Everyone from residents to schools cutting back on energy
use
By Kristen Munson and Marilyn Dubil
Morgan Hill –When the Gorman family received their Pacific Gas & Electric Company bill this month, they were prepared. Since the warnings first came out about soaring heating and electric bills this winter, the South County residents like many others across the region did all they could to avoid turning up the thermostat.
“When we heard about the fact that it was going to jump so high it was sweaters and the fireplace,” said Traci Gorman. The thermostat is programmed to switch on once the house goes below 60 degrees and the family uses gas for almost everything they own – the dryer, the oven, the stove – “because gas was cheapest at the time…” Gorman said.
Nevertheless, their heating bill increased about 50 percent and their electric bill was even higher. Their bill went up from $115 in November to more than $200 in December.
And, they aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch.
Morgan Hill resident Scott Drummond said though he has definitely noticed an increase in his bill, he has no plans to make changes in his energy consumption.
“I would like to go back and look at nuclear reactors,” he said Friday. “I think that’s something we need to consider.”
Many of PG&E’s 4.1 million natural gas customers in California will notice a spike in their gas bills this month.
“The primary reason for the increase that customers are seeing on their bills is a result of the hurricanes that hit last year,” said Jeff Smith, a PG&E spokesperson. “When all the natural gas production went off-line in the Gulf Coast, it created competition and has driven up the market prices … The bills are expected to be 40 to 50 percent higher than last year.”
The total average January gas bill is $156.42, however, the rate peak occurred in October with rates about 70 percent greater than in the same time in 2004. According to Smith, consumers didn’t notice the October increase as much because they aren’t usually turning on the heat until later in the winter season.
To lower bills, PG&E officials recommend turning the thermostat down to 68 degrees during the day, and to 56 degrees at night or while outside the house.
“If you can lower the thermostat to those temperatures, it will do wonders,” Smith said.
The Morgan Hill School District has been working on lowering thermostats and cutting energy costs for several years. Colette McLaughlin, director of facilities for the district, said that district offices were closed during the two-week winter break for the second year in a row.
“We’ve been taking an active stance over the past several years,” McLaughlin said Friday of the district’s conservation efforts. “We’ve saved $1 million over the past three years, and we continue to be vigilant, because we know that every penny spent on energy is a penny not spent directly on educating our students.”
Even though the increasing rates have made an impact on the district, McLaughlin said officials have reason to be grateful to PG&E.
“Over the break, we installed upgraded lighting at two of our schools,” she said. “The gyms at Live Oak and Britton have been fitted with special lights through a grant from PG&E. They provided free lights and the lamps, or light bulbs, and we provided the labor. This is great for us, for our students, because not only will the lights save us money, but it increases the lumens nearly three times.”
McLaughlin said the district and its conservation coordinator will continue to look for ways to spend less on energy.
Ted Uchida, owner of Zen Flower Garden in Gilroy, is one individual who has taken conservation advice to heart.
Though he leases out most of his greenhouses, the one on Monterey Street isn’t the balmy atmosphere one would expect. Uchida’s gas bill nearly doubled compared to last year.
“We’re not even heating this greenhouse this month. It’s just not worth it,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re just trying to make sure that our plants don’t freeze – that’s all we can do.”
Small heaters have been placed in the 10,000-square-foot greenhouse to prevent temperatures from dropping below 40 degrees.
“As far as growers are concerned, it is not worth putting (the heat) on in greenhouses,” Uchida said.
Energy Conservation Tips
- Insulate your home.
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Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater and use less hot water.
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Insulate your hot water heater.
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Replace single-pane windows with double-pane windows.
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Open your curtains on sunny days and let the sunshine naturally heat your home.
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Buy energy-efficient products labeled ENERGY STAR.
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Run dishwashers and dryers when full, let dishes dry naturally.
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Set computers to energy savings mode that turn off when not in use.
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Fix defective plumbing or dripping faucets.
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Caulk windows and shades to prevent air from coming inside.
Online
PG&E offers a number of rebates and incentives for those who reduce their energy usage. For more information, go to www.pge.com
