Walkers take on the cold for heating bills

Walkers take on the cold for heating bills:

"OTTAWA COUNTY -- Erin Kauth and her staff at the Ottawa County Community Action Agency are seeing more people than ever this winter, asking for help to pay their home heating bills.
'And, at the same time, the amount of funding we're getting from the state and federal government is declining,' Kauth said.
That is the reason walkers in Holland, Grand Rapids and Muskegon turned out Saturday for the annual West Michigan Walk for Warmth. "

About 100 walkers participated in a 3-mile trek between Hope College and Kollen Park, which raised about $6,300 for the agency's heating assistance programs.

The Muskegon walk -- at The Lakes Mall -- raised $1,300, while figures from the Grand Rapids walk were unavailable Saturday.

A combination of colder weather and higher prices for heating oil and natural gas has put many area families in a tight spot this winter, Kauth said. Her agency has seen a 35 percent increase in requests for heating assistance, while its funding sources have been cut by 40 percent.

She said most of those increases were coming from people who lost jobs in the past year, and were either unemployed or working for considerably less than what they were making in their previous job.

"They've never been in this situation before," Kauth added.

Because of the increased demand for assistance, the agency was forced to make changes in its program this year. Instead of providing assistance to a family once a year, it now helps a family once every two years to make the funds last, program assistant Susan Cervantes said.

Between 500 and 700 Kent County families will have gone without heat at some point by winter's end, said Karen Tolan, associate director of the Area Community Service Employment and Training Council.

By walkers collecting pledges, organizers of the Grand Rapids walk hoped to raise about $20,000, or enough to help about 150 families.

"When utility costs go up, people on fixed incomes begin spending a larger proportion of their resources on them, and it becomes a balancing act of robbing Peter to pay Paul," Tolan said.

She said she expected the need in Kent County this winter to outpace resources by about $200,000.

"We're really not sure how it's going to shake out, but we thought it would catch up to us before now."

About 30 students from the Kappa Delta Chi sorority at Hope, most of them in matching maroon sweatshirts with the sorority's name and logo, took part in the Holland walk as part of their community service.

"It's sort of a tradition. We do this every year," said sorority president Stephanie Ross, a senior from suburban Chicago.

Being energy efficient saves money and the environment

Being energy efficient saves money and the environment

Making your home more energy efficient will expend less of the earth's fossil fuel whether you use oil, gas or electricity. Our planet is covered by a blanket of gases that behave as a giant greenhouse to keep us warm. Our continuous use of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, increases the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in our atmosphere causing further warming and alters world weather patterns. Conserving energy in our homes, cars and businesses is the most important action we can take to stop climate change.

Here are ways to save energy and reduce pollution:

1. Stop Air Leaks. About 44 percent of the energy used in our homes is for heating and cooling. Most of the heat and cooling lost is from air leaks. Make sure you seal the biggest causes of air leaks which are from attic doors, whole house fans, holes in the floor and ceiling for plumbing and wiring, electrical coverplates and gaps in the wall. Check for duct leaks by using a smoke pencil or incense. Seal leaks with approved duct tape. Caulk or expanding foam should be used to stop air leaks between the house and attic.

2. Insulate Your Home. You can decrease energy waste and lower your utility bill by insulating the ceilings, walls, attic and floors of your home. Insulation is discussed in terms of R-values. High R-values provide better insulation. The Department of Energy recommends the following optimal R-values for Connecticut: Attic -R49, Walls - R18, Floors- R25. Also, blow insulation into outside wall cavities and insulate hot and cold water pipes in the crawl space and all ducts in unheated areas. Place a plastic cover over bare earth underneath your home to decrease moisture in the crawl space. Go to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website, www. eere.energy.gov, to learn more about insulation.

3. Cut Hot Water Bills. Wrap insulation around the water heater and insulate all hot water pipes and cold water pipes near the tank. For safety, only use insulation designed for wrapping around hot items. Use low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators which provide a forceful spray at the same time wasting less water. Set the water heater at no more than 120 to 140 degrees.

4. Improve Window and Door Efficiency. Stop air leaks around windows and doors by caulking the trim to the wall. Put weather stripping on edges of windows and doors. Storm windows can be used to decrease heat loss but they are not recommended for doors.

5. Saving Air Condition Costs. Trees, especially deciduous trees, can keep your home and air condition unit in the shade and save on air condition costs. A trellis, awning or sunscreens can also keep the house cooler. Closing curtains and shades in the summer will also keep the house cooler. Trees keep their surrounding atmosphere cooler by absorbing carbon dioxide and through moisture evaporation. In the winter their leaves fall and let in the sun to better heat your home. So consider planting more trees.

6. Use ENERGY STAR Appliances. The ENERGY STAR label is the government's seal of approval. It was created by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Go to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website, www. eere.energy.gov, and click on information for Consumers to learn how to read the labels and what to look for when looking for an energy efficient refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer, thermostat, air conditioner, windows, heat pumps or gas and oil systems. For example, consider using a programmable thermostat which can automatically change the temperature and save energy and money.

7. Cut Lighting Costs. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of standard incandescent bulbs. Each bulb last 10 times longer, saves electricity costs, and eliminates 500 pounds of atmospheric pollutants. For your outside lights, avoid all night lighting and consider motion activated lights instead.

8. Decrease Auto Emissions. Auto emissions account for 60% of ozone pollution in cities. Keep your car tuned and its tires inflated to reduce pollution. When your air conditioner is serviced insist that the mechanic recycles the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCS) used for the refrigerant. CFCS causes the thinning of our ozone layer. And please consider buying a fuel efficient car. Every gallon of gas you save prevents 20 pounds of CO2 from polluting our planet.

Remember, saving the environment is OUR responsibility!