T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R M E M B E R S O F T O U C H S T O N E E N E R G Y C O O P E R AT I V E S
AU G U S T 2014
The world
is our community
Win a flexible,
high-performance,
cordless vacuum!
See Page 5
Boost
your electric
water heater’s
efficiency
Cybersecurity
matters to
everyone on
a power line
Saving energy
can be hard.
Make it easy!
How to Contact Us
WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Letters may be edited for clarity and
length before publication.
E-mail:
[email protected]
Address: Editor, Living with Energy in
Iowa magazine, 8525 Douglas Ave.,
Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992
SUBMITTING A RECIPE
You may submit a recipe to be
considered for publication in an
upcoming issue. Recipes appearing
in the magazine also may be shown
on the Living with Energy in Iowa
website at www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com. Please include your name, address, telephone
number, co-op name and the month’s recipe
category on all submissions.
E-mail: [email protected]
(Attach your recipe as a Word document or a PDF to
your e-mail message, rather than including it in the
body of your message.)
Address: Recipes, Living with Energy in Iowa
magazine, 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines,
IA 50322-2992
CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Every local electric cooperative maintains an
independent mailing list of its members, so please
send your change of address directly to your local
electric cooperative’s office. Living with Energy in Iowa
magazine cannot make an address change for you.
Iowa Association of
Electric Cooperatives
Volume 67 • Issue 8
EDITOR
Robert A. Dickelman
ART DIRECTOR
Joel Clifton
Buck Jones
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS
Ruth Rasmussen Valerie Van Kooten
________________________
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Brian Kading
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marion Denger, Dows – President
Larry Tjaden, Charles City – Vice President
Steve Seidl, Coon Rapids – Secretary-Treasurer
Larry White, Mount Pleasant – Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
Shirley Benson, Remsen
Frank Riley, Osceola
Don Shonka, Independence
________________________
Living with Energy in Iowa magazine (ISSN: 1935-7176) is published
monthly by the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, a not-forprofit organization representing Iowa’s member-owned local electric
cooperatives. Association address: 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des
Moines, IA 50322-2992. The phrase Living with Energy in Iowa is
a mark registered within the state of Iowa to the Iowa Association
of Electric Cooperatives. The magazine does not accept advertising.
Editorial Office: 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992.
Telephone: 515-276-5350. E-mail: [email protected].
Website: www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com. Living with Energy in Iowa
magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited items.
Contents Features
6 The world is our community
The electric cooperative model was so
successful in lifting millions of Americans
out of poverty, it’s now part of our
mission to share that knowledge with
countries that need help.
8
10
Saving energy can be hard.
Make it easy!
With a little savvy shopping,
choosing and using a programmable
thermostat, replacement lightbulbs
and power strips can help cut your
energy bill.
2
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 3 National Perspective
Cybersecurity matters to everyone on a
power line.
14 Saving Energy
Boost your electric water
heater’s efficiency.
5 Editor’s Choice Contest
Win a flexible, high-performance,
cordless vacuum!
15 Out Back
Getting in shape isn’t all it’s
cracked up to be.
Energy-saving tip
of the month
An energy advisor at your
local electric co-op can help
you determine the right
efficiency steps for your home
and budget.
August 2014
10
Favorites
© Copyright 2014, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives. No
portion of the editorial, photographic or other content of Living with
Energy in Iowa magazine or its website may be reproduced without
written permission of the editor.
www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com
6
8 Recipes for canning
and freezing
What are you going to do with all
those goodies from your garden?
PLUS: Receive a $25 credit on your
power bill if we include your fun recipe
for Halloween in an upcoming issue.
Postmaster: Send address changes to Living with Energy in Iowa magazine, 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992. Periodicals Postage Paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and at additional mailing offices.
Have you seen
our new
website?
August 2014
National Perspective
Cybersecurity matters to everyone
on a power line
BY REED KARAIM
The online world can be a dangerous place. One study found that 740
million online records were hacked
last year – and news of huge data
thefts or malicious computer viruses
seem to surface almost weekly.
While it hasn’t received nearly as
much publicity,
cooperatives and
other electric utilities haven’t been
immune from
this assault. Craig
Miller, chief scientist for the National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association (NRECA),
says there have
been thousands
of probes, big and
small, into utility
systems. These
threats to the security and stability
of the nation’s grid are expected to
grow.
But an ambitious effort by the Cooperative Research Network (CRN),
the research and development arm
of NRECA, and several partners is
underway to make sure the systems
delivering your power remain safe
and secure. It’s called Essence, and
through this project researchers
are developing the next generation
of automated cybersecurity for the
industry.
That’s particularly important for
co-op members and other consumers
who count not only on the power being there when they need it, but also
on their electricity provider protecting their privacy. Miller says most
of the attempts to hack into utility
systems have been efforts to grab
personal data or business information. But there also have been more
ominous attacks that should concern
any U.S. citizen.
“There have been attempts on con
trol systems,” says Miller. “They are
much rarer because they require a
much higher level of expertise, and
there’s no potential monetary gain.
But people have done it.”
The assumption, he says, is that
some of these efforts are by “state
actors,” other nations probing for
potential weaknesses in U.S.
systems. Defense
analysts also
believe a cyberattack on the nation’s power grid
could be attractive
to terrorists for its
potential to create
widespread chaos.
The essence of
Essence is to protect Americans
from all these threats. Most computer systems are protected through
firewalls, special software that blocks
suspicious attempts to connect or
upload malicious software. But these
programs largely depend on lists of
known threats that have to be constantly updated.
“One of the challenges is that these
security systems require expert users
who are hyper-diligent about staying
current,” says Miller. “They also have
the potential for human error. This
creates vulnerabilities.”
But Essence changes the balance of
power in this constant battle.
“Instead of monitoring what’s
going in and out of the network, it
monitors the network itself and uses
advanced algorithms (procedures)
to determine what is normal,” says
Maurice Martin, CRN’s project
manager for cyber security. “Essence looks for anomalies – stuff that
shouldn’t be happening – and then
raises a red flag when it sees something that’s amiss.”
This means Essence doesn’t have
to depend on lists of the latest dangers out there – or on humans keeping it up-to-date. It doesn’t need to
know exactly what hackers are up
to because anything that’s not right
with the system will get its attention.
All of these functions are handled by
an unassuming device, small enough
to be held in one hand, that can be
added to a utility system in key spots
to unobtrusively monitor what’s happening on the network.
Essence project managers also have
taken several steps, including using
storage in the cloud and open software standards, to keep costs down
and make sure the system doesn’t require extensive expertise to manage.
“It’s going to bring state-of-the-art
cybersecurity to co-ops of every size,
from the biggest to the smallest,”
says Martin. “The philosophy is no
co-op left behind. Everyone will be
able to use this.”
Essence is being developed
through a $4 million grant awarded
by the U.S. Department of Energy to
research next-generation cybersecurity devices. CRN has partnered with
Carnegie Mellon University, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
and the cyber security firm Cigital
on the project. Several large corporations also are following the effort.
Researchers hope to have the first
version of the Essence device in the
field for tests early next year. If it’s as
successful as expected, commercial
partners will be brought in to produce the product, providing electric
utilities with an affordable, automated cybersecurity system they can
depend on.
Reed Karaim writes on consumer and cooperative
affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the
nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit
electric cooperatives.
August 2014
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
3
Quote of the Month
“Over the last several
decades, energy
efficiency measures
such as home energy
retrofits and rebates
for high-efficiency
appliances have
helped Americans save
billions of dollars by
slashing energy waste.”
This quote is taken from remarks made in
June by Steven Nadel, executive director
of the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy, in response to the
Environmental Protection Agency’s recent
proposal to reduce carbon pollution from
existing power plants. All of Iowa’s electric
cooperatives currently have energy
efficiency programs in place for use by
their member-owners.
If you see
suspicious
activities,
please call. Together, we can cut
down on copper theft and other
crimes that impact utility bills!
Iowa Association of
Electric Cooperatives
4
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA August 2014
Buymanship
It pays to buy new when
shopping for appliances
When a major household appliance
needs replacing, you might be tempted
to save a little money by purchasing
a used or refurbished one. However,
what you save at the checkout counter
often could
end up costing you more
in higher utility bills – not
to mention
potential
repair bills,
since you
won’t have the
warranty coverage of a new
appliance.
Major appliances produced today are more efficient than ever, because manufacturers
continually redesign their appliances
so they consume less electricity and
water. For example, a 20-cubic-foot
refrigerator manufactured in 1991
consumes, on average, more than
857 kilowatt-hours per year, while a
22-cubic foot refrigerator manufactured today might consume only 452
kilowatt-hours per year. That amounts
to more than $50 in electricity savings
per year for a typical household, which
is more than enough to pay back the
cost of the new, larger appliance during its lifetime.
Here’s another example: The average
dishwasher manufactured in 1991 consumes 2.67 kilowatt-hours per cycle,
compared to a new one that consumes
only 1.30 kilowatt-hours per cycle.
This difference will save you about
$53 each year on your electricity bill –
again, more than enough to pay for the
new dishwasher during its service life.
Also remember that some manufacturers and
your electric
cooperative
may offer
rebates on
the purchase
of new Energy Star®
qualified appliances, further reducing
their payback
periods and
increasing
your long-term savings.
On the other hand, efficiency isn’t
the only reason to choose a brandnew appliance over a used one. Take
safety into consideration: When you
buy a secondhand appliance, you may
not know if the previous owner has
properly maintained the appliance,
which contributes greatly to its life
expectancy.
Appliances also are recyclable.
According to the Steel Recycling Institute, 90 percent of major home appliances are recycled, so you can rest
assured knowing that your old energywasting refrigerator isn’t going to rust
away in a landfill – it may have a new
life as part of a car or even a clothes
dryer! Finally, be sure to check into
incentives for properly disposing of
your old appliances.
If you raise your thermostat by only 2 degrees and
use your ceiling fan instead, you can lower cooling
costs by up to 14 percent. Run bedroom fans on cooler,
less-humid summer nights when you even might be
able to open the windows and turn off your central airconditioning to naturally cool your home.
Plus, remember to use your Energy Star® certified vent fans to get rid
of unwanted humid air in your bathroom after a shower and when you’re
cooking in the kitchen.
Editor’s Choice Contest
Safety Matters
Win a flexible, high-performance, Avoid accidents
with your paper
cordless vacuum!
shredder
One of a new range of rechargeable
handheld vacuums from Black+Decker,
this top-of-the-line 20V MAX Flex Vac
with Floor Head offers long-lasting,
fade-free power and consistent
suction. It runs on a 20-volt lithium
ion battery that charges in less
than 4 hours.
The lightweight and compact
Model BDH2020FLFH Flex Vac
comes with a 4-foot extendable
hose for detail work and hardto-reach areas, along with a wand
attachment and swiveling floor head.
Accessories include a rubberized pet
hair attachment, flip-up dusting brush,
crevice tool and charging base with
tool storage.
Suggested retail is about $130, and
the unit carries a 2-year limited warranty. The vac is available now at Amazon.
com, HomeDepot.com, Lowes.com and
WalMart.com. For more details, go to
www.blackanddecker.com.
Visit our website, and win!
We’re going to give a Black+Decker Flex Vac to one lucky reader this month. To enter the contest, please visit the new Living with Energy in Iowa website at www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com
and complete the entry form by Aug. 31, 2014.
You must be a member of one of Iowa’s electric cooperatives to win. There’s no obligation associated with entering, and we don’t share entrant information with anyone. Please enter the contest
only once; multiple entries will be disqualified.
We’ll pick the winner’s name at random and publish it in an upcoming issue. The winner of the
Stanley Cubix Cross Line Laser in the June issue was Richard Schaefer, a member of Prairie Energy
Cooperative.
Check these
tips for shredding
papers at home or
the office – without spilling any
blood:
Read the
instructions.
Get familiar with all the safety
features.
Inspect the shredder. Before
plugging it in, check for damage
and a frayed power cord. Unplug
the machine when not in use.
Find the best location. Keep
your shredder and its power cord
out of day-to-day foot traffic,
and locate the shredder at least 4
inches from the wall for adequate
ventilation.
Watch your body. Avoid letting a necktie, necklace, hair or
anything else dangle low enough
to get caught in the feeding slot.
Keep your fingers clear too.
Feed paper smoothly. Never
force documents or exceed the
shredder’s rated capacity. If the
shredder jams, briefly put it into
reverse. If that doesn’t work or the
motor overheats, shut it off and
unplug the power cord before attempting to clear the jam. Allow
it to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Latch on to preventing window air leaks!
August 2014
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
5
The world is our community
BY ZURAIDAH HOFFMAN
Do you remember what it was
like when the lights were turned on
for the first time in your home? Not
many of us do. In reality, today the
only time we don’t take electricity for
granted is when the lights go out and
we’re left in the dark – and we worry
about food spoiling and how to charge
our electronic devices so we can stay
connected.
On the other hand, millions of people around the world still live without
access to reliable and affordable electricity, very much like our parents or
grandparents did 75 years ago in rural
America. Because the electric cooperative model was so successful in lifting
millions of Americans out of poverty,
it’s part of our co-op mission to share
that wealth of knowledge with communities in countries that need help.
NRECA International, with the assistance of America’s electric co-ops,
provides people in developing countries with access to reliable electricity,
resulting in increased agricultural productivity, new jobs and a better quality
of life.
Volunteers from electric co-ops are
lighting up the world
More than 1,000 electric co-op volunteers across the U.S. – along with
about 5,000 directors, managers, office
staff, engineers and linemen in other
countries – have been trained in es-
tablishing and maintaining electric
cooperatives. A major part of their
mission goes beyond establishing
power in other parts of the world; they
also sustain it by implementing the
cooperative business model.
During 2013, NRECA International
recruited several volunteer linemen
from Arkansas and Alabama to leave
their homes for a few weeks to travel to
Guatemala. Several groups were sent
over a span of 18 months, and while
they were there, big things happened
in eight small Guatemalan villages.
After years of waiting, lightbulbs illuminated homes and schools for more
than a thousand villagers, and the
promise of a better life came into sight.
For the first time, their world became
brighter and bigger.
NRECA International has created
strong and permanent relationships
between local utilities in Guatemala
and our member co-ops. It started
with a grant from the U.S. government
to establish the Electricity for Progress
Trust Fund. Since its creation in 2000,
the trust fund has distributed 100
loans totaling more than $5 million
to finance investments in grid-based
and off-grid projects throughout rural
areas of Guatemala. Over the years,
many electric co-op volunteers have
traveled to Guatemala – often leaving
their country for the first time – to
light up homes and lives.
Earlier this year, in the southern
part of sun-drenched Haiti, NRECA
To see the video of electric co-ops working in Guatemala, go to www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com.
6
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA August 2014
International staffers counted ballots
for a new electric co-op’s first general
assembly, where members chose their
first board of directors. In northern
Haiti, Daniel Sanders, a former MidSouth Synergy co-op lineman from
Navasota, Tex., fulfilled one of his biggest dreams. He learned a few years
ago how putting a single streetlight in
the middle of nowhere can give people
hope, and now he works for NRECA
International helping build distribution grids in Haiti.
And in South Sudan, Randy Erickson, chief mechanic for Kodiak
Electric Association in Kodiak, Alaska,
found himself sitting under the hot
sun with a crippled Sudanese boy,
humming church hymns during a
Sunday service. He saw firsthand how
helping these communities get access
to electricity can make a big difference
in the lives of people like that little boy.
Cooperatives are sharing their vast knowledge
Making stories like these happen is
routine work for the NRECA International staff. Its mission began 50 years
ago when President John F. Kennedy
witnessed the signing of a cooperative agreement between NRECA and
the U.S. Agency for International
Development.
The original purpose was – and continues to be – to share with developing
countries around the world the lessons
electric co-ops learned in electrifying
rural America. Since then, NRECA
International and many electric co-ops
have shared the successes and expertise of the cooperative business model
with developing countries.
Much of it started in the Philippines,
more than 40 years ago, when NRECA
International helped the Philippines’
National Electrification Administration establish electric cooperatives.
Since then, 119 electric co-ops have
been established, providing electricity
to more than 80 percent of the rural
population in the country.
NRECA’s relationship with the
Philippines remains strong. This was
evident when the strongest typhoon
ever to hit the planet landed on the
shores of this archipelago November
2013. Hours after the disaster, NRECA
International launched a fundraising
campaign to restore power in the affected areas. In 3 months, funds raised
by U.S. electric co-ops and individual
donors totaling $100,000 were presented to 11 electric cooperatives devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.
In 1977, another relationship began,
in Asia. NRECA International helped
Bangladesh’s Rural Electrification
Board build what many now regard as
the developing world’s most successful
rural electrification program. Today,
70 electric cooperatives provide electricity to approximately 48,700 rural
villages, helping more than 45 million
people improve their quality of life.
During 2010 in Haiti, NRECA In-
ternational’s volunteers were the first
in the power sector to respond to the
country’s devastating 2010 earthquake.
They supported relief efforts, connected hospitals and health clinics
and helped begin the longer process of
reconstructing the Haitian grid and its
outlying power systems. The work in
Haiti continues today in different regions of the country, bringing reliable
and affordable electricity to various
communities.
To this date, NRECA International
has benefited more than 100 million
people in 42 countries. To learn more
about the work of the organization,
visit http://www.nreca.coop/what-wedo/international-programs/.
Zuraidah Hoffman is the communications manager
for NRECA International and writes on international
affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association (NRECA).
August 2014
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
7
Green Tomato Relish
1
8
5
4
2
2
3
1
61/2 1
peck (21/2 gal.) green tomatoes
large onions
red bell peppers
green bell peppers
tablespoons mustard seed
tablespoons celery seed
tablespoons salt
tablespoon dry mustard
cups sugar
quart vinegar
Grind the tomatoes, onions and bell peppers.
Drain. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour
into sterilized jars. Top with lids and rings and
process in hot water bath for 20-30 minutes.
Charlene High ∙ Cantril
Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative, Inc.
Freezer Corn
Zucchini Salsa
TIP
UNDER
PRESSURE
Low-acid
foods such as
vegetables,
soups, stews,
stocks, meats,
poultry and
seafood
are easy to
preserve, but
they need
to be heatprocessed at
a temperature
of 240°F.
Pressure
canning is
the only safe
process to
use.
8
10 3
4
5
1
1/2 1
2
1
2
5
1
1
1
2
1
1
cups grated zucchini
cups chopped onion
cups chopped green bell peppers
tablespoons canning salt
teaspoon garlic powder
cup brown sugar
teaspoon cumin
teaspoons dry mustard
teaspoon paprika
chopped jalapeno peppers
cups peeled and chopped tomatoes
teaspoon black pepper
tablespoon cayenne pepper
teaspoon turmeric
cups vinegar
can Mexican tomatoes
12-ounce can tomato sauce
20 1
1/4 5
cups corn, cut from cob
cup sugar
cup salt
cups ice water
Mix all ingredients together and place into freezer
containers.
Joan Colbert ∙ Sigourney ∙ T.I.P. REC
Sweet Pickle Relish
7
4
3
2
2
5
1
3
1
cups ground cucumbers, unpeeled
cups ground onions
green bell peppers, ground
grated carrots
tablespoons salt
cups sugar
teaspoon celery seed
cups vinegar
tablespoon mustard seeds
Combine the first 4 ingredients together in a large
bowl and let sit overnight. Drain and rinse in a
colander and place in large cooking pot. Add the
remaining ingredients and boil for 30 minutes. Put
salsa into sterilized jars and seal. Process in a hot
water bath for 20 minutes.
Mix ground cucumbers, onions, peppers and carrots
together in a large mixing bowl. Add salt and let
stand for 3 hours. Drain. Then bring remaining
ingredients to a boil. Add ground ingredients and
boil for 20 minutes. Pour into sterilized pint jars,
scraping sides with a knife to remove bubbles. Wipe
mouths of jars, put on lids and place in a hot water
bath. Process jars for 20 minutes.
Marvea Smidt ∙ Britt ∙ Prairie Energy Cooperative
Melinda Vanness ∙ Latimer ∙ Franklin REC
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA August 2014
Creamy Tomato Soup Apple Pie Filling
6
1
1/2 1/2 1
1/2 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (or 3 15-ounce cans)
cup chicken broth
cup cream, milk or evaporated milk
teaspoon baking soda
packet sugar substitute
teaspoon salt
teaspoon black pepper
Simmer tomatoes and broth for 15 minutes. Stir
in milk, soda, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well and
simmer until hot. Pour into blender jar and blend
until smooth and creamy. Allow soup to cool and
place in freezer containers. Recipe serves 2-3 and
may be doubled or tripled.
Gretchen Northrup ∙ Kelley ∙ Consumers Energy
Hot Jam
11/2 cups fruit of your choice
4 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely
chopped
11/2 cups cider vinegar
6 cups sugar
1 box Certo
Mash fruit with finely chopped peppers and
vinegar. Add sugar and bring to a boil. Turn off
burner and add Certo. Mix well and let stand
for 5 minutes. Hot pack into sterilized jars and
process in hot water bath for 10 minutes. Good
on crackers, brushed on ham or meat cooked on a
grill.
Donna Willems ∙ Cushing ∙ North West REC
Canned Dry Beans
Dried pinto beans (or preferred kind)
Boiling water
Salt
41/2 1
1
2
10 3
2
6
cups sugar
cup cornstarch
teaspoon cinnamon
teaspoons salt
cups water
tablespoons lemon juice
drops yellow food coloring
pounds tart apples – peeled, cored and sliced
In a large kettle, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon
and salt. Add water and bring to a boil, stirring
constantly until thick. Remove from heat, and add
lemon juice and food coloring. Sterilize quart jars
and pack with apples, leaving 1/2 inch headroom.
Fill jars with hot syrup; use a table knife to gently
remove air bubbles. Clean tops of jars, add lids
and rings and process in water bath canner for 25
minutes after water begins to boil. One quart will
fill a 9-inch piecrust.
Judy Hill ∙ Exira ∙ Guthrie County REC
FREEZING
IDEAS
Leave an inch
or two of
headroom in
a container
of food to
be frozen.
Cool hot
food before
freezing, and
then freeze it
immediately.
TIP
READY TO
START?
Keep canning
jars hot until
you’re ready to
use them.
WANTED:
Fun recipes for
Halloween
THE REWARD: $25 for every
one we publish!
What ghostly treats or spooky foods would you
serve at a Halloween party? If we run your recipe in
the magazine, we’ll send a $25 credit for your electric
co-op to apply to your power bill. Recipes appearing
in the magazine also may be shown on our website at
www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com.
The deadline is Aug. 31, 2014. Please include your
name, address, telephone number, co-op name and
the recipe category on all submissions.
E-mail: [email protected] (Attach your recipe as a Word document or PDF
to your e-mail message, rather than including it
in the body of your message.)
Mail: Living with Energy in Iowa magazine,
8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA
50322-2992.
Place 1 cup dried beans into sterilized quart jars.
Fill with boiling water to 1 inch from the top of jar.
Add 1 teaspoon salt to each jar. Place lids and rings
on each jar and process in pressure canner at 12-15
pounds for 90 minutes. Good for chili, soup or any
recipe that calls for beans.
Marlene Zimmerman ∙ Milton
Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative, Inc.
TIP
August 2014
TIP
WHAT A
DIP!
Substitute
yogurt for sour
cream and
reduce the
calories in dips.
TIP
HOT
BATH
Use the
hot-water
bath method
for highacid foods,
including
salsas,
tomatoes,
fruits, fruit
juices, jams,
jellies and
other fruit
spreads.
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
9
Saving energy can be hard.
Make it easy!
Sometimes, the simplest solutions – like a programmable thermostat,
replacement lightbulbs and power
strips – are the hardest ones to figure
out. But with a little research, some
savvy shopping and careful integration into your daily life, these energy
savers could pay for themselves several times.
Shopping for a programmable
thermostat?
There are plenty of brands and
styles on the shelves at hardware
stores, home centers and big-box retailers – but one thing you won’t find
today is a programmable thermostat
that carries the Energy Star® label.
The organization dropped the label
from these products in 2009. Why?
Programmable thermostats potentially can save you up to $180 a
year on heating and cooling costs
according to Energy Star, but many
folks miss out on the savings by incorrectly setting up their new thermostats – or just using them like a
conventional, old-style thermostat.
“Most people failed to use the programmable capabilities,” says Brian
Sloboda, a program manager specializing in energy efficiency for the
Cooperative Research Network, the
research and development arm of the
National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association. This led to poor ratings
on consumer surveys, which resulted
in the loss of the Energy Star seal for
most programmable thermostats.
Today, smart thermostats are an
easier-to-use, but often more expensive, alternative. They come with
electronics that help do the work of
detecting and setting the temperature in your home.
“Sensors will start to turn the
thermostat up or down, depending
on the season,” Sloboda says. Within
a few days of installing the device,
the system will begin to learn your
schedule, automatically dialing your
thermostat back when you’re not
home.
The addition of smart phone and
Prices are coming down fast for
LEDs to use all around your home.
Consider this pair of energy savers
from Cree now available at The
Home Depot for around $20 each
(from left): A 65-watt equivalent
soft white BR30 flood and a
iPad apps help make temperature
control easy, he adds. “Using an app
interface should be more intuitive
than the old-fashioned programmable thermostat.”
Photos: Lowe’s (www.lowes.com), Nest (www.nest.com)
You don’t have to spend a lot to
achieve significant savings on
your heating and cooling bills. This
Honeywell 5-2 Day Programmable
Thermostat (left) costs less than
$25 at Lowe’s, and it offers separate
programs for weekdays and the
weekend, with four program periods
10
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA August 2014
per day. On the other hand, the $249
Nest Learning Thermostat (right)
remembers what temperatures you
like, turns itself down when there’s
nobody home and can be controlled
anywhere in the world from your
smartphone, tablet or computer
through your home’s Wi-Fi connection.
Residential lighting: Pay now,
save later
By now you know that Thomas
Edison’s incandescent lightbulb has
dimmed. January 2014 marked the
end of production for this style of
bulb, under a federal provision to
phase out and replace it with more
energy-efficient options. Currently,
there are three choices: halogenincandescents, CFLs and LEDs.
LEDs are getting the most attention now in the marketplace, and
their prices have dropped significantly during the last couple of years.
Lighting experts recommend sticking with brands you know and trust.
GE, Sylvania and Philips have been
longtime consumer lighting choices,
but Sloboda says don’t overlook the
lesser-known Cree lighting products.
A single energy-smart CFL
or LED lightbulb should
outlast a bagful of traditional
incandescant bulbs.
Photos: Cree, Inc. (www.creebulb.com)
30/60/100-watt equivalent soft
white A21 3-way. Both are designed
to consume up to 90 percent
less energy than a comparable
incandescent lightbulb and last
for more than 22 years, based on
3 hours of use a day.
Smart power strips can unplug
electronics for you
They’re usually trapped under a
desk or behind a TV, but traditional
power strips work hard to affordably expand the number of electrical
outlets in your home. Unfortunately,
their convenience can encourage you
to leave electronics plugged in all the
time – and many devices keep drawing power even when you’re not using them. This phantom or vampire
power drain wastes electricity and
can be costly.
Continually unplugging household
appliances and gadgets is one solution, but it’s not the best option for
saving money, power or your time.
Smart power strips can help. They’re
color coded and designed to reduce
usage by shutting down power to
products that go into standby mode.
Most feature multiple outlet colors, each with a unique task. The
blue outlet serves as a control plug,
and is ideal for a heavily used device
such as a TV or computer. Anything
plugged into red outlets stays on,
making it perfect for satellite boxes
or other appliances that need constant power. The remaining outlets
are sensitive to current flowing
through the blue outlet, so turning
off the TV or computer cuts power to
them as well.
B. Denise Hawkins contributed to this article. She
writes on energy efficiency issues for the National
Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Photos: Tripp Lite (www.tripplite.com)
When you go shopping, spend a
little time reading the Lighting Facts
label on the packaging for the LEDs.
It will come in handy when you
want to narrow your lighting choice
by light output, which is measured
in lumens; choose the most lumens
per number of watts. For example,
an LED lightbulb that’s equivalent
to a traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb may be rated at 800 lumens and 12 watts.
Also consider color temperature,
which gives your bulbs a warm, soft
white tone (which many people prefer for living and sleeping areas) or a
cooler, daylight look for bathrooms,
kitchens and work areas. A warm
white bulb will have a yellowish tint
and a color temperature of 2700K,
while a daylight bulb will be at the
other end of the color scale (blue) at
5000K. You also may see daylightlabeled bulbs that fall in between, at
around 3500K. Try a couple of different LEDs to determine which you
like best.
As with thermostats, smart devices
also have arrived in the lightbulb
aisle. Manufacturers such as Philips
are among the companies manufacturing LEDs you can control from
your cell phone, changing brightness
and color to suit your mood.
“Today’s lighting is really starting
to become part of a home’s entertainment system,” says Sloboda. “You can
do things like create a party mode, a
romantic mode, a reading mode or a
mode for watching TV – all with the
flip of a switch.”
A simple, inexpensive power strip such
as the $12 Tripp Lite PS410 (left) can
help you reduce the power use of the
devices plugged into it, but only if you
remember to turn off the power switch
on the strip. For about $55, you can get
a smart power strip like the Tripp Lite
AV88SATG (right) that automatically
cuts power to devices only needing
to be powered up when the main
device is being used. This unit also
includes sliding child-safety covers on
the outlets and AC surge suppression
for the outlets, coaxial cables and
telephone/network data lines, making
it a good choice for a home office.
August 2014
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
11
Product Recalls
Air-conditioning systems pose a shock hazard
In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Trane
U.S. Inc. has recalled 37 models of the
air-conditioning unit shown here; follow
the instructions below to receive a free
inspection and repair. To report a problem with another product you believe is
unsafe, go to www.saferproducts.gov.
For details on recalls in any product category, go to the CPSC website at www.
cpsc.gov or call the agency’s Hotline at
800-638-2772 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Central Time. Note that it is illegal to resell
or attempt to resell a recalled consumer
product.
Trane XB300/American Standard
Silver SI Air Conditioning Systems
UNITS: About 100,600
MANUFACTURER: Trane U.S. Inc., of Tyler,
Tex.
HAZARD: The ground screws used in
some units don’t have the two threads
required to provide sufficient grounding,
posing a shock hazard to consumers.
INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None have been
reported.
DESCRIPTION: This recall involves 37 models of Trane XB300 and American Standard brand Silver SI split-system outdoor
cooling units. The units are gray and have
a black grated front. They were sold in
two sizes: 25.5 inches deep x 23.5 inches
wide x 28.83 inches tall and 28.83 inches
deep x 28.48 inches wide x 29.28 inches
tall. The Trane or American Standard logo
is affixed to the front and model numbers are printed on the silver nameplate
on the back of the unit.
The following models are included in
the recall. Note that the 15th digit varies
on the actual model numbers and is
not indicated on this list.
2TTM3018A1000A*
2TTM3024A1000A*
2TTM3030A1000A*
2TTM3036A1000A*
2TTM3042A1000A*
2TTM3048A1000A*
2TTM3060A1000A*
4A7M3018A1000A*
4A7M3024A1000A*
4A7M3030A1000A*
4A7M3036A1000A*
4A7M3042A1000A*
4A7M3048A1000A*
4A7M3060A1000A*
4TTM3018A1000A*
4TTM3018A1000B*
4TTM3018A1000C*
4TTM3024A1000A*
4TTM3024A1000B*
4TTM3024A1000C*
4TTM3024B1000A*
4TTM3030A1000A*
4TTM3030A1000B*
4TTM3030A1000C*
4TTM3030B1000A*
4TTM3036A1000A*
4TTM3036A1000B*
4TTM3036A1000C*
4TTM3042A1000A*
4TTM3042A1000B*
4TTM3042A1000C*
4TTM3048A1000A*
4TTM3048A1000B*
4TTM3048A1000C*
4TTM3060A1000A*
4TTM3060A1000B*
4TTM3060A1000C*
SOLD THROUGH: Trane and American
Standard independent distributors and
dealers nationwide from February 2010
to March 2014 for $890-$1,000
MANUFACTURED IN: Mexico
REMEDY: Immediately turn off the cooling unit via the main breaker switch,
and check the model information. If you
have a recalled air-conditioning system,
contact Trane or your installer or service
dealer for instructions on scheduling a
free inspection and repair.
CONSUMER CONTACT: Call Trane toll-free
at 888-731-7561 from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Central Time Monday through Saturday,
or 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. For more
information on a Trane unit, go online to
www.trane.com/residential; for an American Standard unit, log on to www.americanstandardair.com/residential. In both
cases, click on “XB300 Product Recall.”
These recalls may
interest you too
For more details on these product recalls, enter the Recall Number
in the Search Box at the top of
CPSC’s Home Page: www.cpsc.gov.
Personal Emergency Reporting System (PERS)
Transmitters
MANUFACTURER: Linear
LLC
HAZARD: Battery and
transmitter failure
RECALL NUMBER: 14-212
Sony VAIO Flip PC Laptop
Computers
MANUFACTURER: Sony Electronics
Inc.
HAZARD: Fire and burn
RECALL NUMBER: 14-220
ProLED Bulbs
MANUFACTURER:
Halco Lighting
Technologies LLC
HAZARD: 14 models
overheat and fall
RECALL NUMBER: 14-231
12
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA August 2014
15-Minute Energy Saver
Get to the bottom of pesky
door air leaks
You can’t always see them, but you
sure can feel them on a windy day:
air leaks between the bottom of an
exterior door and the doorjamb. If your
doorjamb is adjustable, getting rid of
the leaks will take just a few minutes.
To eliminate the air gap, turn the
adjusting screws on the doorjamb left
(counterclockwise) to loosen them.
This should cause the movable section of the doorjamb to move up. If the
doorjamb won’t budge when you turn
the screws, use a thin-bladed metal
putty knife to gently pry the adjustable
center section loose.
Make your adjustments from the
hinge side of the door, slowly closing
the door as you move from one adjusting screw to the next. As you go, you
should feel a little friction between
the door-bottom weather strip and
the doorjamb, but be sure to check for
air leaks with a dollar bill when you’re
finished.
If the finish has worn off the doorjamb, it can absorb moisture and swell
or crack – so reseal it with a high-quality wood stain. If the entire doorjamb is
rotted, cracked or otherwise damaged
and beyond refinishing or repair, call a
pro for help.
Of course, it’s possible that even if
the doorjamb is perfectly adjusted you
still may feel an air leak near the bottom of the door. The likely culprit is the
gap where the doorjamb or the trim
along the bottom of the doorframe
meets the floor. If so, permanently seal
the air space with an interior-grade,
clear-drying caulk for hardwood or
tile floors and trim with natural wood
finishes – or use paintable caulk for
painted trim and carpeted floors.
When you apply the caulk, hold the
caulking gun at a consistent 45-degree
angle. Caulk in a straight, continuous stream, avoiding stops and starts.
Release the trigger on the caulking gun
before pulling it away from the crack
to prevent applying too much caulk. (A
caulking gun with an automatic release
makes this much easier.)
HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT
STRAY VOLTAGE?
Close the door on a dollar bill. If you
easily can pull it out, you’ll need
to adjust the doorjamb to fit more
tightly against the weather strip on
the bottom of the door.
Before applying caulk, make sure the
area is clean, so the caulk will stick –
and dry, so you won’t seal in moisture
and cause structural problems.
Finally, make sure the caulk sticks to
both sides of the crack or seam. Don’t
skimp. If the caulk shrinks, reapply it to
form a smooth bead that completely
seals the crack.
The Iowa Stray Voltage Guide
outlines the steps farmers, electricians,
utilities and their advisors can take to
discover and resolve stray voltage
concerns on livestock farms.
Information includes:
Common Causes of Stray Voltage
Ways to Avoid On-Farm Stray Voltage
Farm Wiring Checklist
Proper Testing and Installation
Procedures
Utility Contacts
Frequently
Asked
Questions
Download a FREE Iowa Stray Voltage Guide at www.iowastrayvoltageguide.com.
August 2014
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
13
Saving Energy
Boost your electric water heater’s efficiency
BY JAMES DULLEY
An electric water heater is a very
simple device – a big, insulated tank
of water with upper and lower resistance heating elements. The lower
element is the main one used. When
most of the hot water has been consumed, the lower one goes off. The
upper one then comes on to supply
hot water more quickly, since the water is drawn from the tank top.
Even if you don’t use any hot water, the lower element will cycle on at
times to make up the heat lost through
the tank’s walls (called standby loss).
Heat also can be lost through the
tank’s inlet and outlet piping, especially if the tank doesn’t have heat
traps. In addition, an older water
heater likely just has a couple of inches
of fiberglass insulation between the
glass-lined metal tank and the unit’s
external skin.
Drain a little water
At least once a year, drain a gallon
of water from the drain valve at the
bottom of the tank. This will flush out
the sediment that collects there and
insulates the water from the heating
element. This is more important to
do with a gas or propane water heater,
but it also helps on an electric one.
14
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA August 2014
Install a timer
Installing a water heater timer can
be effective if your work schedule
means you typically don’t use hot
water during a regular, long time period. The timer will keep the heating
elements from coming on, but the
temperature shouldn’t drop much on
a well-insulated tank. As an alternative, check with your local electric
cooperative to see if it offers a loadmanagement program to control your
water heater.
Have a question? Send inquiries to James Dulley, Living with Energy in Iowa magazine, 6906 Royalgreen
Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 – or visit www.dulley.com.
Which one of these new water
heaters is the best deal?
If you end up decid$1,110
$464
$248
ing to get a new tankstyle electric water heater, compare the lifetime
costs and warranties of
several units. You may
find that spending more
now will pay off in lower
overall energy costs that
more than offset your
initial investment. Also
be sure to contact your
electric cooperative about any incentives or rebates that may be available.
For example, consider these Whirlpool electric water heaters for a family of
four that are available from Lowe’s:
A basic 50-gallon unit (left) only will cost you about $248 to buy, but it has a
6-year warranty, no electronic controls and an estimated yearly energy cost
of $585.
The Energy Smart water heater (center) is priced at $464, has a 12-year
warranty, electronic controls that react to your family’s hot-water usage
patterns to reduce standby heat losses and a vacation mode. It has an estimated yearly energy cost of $567.
The most expensive unit at about $1,110, the programmable hybrid water
heater (right) incorporates a heat pump with backup elements and has a
10-year warranty. It’s Energy Star® qualified, is three times more efficient
than the other units shown here and has an estimated yearly energy cost of
$192.
If you add the initial purchase price for each unit to its estimated yearly energy
cost for 10 years, the hybrid water heater is by far the most economical choice.
Photos: Whirlpool
Insulate the water tank
Place the back of your hand against
the water heater tank near the top or
on the top. If it feels warm, it’s losing
heat, and adding an insulation wrap
kit will be effective in reducing standby losses and saving money.
If you have some old fiberglass wall
insulation, just wrap it around the
tank with the vapor barrier facing
to the outside. You also can buy a kit
from a home improvement store for
roughly $20; get one with an insulating value of at least R-10.
Before you install any insulation,
check the owner’s guide or the manufacturer’s website to make sure the
company doesn’t prohibit adding additional insulation to the tank. Doing
so may void the appliance’s warranty.
Manage the water temperature
Check the temperature of the hot
water at a faucet where you use the
most hot water; it should be no higher
than 120 degrees. If you keep the water
so hot that you have to mix in much
cold water to tolerate the temperature,
it’s too hot! Be sure to turn off electricity to the water heater before making
any adjustments.
Next, feel the temperature of the hotwater outlet and cold-water inlet pipes.
If they’re fairly warm, it means hot
water is naturally circulating upward
and cooling off. Put tubular foam insulation on the first 2-3 feet of the inlet
and outlet pipes to minimize heat loss.
Out Back
Getting in shape isn’t all
it’s cracked up to be
Somewhere in my past studies, I
had to read portions of “Dante’s Inferno.” Dante Alighieri, a medieval
Italian author, portrays hell as having
nine circles, each one more terrible
than the last.
I’ve got news for old Dante. I’ve
found the 10th circle, and it’s called
Getting In Shape. (Yes, in capital
letters.)
It started cheerfully enough. Our
son called one day and said he was
doing something called a fitness challenge at a local gym, and he wondered
if my husband, Kent, and I would do
it as well. Since we wanted to support
our son – not to mention that we each
needed to shed a few pounds and Get
In Shape anyway – we agreed. How
bad could it be? Both of us had grown
up on farms and were no strangers to
hard, physical work. I’d played sports
and undergone the rigors of training
for those. We could handle an 8-week
fitness challenge.
Doubts began to stir at the introductory meeting. The first real concern came with the meeting time:
5-6 a.m., 5 days a week. Could we
really get up at the barbaric hour
of 4:30 a.m., drive 2 miles to a class
and work out? Could we adhere to
a high-protein, low-carbohydrate
diet, eschewing caffeine and sugar
and alcohol and anything else that
makes life worth living? We looked
around at the folks surrounding us.
They seemed of the same ilk as us –
middle-aged and carrying a few more
pounds than necessary. If they could
do it, we could do it.
The first morning session was
the wakeup call, both literally and
figuratively. We stumbled into the
gym with 13 others, and I instantly
saw that Getting In Shape was go
ing to necessitate a new wardrobe.
The women wore spandex and sports
tanks and shoes with big-name logos
on them. They looked thinner and in
better shape than at the first meeting.
I stood there in a paint-stained church
youth group T-shirt and some ratty
sweatpants, instantly regretting the fettuccine I’d eaten the night before.
After the first two days – followed by
nights of dropping into bed at 9 p.m. – I
was pretty sure this was not my cup of
decaffeinated, herbal tea. I was so sore
I could hardly walk, and going down
steps was agony. I had to admit it: I was
never going to have Michelle Obamalike arms. I was not cut out to wear
slinky workout clothes.
Only two things kept me going. First
was the fact that I didn’t want to look
like a weenie in front of my family, all of
whom I had told triumphantly – and
a little smugly – that I was Getting
In Shape. Second was the reality that
I’d paid money to Get In Shape – a
lot of money. Money I wouldn’t get
back.
We persevered. The mornings
came easier the next few weeks. We
started feeling better cutting sugar
out of our diets. Our waists were
getting trimmer. Our clothes were
fitting better. We finally made it.
And the best part? I bought a pair
of really great Getting In Shape
shoes. You know, the kind with the
big-name logo on them.
Valerie Van Kooten is a writer and editor who grew
up on a farm west of Pella and loves telling stories
about family life in the country. She’s married and
has three sons – two of whom are out of the nest.
August 2014
LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA
15
ELECTRICITY PUTS BREAD ON YOUR TABLE.
AND KEEPS IT IN YOUR WALLET.
LOAF OF BREAD
1936............................
8¢
2013............................ $1.41
INCREASE.....................
18X
ELECTRICITY
1936............................
2013............................
5¢
11¢
INCREASE.....................
2X
BASED ON AVERAGE COST PER KILOWATT HOUR
Affordable, reliable electricity. It’s the best thing since…well,
since we first supplied it over 75 years ago. We’ve been feeding
you both ever since. Learn more about the power of your co-op
membership at TogetherWeSave.com.