the only one in the whole world who is afraid of a pressure cooker!
Jean Henry
Pedernales Electric Cooperative
DON’T IDLE AWAY YOUR TIME AND MONEY
It’s not only idle hands that are the devil’s workshop but also idling vehicles. Idling an auto for 10 minutes a day pollutes the air and uses up approximately a whole tank of gas a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Idling for periods as short as 30 seconds consumes more gasoline than turning off the engine and then starting it again. And you’ll save even more if you park and go inside rather than using a drive-through.
What’s more, excessive idling can cause a buildup of fuel residues on cylinder walls, spark plugs and other engine components, which eventually leads to even greater inefficiency and can increase fuel consumption by 4 to 5 percent.
To conserve gasoline while driving, accelerate and decelerate slowly and smoothly, and anticipate stops and coast to a stop gradually. Anticipate delays and take an alternate route to avoid stop-and-go or standstill traffic ... or travel earlier or later when roads are not so congested.
POWER TIP
Summer Cooking on the Patio
To reduce heat generation inside the house and to minimize use of the air conditioner in the summer, we do most of our frying, deep-frying and toaster-oven baking outside on the patio.
These appliances can be plugged into an outdoor electrical outlet.
Shelly Almouslli
Central Texas Electric Cooperative
BUYERS BEWARE
Seeking ways to save on your electric bill? If you’re looking at a device that purports to reduce power consumption, you might take a closer look. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has obtained a restraining order against a company called Forum Trading, Inc., for its marketing of the “XPower Saver” and the “MEGA Power Saver.” The company claims the devices significantly reduce power consumption, extend the life
of household appliances and save consumers money.
The power savings offered by the devices, which sell for as much as $300, are negligible, according to Abbott.
“Experts who reviewed the defendants’ products discovered no actual savings for well-intentioned purchasers,” he said.
If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.
QUOTABLE
If we ignore the little things that seem rather insignificant, like leaving a light on all day in our closet, what difference will that make in the grand scheme of things? As a life-long cooperative professional, I’ve learned that when we all pitch in, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to. In contrast, if none of us do what needs to be done, what fruit will the future bear? All the little contributions we make in this world do have an impact.
Ray Beavers
CEO/General Manager, United Cooperative Services
HAPPENINGS
No matter how you slice it, the Yoakum County Watermelon Roundup is all about serving up summertime fun—and lots of ice-cold watermelon—to thousands of attendees in the sweltering August heat.
Set for August 30 in Plains, the 13th annual event is expected to draw a crowd of 5,000 people who will enjoy free, unlimited slices of watermelon all day long. The roundup also features arts and crafts booths; a classic car show and motorcycle show; 5- and 10-kilometer runs; activities for children, including games, a petting zoo and train rides; and food aplenty.
But this roundup revolves around one delicacy in particular. So as the sweat trickles down your back, think about juicy watermelons chilling in ice-packed tubs. Ahhh. Don’t you feel cooler already? For more information about the roundup, call (806) 592-4594.
HISTORY ON THE BANKS OF THE BIG CYPRESS
Jefferson, on the banks of the Big Cypress Bayou in East Texas, once granted steamboat captain William Perry a parcel of land near the town’s docks. On it, he built a home for his family that today is open as the Excelsior House. But the Excelsior once nearly faded into history.
After Perry died and Big Cypress Bayou was rendered unnavigable, the inn in the heart of the failed inland port changed hands and names several times. By 1961, the building was in such disrepair that it was nearly torn down. But members of the Jessie Allen Wise Garden Club got a loan, bought the property and spent years restoring it.
During the restoration, the hotel continued to accept guests, so today the 15-room inn can truthfully claim to be continuously operated since 1858. Its whitewashed exterior walls and mix of antiques and collectibles harken back to Old South gentility. Garden club members offer afternoon tours of the building, where ghostly encounters have been reported.
—From Historic Hotels of Texas: A Traveler’s Guide, Texas A&M University Press, first edition, 2007
HARNESSING TERMITE POWER
Termites can be incredibly destructive creatures. But the insects—or more precisely, the bacteria in their stomachs—have the potential to benefit humans in the production of biofuels. That’s the aim of research by the Joint Genome Institute at the U.S. Department of Energy.
Termites process the wood they ingest in a series of stomachs, each with a distinct set of bacteria. Those bugs within bugs release enzymes that break down cellulose, the sugar chains in wood, into acetate, a fatty acid that provides the termite’s energy.
Scientists hope to develop a process to harness the power of these bacteria on an industrial scale to break cellulose down into ethanol and provide biofuel without using food crops as a source. The Energy Department plans to invest in six biorefinery projects that could, when completed, turn out more than 130 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol a year.
WHO KNEW?
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department manages 90 recycled oil platforms as artificial reefs at 45 sites ranging from less than 10 miles to more than 100 miles off the Texas coast. Nearly all the reefs are at depths suitable for sports diving.
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