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Champion in Action
This October, Charter One and WXYZ Channel 7 honored WARM with the Champions in Action Environmental Impact Award. Charter One honors four Champions in Action each year. This is the first time Charter One has recognized a champion for their environmental impact. Charter One and WXYZ Channel 7 surprised WARM’s board and staff with the award, a check for $25,000, and a commitment to provide volunteers to support WARM’s mission and services.
WARM thanks Charter One and WXYZ Channel 7 for this honor and their continued support. WARM is committed to improving the environmental condition of southeast Michigan and will use this award to support WARM’s services through education, energy audits, technical assistance, and green jobs training. Visit WARM online to read the whole story and view the video.
Weatherize Your Home
Weatherizing your home is one of the best ways to save energy and improve your comfort this winter. Take a look below at some easy things you can do.
House Envelope
Close your fireplace damper and make sure your walls and attic are well insulated. The attic should have a minimum R-Value of 38; walls should have a minimum R-value of 19. Use caulk, weatherstripping, and window insulating kits to seal the air leaks around the windows and doors in your home.
House Systems
Clean your furnace filter seasonally to help your furnace run more efficiently.
Clean the dust from the coils under your refrigerator (unplug it first). Use a damp cloth to wipe away gunk along the seal on the door of your refrigerator to ensure it seals properly.
Consider purchasing appliances with the Energy Star or Water Sense rating. Energy Star is a government rating system that identifies more energy efficient appliances; Water Sense identifies more water efficient appliances.
Lifestyle
Install a programmable thermostat - if you’re out of the house for 4-5 hours, turn your heat down 4-5 degrees from your comfort level, then program it to start again before you come home. For every 1 degree you lower your thermostat you reduce your heating bill by 3%.
Turn off lights and install Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) to save money. Wear warmer clothing so you can lower your thermostat, remember, it’s less expensive to heat the person than the room.
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Upcoming Events
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Stay Out of the Dark with Dimmable CFLs
Q: I want to install dimmable CFLs in my house, any advice?
- Tom in Detroit
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) have been around for some time now, but for years they were not able to dim. This left many people who have dimmable sockets with no choice other than using outdated incandescent bulbs, consuming approximately five times more energy. Fortunately, there do exist new dimmable CFL bulbs, but there is still a lot of controversy over how well they work and what are good applications for them. In order to insure that you are getting the most for your time and money, it is important to understand a few key points about CFL bulbs.Continue Reading Full Article
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In This Issue
Energy Workshops
WARM is expanding its Energy Education Program to include residents in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Genesee counties. This program provides energy efficiency workshops that teach residents cost-effective ways to lower their energy bills, save money, and provide participants with an energy saving kit for their home.
To register for one of these workshops call WARM at (313) 894-1030 or visit us online at www.warmtraining.org
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Green Tips
Government Energy Programs
The state and federal governments have incentives and rebates for energy improvements. For a complete list by state click here: www.dsireusa.org
Energy Bill Assistance
If you need assistance paying your energy bills, call the United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Call: 2-1-1 (as if dialing 9-1-1)
Utility Energy Programs
Utility companies have energy efficiency rebates and incentives. Check your utility company’s website for more information.
DTE Energy: www.YourEnergySavings.com
Consumers Energy: www.consumersenergy.com/eeprograms
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How You Can Help
WARM is looking for 1-2 working computers, please consider donating a computer to support our mission. Contact us for more details.
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WARM Training Center
4835 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48210
(313) 894-1030
www.warmtraining.org
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