[Energy Efficiency]
Save on heating costs
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Check out this Q&A from our area energy expert. You might be surprised by some of his suggestions.
With energy costs rising again this winter, your electric cooperative wants to help you save money. That’s why we talked with Jack Schoon, energy expert from Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, a member of our north central Iowa Touchstone Energy group.
Q: Jack, can you share some inexpe...
[Recreation]
Geocaching: a new sport in Iowa
Friday, October 21, 2005
21st-century treasure hunting uses a GPS system as a map.
Using a laptop computer and a global positioning system, Chad Chapman, Clarion, Iowa, has found “buried” treasure all over Iowa and the Midwest. “I even searched for caches in every state we traveled through when my wife and I took a trip to Texas,” he says. Geocaching is a rapidly-growing hobb...
[Energy Efficiency]
Heating season savings
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Take these steps to control your heating costs this year.
Heating and cooling costs often make up the largest portion of the average home energy bill: about 44 percent. With fossil fuel energy costs increasing this heating season, consider these suggestions to save:
Change the furnace filter monthly during the heating season; a dirty filter reduces the e...
[Education]
Energy-efficient remodeling workshops planned
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Learn how to include energy savings when remodeling or upgrading your home - attend our FREE workshop.
With rising fossil fuel costs, making your house more energy efficient can be an important way to save money. If you’re thinking of remodeling, adding-on or upgrading your home, you can learn how to include energy savings in your project by attending an upcoming free workshop sponsored by area...
[Seasonal Topics]
Iowa-Grown Thanksgiving
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Give thanks to Iowa farmers with a meal prepared with locally grown goods.
This Thanksgiving, trade in your Butterball turkey for a locally raised bird. Substitute Iowa grown potatoes for those from Idaho (after all, to much of the U.S. population, the two states are interchangeable!). Pass on the canned pulp and prepare your pie from a pumpkin straight from the local...
[Safety]
Don’t veer for deer
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
A recent survey found one-third of drivers would take the wrong action when confronted with an unavoidable car-deer crash. Would you?
While car-deer accidents occur throughout the year, they are especially prevalent during the fall mating season. The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) records show that there are an average of 21 deer-vehicle collisions in Iowa EACH DAY, resulting in 600 injuries to drivers and passen...
[Seasonal Topics]
Let’s talk turkey
Friday, October 21, 2005
Domestic or wild, they’re an interesting flock.
Big business birds Sure, turkey is the bird of choice on many Iowans’ Thanksgiving tables this month. But it also represents big business for the state of Iowa, says Gretta Irwin of the Iowa Turkey Federation in Ames. Here are some facts and figures about Iowa’s turkey production:
When it comes ...
[Holidays]
Facts (and fiction) of the first Thanksgiving
Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Thanksgiving Day finds Americans gathered to celebrate family, good fortune and our nation’s heritage. What's the true story behind our holiday feast?
As children, we learn how the brave Pilgrims at Plymouth, Massachusetts, gathered for the very first Thanksgiving celebration in 1621. For three days, they feasted on turkey with their Native American friends. But how well does this pleasant picture hold up to historical scrutiny? The real storyLook...
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