The Energy Star program is overseen by both the Energy Department and the Environmental Protection Agency, although they monitor different product categories. Last December, the EPA admitted it couldn't really verify whether the products it oversees (computers, TVs) deserved Energy Star label. And now the Energy Department is confessing pretty much the same thing:

While the Energy Department requires manufacturers of windows and L.E.D. and fluorescent lighting to have independent laboratories evaluate their products, the report said, companies that make refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters and room air-conditioners, which consume far more energy, can certify those appliances themselves.

The problem for consumers is that unless the program is properly regulated, you could be sold an appliance that uses more energy than promised, costing you more money over time. The New York Times says the Energy Department and the EPA "signed a memorandum of understanding" last month in which they promised to have all products in the program certified by independent labs—but there's no mention of when this will happen, if ever.

"Energy Star Appliances May Not All Be Efficient, Audit Finds" [New York Times]
"Energy Star has lost some luster" [Consumer Reports]
(Photo: tom.arthur)

On Tuesday, executives and consultants for the Arlington, Va., trade group asked members of the California Energy Commission to instead let consumers use their wallets to decide whether they want to buy the most energy-saving new models of liquid-crystal display and plasma high-definition TVs.

[...]

The association's views weren't shared by everyone in the TV business. Representatives of some TV makers, including top-seller Vizio Inc. of Irvine, said they would have little trouble complying with tighter state standards without substantially increasing prices.

[...]

"We would not propose TV efficiency standards if we thought there was any evidence in the record that they will hurt the economy," said Commissioner Julia Levin, who has been in charge of the two-year rule-making procedure. "This will actually save consumers money and help the California economy grow and create new clean, sustainable jobs."

This is one case where tighter rules on power consumption could actually benefit consumers instead of just drive up costs—the commission says that the average first-year savings from less power-hungry sets would be an estimated $30 per set.

Here's a chart from CNET that compares average power consumption for dozens of HDTV models, but it's a couple of years old. Here's another article from 2008 that provides some general info on how much energy a typical 42" set uses.

"California appears poised to be first to ban power-guzzling big-screen TVs" [Los Angeles Times]
(Photo: Rennett Stowe)

How does that work? Prices are falling on the wholesale energy market, but some all local power companies purchase their power far in advance to insulate themselves against rising prices.

If you reside in the Northeast, West or in a central state like Texas where rates are based on spot prices, you stand a good chance of getting some relief.

Customers in more regulated markets or in spots where utilities calculate bills based on long-term contracts will not benefit so much. In those markets, rates tend to be more stable.

A decrease in industrial electricity use, and relatively milder weather nationwide, not consumer light bulb preferences, account for most of the decrease.

Demand for electricity sputters and bills may fall [AP]

(Photo: frankieleon)

But who believes crazy old newspapers anymore? Here's a Daily Show clip of Nobel Prize winning Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, Steven Chu. (The NYT told us about it). Around the 6:25 mark, he says when you're re-roofing, make it white:

"White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost Cutters" [New York Times]
(Photo: Christopher Dick)

[When] pressed, Henley admitted that currently, no Xcel electric customers pay extra to fund solar connectivity fees. In reality, Xcel absorbs those fees. The money from the proposed fee would not go into the pockets of electric customers, but would go back to Xcel.

Henley said the fee is a preventative measure to ensure that, down the road, solar customers do not get free rides.

"What we're looking to do is stop that, avoid that occurrence from happening," he said.

Mike Jacoby, who installed solar panels on the roof of his home two years ago, bristled at the notion that he is not doing his part.

Jacoby said the installation cuts his monthly electrical fee by anywhere from 33 to 50 percent a month. In return, his home acts as a power plant, generating energy for Xcel that can power some of the homes on his block.

"Mine are generating enough to feed five or six houses around me electricity, so there's no free ride," said Jacoby.

Um, yeah, great work, Xcel Energy! Way to finally take a stand against those tree-hugging environmentalists trying to help reduce our dependence on oil. Those people should definitely pay a $1.90 monthly fee for hating America.

Solar Customers Fuming Over Proposed Fee [7NEWS]
(Photo: Alex Snyder)

As is usually the case with such lists, much of the advice forces you to tedious extremes, such as going to the trouble of hanging out your clothes rather than toss them in the dryer. But now more than ever it seems to be worth the extra effort to save as much money as possible.

Here are the top five items on the list:

1. Turn off the furnace.

2. Set your air-conditioner thermostat to 78 degrees Fahrenheit — although senior citizens or people with medical conditions should consult their physicians before changing their normal home temperature.

3. Clean or replace air-conditioner filters monthly, during periods of use.

4. When shopping for a new air-conditioner — or any other major appliance — look for the ENERGY STAR label and consult the unit's EnergyGuide for advice on how much money running that particular appliance may cost you.

5. Hang wash on a line to dry whenever possible.

If you like those five, click on the link below to see the next five items on the list, then if you still want more and want to go all-out, follow this link and scroll down for the full 20. Spoiler: none of the suggestions calls for powering any household appliances with 20 hamsters scampering on as many wheels.

Previously: 25 Gadgets That Save You Money.

20 Tips for Saving Energy And Money [Huliq News]
(Photo: The Joy Of The Mundane)

In the end, customers likely will save this year thanks to a drop in the prices Con Ed pays electric-generating companies.

A New York City apartment dweller who uses 250 kilowatts of electricity will pay Con Ed about $70 this July, down $4 from last year.

Based on the same set of assumptions, an apartment dweller who uses 500 kilowatt hours of electricity will pay $127 this July, about $9 less than last year.

The New York Times disagrees, along with the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, which approved the rate hike:

"We are always concerned about the impacts on ratepayers of any rate increase, but today's decision is particularly difficult," said Garry A. Brown, the commission's chairman. "In this economy, the idea of raising rates is very distasteful. Unemployment has risen and consumers are having difficulty paying their bills. Nevertheless, there are certain increases in Con Edison's costs that have to be recognized."

ConEd also expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, saying that the $523 million rate hike is far less than the $819 million they requested.

Regulators Grant Con Edison a $523.4 Million Increase in Delivery Rates [The New York Times]
WATT A SWITCH: LOWER CON ED BILLS EXPECTED [NY Post]

Jeff writes, probably in the dark from under his desk, trembling in fear,

I'm working from home today and an IDT rep saw me through my ground floor window. He circled back and tapped on the window with his pen. He said "Excuse me" I looked at him, saw his IDT id tag around his neck, and said "No thank you." He stuttered slightly and said "Have a good day." Now he's trying to buzz into my building. So far no one has obliged, but is there some way to report this guy before he gains access? My apartment building is mostly old people or people who don't speak English very well, so I'm concerned about the big scam potential. If he comes by my window again I'm gonna get a picture of him for you.

A few minutes later, Jeff emailed us again. This time he was probably locked inside a cabinet, trying very hard to type quietly.

So I read some of your past articles about IDT, and called the attorney general's office. The first guy who answered said he had heard about IDT, and thanked me for calling, and said he'd transfer me to "Investigations." But when I got connected there, the woman had no idea what IDT was, and didn't really seem to care about my explanation. I even told her to go to your website. She ended up just taking my address and said she'd send a form so I could file a report. Unfortunately, there's not much to report, as I didn't let the guy give me his pitch. In hindsight maybe I should have let him in, but I have two kittens, and I read what they do to pets! [They kidnap them. -Ed.] So for now, I'm posting a note in my building lobby warning people about IDT and suggesting they visit your site for more info.

Jeff brings up a good point, which is that in NYC there are a lot of people who maybe don't speak or read English that well. In an attempt to spread the word about IDT, we've written a short Spanish version of a warning. Unfortunately, we don't know Spanish very well. Please improve upon this in the comments (maybe take out the zombie references), and we'll post a downloadable PDF warning in English and Spanish next week.

¡Peligroso!

No abiertes la puerta por zombis de IDT. [Something here like, "They will try to get your account information for ConEd, and then will switch you to a more expensive service without your permission."]

Si tu lee un IDT zombi, email detalles a escocomplaint@gmail.com, o llame 718-766-8828

You can also copy or print out this statement to get the word out.

RELATED
"New York Asks You To Report IDT Energy"
(Photo: atp_tyreseus)

...seeing an IDT guy leaving the building with "something under his jacket that he had trouble holding."

Niklas says he is working with a Brooklyn detective to track the dog. The cops released the story to the press as a police blotter item and it was published in The Brooklyn Paper. Niklas has started a Facebook group to help track the dog down. He's offering a $1200 no questions asked reward for his dog's safe return. It seems IDT Energy has found a new, lower, depth of degradation to scrape.

Help Find Milo!!! [Facebook]
A dog gone shame [The Brooklyn Paper]

Our sister-publication Consumer Reports tested them to see if they were accurate.

Do the Kill a Watt or Watts Up devices save you money? [CR]

[Energy Information Administration]

9 News in Colorado says that Jittilak Chaivann, a restaurant owner in Aurora, CO, didn't pay much attention to her utility bill because she has autopay.

"I just looked real quick. With auto pay, I never have a problem," she said.

Then Xcel Energy sent her a bill for $1.28 million instead of the usual $1,200 or so. She didn't notice all the extra zeros, so they debited the money — causing the next check Chaivann wrote (for the rent on her restaurant) to bounce. When she called the bank to see what happened she was told that she was a million dollars overdrawn.

Xcel figured out how much the restaurant really owed, wiped out the bill and has promised to pay any overdraft charges, but the moral of the story is that you should always read your bills — even if you have auto pay.

Xcel's million-dollar misprint a shock [9 News via Fark]

The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard for passenger cars has been 27.5 miles per gallon since 1990. Mark went through the list of cars, checked their miles per gallon, and found that the average fuel economy was 23.4 mpg.

The best fuel economy goes to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, whose 2008 Toyota Prius and Honda Odyssey minivan average 33 mpg. At 20 mpg, Vice President Biden's chief economist Jared Bernstein's 2005 Honda Odyssey is the worst. For more analysis, check out the original post.

CAFE Standards: Fed Task Force FAIL [William & Mary American Constitution Society]
(Photo: fallenposters

Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency [Energy Star] (Photo: heymarchetti)

Dad emails:

I'm in the basement making a temporary kitchen (don't ask) when your mother calls down to say there are two men from "the gas company" and they want to see our bill.

"How odd?" I thought.

I go upstairs to find two guys in blue carhartts with photo ID around their necks.

"Say, you guys aren't from NIGAS."

The short fat one says "Ho no, we're from American gas."

"Right, I've heard of you."

"Oh really, on the TV?"

"No on the Internet, get the $%# out of my house."

"..but sir I'm just doing my job you don't have to be rude."

"Your job is to screw people, go do your job someplace else, get the @#$% off my property!"

Your Mother said, "Gee, that went well. Would you like some lunch?"

Here's some good news for others living in Illinois who are tired of these jokers, the state has just passed a law aiming to crack down on deceptive gas salespeople. The new law includes language that aims to prevent them from claiming to be from a utility company.

From MSNMoney:

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office has received more than 2,500 consumer complaints against alternative gas suppliers. Some suppliers had promised significant savings on consumers’ gas bills but didn't deliver, according to Madigan’s office, which has filed four ongoing lawsuits against suppliers since 2005.

The newly passed amendment to the Alternative Gas Supplier Law will:

* Require sales solicitations to clearly disclose prices, terms and conditions;

* Prohibit suppliers from misrepresenting their affiliation with a gas utility, governmental body or consumer group;

* Provide consumers with a right to cancel 10 days after the gas utility notifies them of the switch and 10 days after the date of the first bill if they find that the service is not as promised;

* Limit early termination fees to $50 and require disclosure of the total cancellation fee.

Dad went on to say that he was almost suckered in by a similar sales technique a few years ago — only to find out that had he signed up there would have been a large cancellation fee and an increase in his gas bill.

Don't Be Fooled — Natural Gas Not A Cheaper Alternative [WBBM]
Ill. law cracks down on deceptive gas sales [MSNMoney]
(Photo:stirwise)

It can be easy to give in to their pitch if you're not wary; the "salesmen" are attractive young women, and they hold out badges as identification when they introduce themselves. Read more about IDT here.

You might also want to post a notice in your building so that non-Consumerist readers know what's going on.

This year, Toyota is estimating that its auto operations will lose $1.7 billion. The last time the company lost money was 1938, the year it was founded, says the New York Times.

Toyota, which just a few months ago seemed unstoppable after eight years of record profits, said it suffered from plunging vehicle sales not only in North America but also in once-promising markets like India and China, which many had hoped would prove immune to the United States malaise. Toyota’s group includes the automaker Daihatsu and the truck builder Hino.

“The change in the world economy is of a magnitude that comes once every hundred years,” Toyota’s president, Katsuaki Watanabe, told a news conference in Nagoya, Japan, near the company’s Toyota City headquarters. “We are facing an unprecedented emergency.”

Things are so bad that the company has unplugged the electric hand dryers at some of their offices in order to cut energy costs. They are not f&#@ing around, clearly. We wonder if GM still has electric hand dryers. Hmm.

Toyota Expects Its First Loss in 70 Years [NYT]
(Photo: blue_j )

He's going around Worcester saying he works for National Grid and will restore power for a fee. He doesn't work for them and will just walk away with your money. Residents are urged to ask for ID if approached by someone purporting to be from the energy company.

[via WVCB] (Thanks to Katie!) (Photo: Getty)

Consumer Reports' Happy Refrigerating Tips:

1. Clean the compressor coils every few months or so. (The coils typically are at the bottom of the appliance, though on some older models they are behind the box and on some built-ins they are behind a grille at the top of the unit.)
2. Keep gaskets on the refrigerator and freezer doors clean with mild detergent and water, not bleach. This will ensure a good seal and prevent wasted energy.
3. Check the gasket seal by closing the doors on a dollar bill; replace the gasket if the bill falls out or can be easily removed without opening the door.
4. Be sure the refrigerator is level; if not, the door might not close properly. Most refrigerators have adjustable feet or casters.
5. Before you open the door to retrieve items, decide what you want. Every time you open the door, up to 30 percent of the cooled air can escape.
6. To maximize the storage life of your food and use the least energy, keep the refrigerator temperature at 36º to 38º F and the freezer at no colder than 0º to 5º F.
7. Try to keep the refrigerator compartments full to limit temperature fluctuations.
8. If you have a choice of location when remodeling your kitchen, keep the refrigerator away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

For more information and tips about your fridge, check out this blog post.

Protecting your investment: Refrigerators [Consumer Reports]
(Photo: Meggito )

Today my mother received a series of calls from someone claiming to be calling from Con Ed. After asking for someone who doesn't exist (at least not in our family) they informed her that our apartment building was participating in a new Con Ed program to replace all old light bulbs with new energy saving light bulbs free of charge. It sounded way too good to be true so she told them she wasn't sure about her availability and hung up. After checking the lobby, the internet and asking the doorman if he'd heard anything about this "program" she returned home to find two messages from the "Con Ed" employees telling her that they could completely work with her schedule and that they would call back later.

It all sounds very odd to me.

Well, Fiona, the program is real but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be wary of strangers who want to come to your house and give you free light bulbs. In the New York City area, there's a program that aims to reduce summer power outages by helping people save electricity. The program pays subcontractors to go to eligible buildings and install energy efficient light bulbs. Having said that, we did see a report on WCBS about a subcontractor stealing jewelry while he was supposed to be installing the light bulbs.

"They're terrific, they're really good," said George Burke as he described the new energy efficient light bulbs Con Edison offered for free, but Burke says he ended up paying for them with valuable jewelry.

Last month, two subcontractors came to Burke's house to install the energy efficient light bulbs. While Burke filled out paperwork with one of them, the other went around the house changing light bulbs.

After having the new bulbs installed, Burke noticed a ten-karat diamond ring and a one-karat ruby garnet worth about $20,000 were gone.

"This right here is the dish where they were in," pointed Burke. "So you can see how close the lamp was to the dish."

That's when he realized one of the subcontractors hired by Con Edison was the culprit.

A detective investigating the subcontractor recently contacted Burke.

According to the detective, Burke wasn't the only victim. Several complaints, all of them from Staten Island had come in, and all of the victims had recently gotten their light bulbs replaced with one of the new energy saving kind.

So we guess the moral of this story is that there may be such a thing as a free light bulb, but you'd better keep an eye on the guy who installs it.

Con Ed Subcontractor Allegedly Stole From Homes [WCBS]

We grabbed these images of Chicago as an example. As you can see, the percentage of income that people are dedicating to transportation has grown — especially in more rural areas. The site also has an interactive map of the Housing and Transportation Affordability Index (below)— so you can see where people are dedicating less than 45% (shown in yellow) of their income to housing and transportation. Living in the city never looked so good.

Housing + Transportation Affordability Index [CNT]

Sold out? No problem [CNN Money] "Here's how to score the hottest ticket in town without paying an arm and a leg."

New Rules for the Age of High Energy Prices [Yahoo Personal Finance] "Here are some rules to help you adjust to the new realities of high energy costs."

Getting Around Airlines' New Minimum-Stay Requirements [Smart Money] "Here's what fliers need to know to avoid getting hit by an airlines' minimum-stay requirements."

Preserve Your Savings for Life [Kiplinger] "New ways to spread your nest egg over the next 30 years."

— FREE MONEY FINANCE
(Photo: striatic)

The California Public Utilities Commission and state officials believed that crisis-era pacts with San Diego-based Sempra Energy and others were costing consumers an extra $1.45 billion to $3.08 billion — an amount they had hoped to return to electricity customers, possibly by reducing or eliminating future charges.

A Washington utility had hoped to get relief from a nine-year power contract with Morgan Stanley Capital Group. Under that contract, the Snohomish County Public Utility District is paying $105 a megawatt-hour, well above the historic norm for the Pacific Northwest of $24 a megawatt-hour, but also well under the $3,300 a megawatt-hour hit at the peak of the energy crisis that spread beyond California's borders, according to the court's synopsis.

Justice Scalia scolded the states for whining about "buyer's remorse." Roger Berliner, a lawyer for Nevada utility Sierra Pacific Resources, applauded the Justice for his unrivaled ability to blind himself to reason:

"It was the failure of regulators to protect consumers from market manipulation" that caused the utilities to overpay for power. I don't think the court appreciated the extent to which the dysfunction in the market made it impossible for there to be just and reasonable contracts."

Supreme Court deals blow to states on electricity [Los Angeles Times]



(Photo: Getty)

• Take out the filter and vacuum off debris. Wash it in warm, soapy water. Rinse the filter let it dry completely, then reinstall. If the filter is very dirty or your usage increases significantly, clean the filter more often.
• If dirt and debris have bypassed the filter, you will need to remove the front panel and vacuum dust and debris from the coils.
• Replace a deteriorated filter.

Protect Your Investment: Maintain your air conditioner [Consumer Reports]

(Photo: Maulleigh)

"He proceeded to tsk tsk tsk about the absence of my discount. "Not a problem. I can take care of this for you and make sure you get the discount you signed up for." He was writing on a form, covering the majority with his arm. I craned my neck to look. He pivoted.

(snip part where salesman acts super creepy...)

"Thank you for signing up with IDT for energy savings and you tell my supervisor I was a nice guy, ok?" He squeezed my hand and smiled. "You bet." I turned, locked the door behind me and scanned the pink sheet. I'd never signed up before and the sheet said as much. The whole thing had been a shady way of hurrying unsuspecting folks through. I looked up the number, 1-877-887-6866, and waited on hold for ten minutes before reaching an operator. "A guy just came to my door, I'd like to cancel the Switch and Save program," I said.

Don't fall for this scam. Warn your friends and neighbors, and if a shady ESCO salesman comes to your door and pulls a deceptive marketing move like we describe here, shut the door on him and report it to your attorney general.

IDT Energy, or I Don't Think So Jack Ass [The Wink]
PREVIOUSLY: IDT Energy Still Scamming New York Residents
(Photo: Getty)

A friend of sent me your article on ESCOS [Energy Service Companies]. My father is a senior citizen and he signed up, and his energy bill has sky rocketed, we have called his energy resell co. three different times asking them to cancel his contract every time they say we will it will take about 30 days, but nothing is happening, can you advise me how to get him out of this contract?

ESCOS are supposed to save people money on their gas and energy bills buy buying energy on the open market. While your old energy company still runs the pipes to the house, the share of the energy is coming from the ESCO. ESCOS sign up people by going door to door. Some ESCOs have generated fraud complaints when the bills people get are wildly more than what they were promised.

If you're trying to cancel your contract and they're not listening, it's usually pretty easy. Just call up the legacy energy company that used to service you and tell them you're canceling the ESCO and want to re-sign up with them again. I would also send the ESCO's headquarters a formal letter by certified mail to their corporate office indicating that you are canceling service. Inform them if they do not comply 1) they will not receive another dime from you and 2) you will send a complaint to the Public Utilities Commission and the Attorney General's office. If you're feeling extra spunky you could also ask them in the letter if they were aware that sending baseless requests for money is considered mail fraud, a Federal offense. If they don't comply, lookup your PUC and AG and give them a shoutout about your issue.

RELATED:
Door To Door Energy Resellers Fail To Deliver Promised Savings
Picking Your Own Energy Supplier May Not Save You Anything

(Photo: Scarequotes)

The Houston-based company, Minnesota's largest natural-gas utility, told the Star Tribune that it still considers credit reporting one of several appropriate ways to collect past-due payments. It also considers those collections crucial for keeping rates down for all customers.

But it has chosen not to begin such a program because "we feel it is important to focus our attention on exploring alternatives," the company said in a prepared statement.

(Thanks to Kris!)

"CenterPoint's credit-reporting plan is dropped" [Star Tribune]

RELATED
"Centerpoint suspends program to report deliquent customers" [MPR]

To that end, the store features "decorative floor boards and moldings are made from the material leftover from making the leg holes in disposable diapers."

Yes, really. We weren't aware that producing "leg holes" resulted in a lot of waste, but we sure are happy to hear that it's being put to good use. Here are some other features of a "green" Walmart:

• 
  
• The exposed concrete floor made of waste left over from coal operations
  
• A new system for keeping refrigerated food cold that lowers the use of refrigerant by 90 percent and in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions
  
• Motion-sensitive light-emitting diodes (LED) in refrigerator and freezer cases
  
• Doors in the meat and dairy refrigerated sections instead of open refrigerator shelves
  
• 200 skylights that allow electric lights to go down when the sun comes out

Wal-Mart aims for a green look in Romeoville [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo:handh07)

"Sure, you'll see more compact fluorescents five years from now, but you would have seen them without any energy bill," said the chief executive of Osram Sylvania, Charlie Jerabek.

Michael B. Petras Jr., vice president of GE Consumer and Industrial — the unit that includes General Electric's lighting business — broadened the thought to all forms of lighting. "You'll see different light sources for your decorative chandelier, for your recessed lighting and for your under-cabinet lights," he said. "And I can assure you that all the kinds of light sources are already getting a lot more efficient."

Including incandescents.

Congress has not specifically outlawed incandescent bulbs, only inefficient ones.

In February, G.E. said that it was developing a high-efficiency incandescent that will radiate more than twice the light of conventional incandescents. It expects to make that one commercially available by 2010, and one that is twice as efficient a few years later.

And so far, consumers have been slow to give new products a chance. Compact fluorescents, for example, are already ubiquitous in stores. Many retailers, led by Wal-Mart, have promoted the economics of the bulbs — though compact fluorescents generally cost six times what incandescents do, they last six times as long and use far less energy.

We switched over to CFLs and the only difference we notice is a consistently cheaper energy bill. Switching bulbs has a direct effect on your energy consumption, and is one of the single best ways you can help the environment as a consumer.

No Joke, Bulb Change Is Challenge for U.S. [NYT]
(Photo: Nictalopen)

Our tipster reports:

I'm an avid reader of The Consumerist so I knew exactly what to do when "the utility company" rang up to my apartment this week. I ran down to the front door where I found an IDT salesman. The guy was African American, somewhere between 30 and 40 with a really nice silk polka dot scarf. He was also wearing a large ID card that said in bold red letters "I Am Not A Utility Company Employee." The ID card was attached to a green necklace holder thing that said "Buy Greed." Odd, right? Anyway, I refused to let the guy in even though he promised to save me 7% on my energy bill (HA!), but I told him that I'd take his enrollment forms to look over. He said he wasn't supposed to give them to me, but then he did. Scans attached.

The guy said he was working his way up Manhattan and that he hoped to reach 110th street by Saturday and 125th Street by next week. After that, he plans to keep on going. He said he manages to cover three blocks a day, depending on the buildings. Hope that helps!

• Develop mandatory marketing standards for ESCOs like IDT.
• Require ESCOs to clearly identify themselves.
• Compel ESCOs to clearly explain that they are not in any way associated with ConEd.
• Request the power to sanction ESCOs who use scammy marketing tactics.

The enrollment form:

The fine print on the back, which surprisingly doesn't contain a mandatory binding arbitration clause:

The "I Wasn't Duped" declaration (Available in English only. Sorry other-language speakers!)

Vampire Energy [GOOD Magazine]

The NYT takes a closer look at Frito-Lay and their quest for the cheaper (eco-friendly) potato chip.

The new plant sounds sort of nifty, like Mr. Wizard designed it.

The plant's locale also offered an attractive storyline for consumers: recycling water in the middle of the desert and producing snack chips from solar concentrators.

The project will start next year with the installation of a membrane bio-reactor, which looks like a railroad car with long strands of fettuccine hanging from the ceiling. In fact, the strands are filters that will clean the water used to process potato chips and corn products.

The waste produced by the filtering process will then be fed to a new anaerobic digester, which will produce methane gas to run the plant's boiler.

The second stage of the process will be the installation of at least 50 acres of solar concentrators behind the plant. Similar concentrators are now being installed at a plant in Modesto, Calif. The concentrators are parabolic mirrors about three feet off the ground that move with the sun and focus energy on a tube filled with water, much as a magnifying glass focuses the sun's rays.

The water is heated to about 500 degrees and is run through a maze of pipes back to the plant, where it will power a steam generator.

The last portion of the net zero plant would be a biomass generator that provides additional fuel to run the plant's boiler. Company officials have not yet determined what type of material will be used as fuel.

"If the price of these resources continues to rise, we will be very happy we made these investments," said Rich Beck, senior vice president for operations.

In Eco-Friendly Factory, Low-Guilt Potato Chips [NYT]
(Photo:strobist)

"We haven't seen the full pass-through yet," Energy Information Administration head Guy Caruso said.

Today's national average is $3.105, up 39% from last year. Oil prices have risen approximately $20 a barrel in the past two months, and gas prices are up $0.30.

Drivers' price at the pump could rise by 20 cents [USAToday]
(Photo:amanjo)

• gasoline prices - In a surprise to no one, they'll go higher.
• home heating costs - If you use heating oil, you could see a steep increase of over 25%. Homes using natural gas may see an increase of about 10%. Propane households will see a 20% increase, while homes that heat with electricity should expect a relatively small 2.7% bump.
• airfare - Airlines will want to raise prices because jet fuel is already an enormous expense for them—but unless the whole industry plays along, it's a risky thing to do. There's a good chance international fares will go up while domestic fares remain relatively competitive, especially if the economy remains soft.
• shipping - Ah, the hidden cost of online shopping! You can expect retailers to offer discounts or free shipping during the holiday season, but rates may go up after that passes. Higher transportation costs can also trickle down into things like groceries, so prices may go up there as well.

"What $100 Oil Means for Your Wallet" [SmartMoney]
(Photo: Getty)

We often hear about people who are reluctant to purchase CFLs because they worry about having to dispose of them when they burn out (in about 7 years,) so we thought we'd mention this as an option for those of you who live near an IKEA.

If you have some laying around right now that you don't know what to do with, give them to IKEA!

IKEA
LampRecycle.org
(Photo:Shodts)