from the
December 2006
YOU ARE INVITED
Celebrate
& Meet TEC’s new Executive Director
Join TEC as we celebrate
another year of creating and initiating positive changes to the health and
environment of
SAVE THE DATE
2007 Green Tie Affair
Saturday, March 31 at the Cannery Ballroom
Issues and
Other Important news:
Severe permit violations discovered along Grassy
Branch Creek
Spring Hill is the
second fastest growing city in the state of
Once again, a
EVENTS:
Volunteers needed for
Help WPLN on December 10th
from 6:00 to 9:30 p.m. TEC volunteers will be working the phones to help raise
money. This is a great opportunity for TEC to be visible in the community and
our Executive Director will be interviewed live during the program. Dinner will
be provided. To sign up, please contact Ellen at 248-6500.
Join TSRA's Duck River Opportunities Project and TEC as we work
to reforest the stream side along McCutcheon Creek in
Take Action:
Join TEC
Today
Call
Ellen at 615-248-6500 to get your membership packet or check us out on the web
at http://www.tectn.org.
Save Hundreds
on Your Heating Bill
BARRING AN UNFORSEEN
MIRACLE, this year's
home-heating bills will likely be a lot higher than last year's — which were a
lot higher than the year before. With a few simple steps, you could slice
hundreds off your annual energy tab.
1. Schedule a Check-Up
Regardless of the type of
heating system you have, it needs an annual check-up by a professional. A small
fee upfront will help avoid bigger costs down the line. And annual checkups are
also an important safety precaution. Download A Guide to Energy Efficient
Cooling and Heating at http://www.energystar.gov/
2. Buy a Programmable Thermostat
After a cold commute, you like to open your door to a toasty home. And you hate
waking up in a cold bedroom. Installing
a programmable thermostat shouldn't set you back more than $150 — and you can
quickly recoup your costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can
slash your heating and cooling bills by 10% annually just by turning your
thermostat back 10% to 15% for eight hours a day.
3. Plug Up Leaks
Imagine a water balloon with lots of little pinholes in it. Sure, the holes are
small, but that doesn't mean the balloon isn't losing water. So how do you know you've got problems? Some
you can obviously feel. For smaller ones, a simple test suggested by the
Department of Energy is to light an incense stick and hold it up near the
locations mentioned earlier. If the smoke goes horizontal, you've found a leak.
The good news? Plugging up these leaks with caulk or weather stripping
(whichever is appropriate) is easy and inexpensive, and you'll start saving
immediately.
4. Add Insulation
Many homes — particularly those that are more than 20 years old — lose lots of
heat because of poor insulation, according to the DOE. And because heat rises,
the No. 1 problem area is your attic.
Just how much insulation is recommended for each part of your home
depends on your climate and your home's design. Insulation is measured in an
"r-value” and any home improvement center can answer your questions.
5.
Upgrade Your Appliances
If you have home-heating
appliances that date back to the Reagan administration or earlier, it could be
time to think about an upgrade. Replacing an outdated model with one that has
earned the Energy Star label (Energy Star is a joint program run by the
Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy) could cut your
home-heating costs significantly.
Typically you'll pay a bit more for a product with the Energy Star
label. But consider this: Starting in 2006, you could be eligible for a tax
credit based on your energy-efficient purchase. These new tax breaks are
confusing, so if you're banking on earning one, you should run it by your
accountant beforehand.
Have a Safe and
Joyful
a Happy, Healthy 2007.
The