The PEA Pod, February 2010

From the Executive Director

I am writing this on a frigidly cold morning from the relative comfort of my slightly drafty house.  Did you know that Duke Energy is conducting free home energy audits for its customers?  I had one recently, and I received a lot of tips for how I can reduce the amount of cold air coming into my home. The young man who conducted the audit helped me to understand that by spending a few dollars at the home supply store, I could save significantly more on my electric bill. I sure hope he is right because my bill DOUBLED in one month, a result of this cold, wet winter.  Of course the corollary to this is that by saving money on my electric bill, I will also be reducing my energy usage and, thereby, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Can “Weatherization Save us All?”  This theory holds that weatherization programs will reduce energy costs and reduce emissions while creating good-paying jobs.  Well, notwithstanding the hyperbole, certainly it can do a lot of good.  We at PEA have been working hard to create a resource on weatherization that will explain just how much good weatherization can do, not only for our environment, but also for our economy and our own pocketbooks.  Read more about our new weatherization resource below and join us at the Triad Home and Garden Show this month, where we will premiere a new web resource devoted exclusively to providing members of our community comprehensive information about weatherization. At home, I will be putting to use the items in my Duke Energy home weatherization kit. I look forward to lowering my electric bills and feeling more snug in my home, but Spring cannot come too soon.

Terri E. LeGrand
Executive Director