coloradocountrylife.coop 7NOVEMBER 2017

[YVEA News]

November is a special month to me. It’s a month in which we give thanks as indi-viduals and as a nation to our veterans for their service and sacrifice. I am thank-ful for those men and women who have served in our armed services. Because of their selfless acts of courage, heroism and much sacrifice (by them and their family members), we, as Americans, enjoy the freedom to worship, work, live and play. We honor them on November 11.

I am thankful to be a part of YVEA, which has provided reliable, safe electric power at reasonable prices to our com-munities for 75 years and continues to do so. This power has allowed our region to grow and to improve the quality of life for our members and their communities. It is a responsibility that all of us at YVEA take seriously.

I am thankful because, as a member-owned and governed utility, YVEA is powered by you and people you know. The people who YVEA employs live, work, worship and volunteer with all of you. That is the beauty of a local cooperative. It

is locally owned and operated; there are no distant sharehold-ers making decisions that place stock price above customer need. Those who are elected to serve on the YVEA Board of Directors live and work along-side the rest of us and govern the co-op in a way to best serve the needs of you, our members. I am thankful for their dedica-tion to lead and serve.

I am thankful for employees who, whether in the field or office, give their hands, heads and hearts to the work of the co-op in order to meet members’ needs. We are fortunate to employ skilled and committed employees who believe in the mission of YVEA. I feel lucky to work with all of them.

I am thankful that, for 75 years, YVEA has been a vibrant force in the local econo-my, investing in both our electric infra-structure and in technology to better serve you. Because we are local, we annually invest back into our communities both in

dollars and staff time. As part of that dedicated service and in partnership with you, we have worked with our community partners to bring high speed broadband to our area, while our Cen$ible Energy rebate program helps to make your home more energy efficient, al-lowing you to live comfortably while saving money.

I am thankful that our membership has high expectations for our cooperative and our communities. YVEA exists because of you, which is why I appreciate you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us. This is your co-op, and your feedback is appreciated; it helps make YVEA a better power company and a better community partner.

On behalf of the board of directors and the dedicated employees of YVEA, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

Diane Johnson

A TIME OF THANKFULNESSBY DIANE JOHNSON || PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER

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PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY AND THE ENVIRONMENT WITH YVEA Third-party “clean energy” or “green energy offset” businesses are actively marketing their services to YVEA members. Businesses that offer to offset your energy use with green power are not supplying you with electric energy, but rather Renewable Energy Certificates or RECs. One REC represents proof that one megawatt-hour of electricity was generated from a renewable energy resource. Rather than do business with an out-of-state, third-party company, YVEA members are encouraged to stay tuned for the new REC program that will be offered by YVEA in early 2018.

Unlike a third-party company that may sell or provide your private kilowatt-hour usage data to other companies, YVEA, your local, member-owned cooperative for 75 years, cares about your privacy and will not sell or provide your data to other companies.

By taking advantage of the YVEA REC program, you will continue receiving news and information directly from YVEA, your member-owned cooperative. More information on the YVEA REC program will be shared with you via the YVEA.com website, YVEA social media channels and here, in Colorado Country Life magazine.

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coloradocountrylife.coop8

[YVEA News]

NOVEMBER 2017

NOVEMBER 11Yampa Valley Electric Association sends gratitude and appreciation to all of our country’s veterans.

Happy ThanksgivingFrom Yampa Valley Electric Association

Always grateful for our members. We especially celebrate you during

this special holiday.

CEN$IBLE ENERGY PROGRAM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR EARLY BIRD AUDITS!The Cen$ible Energy program will be in full swing for the 2018 grant period beginning January 1, 2018. YVEA customers can save receipts for rebate items purchased after October 2, 2017, to submit when the program reopens. Beginning November 1, 2017, YVEA will accept early bird audit applications. For more information, go to www.censibleenergy.org/rebates.

YVEA OFFICES CLOSED November 22, 23 and 24

BLACK FRIDAY November 24

CYBER MONDAY November 27

YVEA NOW ACCEPTING RESIDENTIAL LIGHTBULBS FOR RECYCLINGYVEA partnered with Brite Ideas in Glenwood Springs to accept residential lightbulbs at its YVEA office, 2211 Elk River Road, during regular business hours, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This new, free program makes it easy to recycle residential lightbulbs, which is important because compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) and tube lights often contain small amounts of mercury, making them hazardous waste and illegal to dump in landfills. Residents can drop off their CFLs and tube lights at special containers located in the YVEA office reception area.

This program is for residential lightbulbs only. Contractors, businesses and other commercial or large-scale operations in need of bulb recycling can contact Cody Skurupey at cody@ briteideasbr.com, or call 970-290-3379 to schedule a pick-up.

SEAL HIDDEN LEAKSThey may seem small, but air leaks can cost a bundle on your heating bill and make it harder to keep your home comfortable. Sealing those leaks will help pre-vent wasted energy, improve comfort and have the added benefit of a strong barrier from noise, insects and moisture.

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coloradocountrylife.coop 9

[YVEA News]

NOVEMBER 2017

IS YOUR FRIDGE READY FOR THANKSGIVING? NOVEMBER 15 IS NATIONAL CLEAN OUT YOUR FRIDGE DAY!If Thanksgiving dinner is at your home this year, your family members aren’t the only ones who will be stuffed. So will your refrigerator. Is it up to the task?

If your fridge is more than a decade old, it might not be adequate. Today’s models — specifically those bearing the Energy Star label — use at least 15 percent less energy than federal standards require, and 40 percent less than models from the early 2000s, according to the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy. Yet more than 60 million households in the United States have re-frigerators that are more than 10 years old, according to the DOE. By replacing yours with a new, energy-efficient model, you could save up to $300 in electricity charges over its lifetime.

When shopping for a new refrigerator or freezer, read the EnergyGuide label. It tells you how many kilowatt-hours of electricity the unit will likely consume over a year of operation. The smaller the number, the better. Look for refrigerators that have a freezer on the bottom or the top, as side-by-side designs consume more energy. Chest freezers are typically better insulated than upright models.

Whether or not you’re buying a new fridge this year, follow these tips for more efficient use around the holidays:

• Brush or vacuum your refrigerator’s coils regularly to improve its energy efficiency by as much as 30 percent.

• Keeping your refrigerator full shouldn’t be hard at this time of year, and doing so will help your unit retain the cold better. If you have trouble keeping it stocked, fill the

extra space with containers of water.• If your milk is icy in the morning,

reduce the refrigerator’s temperature. Refrigerators should be set between 36 and 40 degrees. Freezers should stay between 0 and 5 degrees.

• Put a dollar bill in the door’s seal to see if it is airtight. If the dollar slips out easily after the door is closed, so will cold air.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

Don’t forget to fall back on November 5!

Set your clocks back by one hour.

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Rocky Mountain Utility Efficiency Exchange In late September, YVEA Energy Services Coordinator Megan Moore-Kemp was an honored presenter and moderator at the Rocky Mountain Utility Efficiency Exchange. She presented information to 150 utility professionals on economic diversification in our rural communities, as well as customer service solutions as they relate to specific key account groups in YVEA’s service territory.

Megan Moore-Kemp, YVEA energy services coordinator, presents information at the Rocky Mountain Utility Efficiency Exchange.

NOVEMBER 2017 coloradocountrylife.coop10

[YVEA News][YVEA News]

ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE (AMI) DEPLOYMENT CONTINUESYVEA is continuing deployment of its advanced metering infrastructure, (AMI) project.. Members will receive a phone call a few days prior to YVEA being in your area, neighborhood or subdivision. THINGS TO KNOW:

• You do not need to be home in order for YVEA to install the new meter.• In most cases, power will not be interrupted. If your power is interrupted for

a few minutes, you may have to reset your electronic devices.• YVEA will leave a courtesy notice on your door when meter installation is completed.• If you have access issues, including gate codes or safety concerns of which

YVEA should be aware, please call 970-879-1160.

Y2018 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour — June 7-14If you are a high school junior or senior whose family gets its power from Yampa Valley Electric Association, have big dreams of seeing the country, like his-tory or want to shake hands with your congressman, and if you want to meet new people from Colorado and across the country, then the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour is for you.

YVEA sponsors two candidates for a spot in the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour, a week-long, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The trip is organized by the Colorado Rural Electric Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the Colorado Electric Educational Institute.

Applications are due by December 31 and can be found on our website at www.yvea.com/content/youth-programs. The scholarship is valued at over $2,500.

COLORADO ELECTRIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE'S 2018 COOPERATIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP CAMP JULY 14-19

The Colorado Electric Educational Insti-tute’s 2018 Cooperative Youth Leader-ship Camp offers a great opportunity for high school students in the YVEA service territory to learn about cooperatives, tour a generation facility, learn about government and build on communica-tion and leadership skills. Each year there are 100 students from Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma who participate in the week-long camp. The camp will be held at the Glen Eden Re-sort, north of Steamboat Springs, from July 14-19. YVEA pays for all expenses for two students. Applications are due by December 31 and can be found on our website at www.yvea.com/content/youth-programs.

Taking on energy efficiency projects to reduce winter bills adds up to good dollars and cents, and the payoffs continue throughout the year. Here are 10 tips to jump-start the savings as we head into the heating, holiday, hearth and hospitality season.

1. Button up: Caulk, weather stripping and wall and attic insulation help seal gaps, keeping conditioned air (either heated or cooled) in. A radiant barrier under carpet padding or flooring felt puts comfort at your feet.

2. Switch off: Power strips are ideal for those home spaces tied to occasional use. Electronics in workshops, craft nooks, game rooms, home offices and guest rooms are great for one-touch switch off.

3. Check the over and under: One of your best bets for saving is adding a full ductwork inspection under floors and over ceilings to your seasonal heating system checkup. Collapsed connections, tears, animal damage and register gaps can all leak conditioned air into unused spaces.

4. Lead with LEDs: The more use a kitchen gets, the greater the potential savings with LEDs. Replacing every bulb with new generation LEDs is a bright idea for winter that will help keep your cooking space cooler in summer.

5. Lose the legacy: The more than 60 million refrigerators in the United States that are at least 10 years old cost consumers over $4 billion a year in energy. Replacing that old family-sized extra fridge with a smaller Energy Star model will save money for years to come.

6. Cut congestion: For Yampa Valley Electric Association, demand for electricity is highest from 6-9 p.m. Shifting laundry, cooking and other high-energy activities to other times

can spread the usage and help the co-op save everyone money.

7. Use countertop conservation: The small appliances available today not only add convenience options for meal preparation, they also consume far less energy than the range top or oven. Consider slow cookers, microwave ovens, convection ovens, rotisser-ies, induction cooktops and other devices as alternatives.

8. Bulldog Btus: Air comfort level during heating season is a personal preference. Find comfortable settings that fit your family’s needs, set them and hold tight. Each one degree reduction can cut heating costs by as much as 5 percent.

9. Warm water: Heating water accounts for 12 percent of the average home’s energy use. Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees or lower, a sufficient temperature for a household’s hot-water needs. Consider replacing water heaters more than 12 years old with more energy-efficient units.

10. See savings: Consider replacing and discard-ing older home entertainment equipment like televisions, cable and satellite boxes, game systems and media drives. Newer mod-els generally use less energy.

Derrill Holly writes on cooperative issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

TEN WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY THIS WINTERBY DERRILL HOLLY

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