The magazine for members of Touchstone Energy cooperatives
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives Touchstone Energy Cooperative
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Energy-Saving Tip of the Week

Energy-Saving Tip of the Week
For nighttime safety and security, light walkways and garden areas with free energy from the sun. There are many different styles and colors of solar-powered lights available, and you’ll find them at home centers, discount stores and hardware retailers for as little as $5 each.

The Earned Income Tax Credit can put money in your pocket

Left Sidebar Bottom Content Did you know you might qualify to get up to $5,600 back from the Internal Revenue Service? The agency estimates that one in four eligible taxpayers misses out on the Earned Income Tax Credit – EITC – simply because they don’t claim it on their tax returns. » Read more

IF YOU WEREN'T LUCKY ENOUGH TO RECEIVE A REBATE FROM THE STATE APPLIANCE REBATE PROGRAM, YOUR LOCAL ELECTRIC CO-OP HAS SOME GOOD NEWS FOR YOU. Contact your co-op about rebates and other energy-saving programs it now has in effect. To go to your co-op' Web site, click here or hit Go to My Co-op in the blue box at left.

It's time for you to make your voice heard to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from doing something Congress never intended – regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the federal Clean Air Act.
» Read more

Some electric space heater manufacturers claim that the models they sell significantly can cut a home’s heating bills. However, these appliances really work best to supplement a furnace or heat pump – not as a primary heating source. » Read more

For decades, electric utilities across the country have relied on fossil fuels – burning coal and natural gas to create steam, spin turbines and generate electricity. While fossil fuels remain the most cost-effective way to create massive amounts of electricity today, this may not be the case in the future. » Read more

 

Editor's Choice Contest

ENTER TO WIN!

$100 Energy-Saving Gift Card
This month’s prize is a $100 Gift Card you can use to purchase energy-smart products at your favorite local store.
The energy-saving choices you make today should continue to pay dividends for many years to come.
» Read more

Fire extinguishers are only as good as your ability to operate them

Right Sidebar Top Content There are four simple steps to using a fire extinguisher, easily remembered by PASS:
•PULL the pin.
•AIM at the base of the fire.
•SQUEEZE the lever.
•SWEEP back and forth.
The Fire Equipment Manufacturers’ Association recommends that you use a fire extinguisher on a small, contained fire only after you have called the fire department and safely evacuated everyone from your home. To learn more, go here.

Geothermal heat pumps offer efficiency from the ground up

Right Sidebar Bottom Content The cost of installing a geothermal heat pump is significantly more expensive than a standard air-to-air heat pump, but the federal energy tax credit – which provides a 30 percent tax credit on the installation of a geothermal system – makes the initial expense more reasonable. » Read more