From the Manager's Corner on Carbon Emissions

I want to thank everyone that has participated in our “Change a Light Change the World” campaign. As the article on page one shows, not only do you lower your bill, but you also reduce your “carbon footprint”.

If you have not heard this jargon before, your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon emissions that we are each responsible for through our daily activities.  Electric generation and automobiles are two of the major sources of carbon emissions.

Carbon is a prime component of greenhouse gases which are believed to contribute to global warming. We are working with our power supply cooperative, Associated Electric Cooperative (AECI), to develop energy efficiency programs to help you further reduce your bills and reduce your carbon footprint. I expect us to begin the programs by the summer of 2009. 

 I was recently chastised by a member about an article in last month’s Highline Headlines that left open for debate as to whether the climate is getting warmer. While I don’t know how much is caused by us or by Mother Nature, I do know that the main point of the article, the cost of reducing carbon emission is going to be significant. Reducing our carbon emission is going to take huge sums of money, through higher energy cost, higher taxes or a combination of both.

RECare
 Once again, as we start into heating season, please do not forget our RECare. The majority of the families assisted by RECare are elderly or handicapped. While the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps these deserving people with their heating bills, most LIHEAP assistance goes to pay gas bills and doesn’t help these folks with their electric bills.  Your contribution to our RECare helps these folks served by Access Energy Cooperative. 
 
Happy Holidays
As we are about to exit 2007,  I want to take this opportunity on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Employees of Access Energy Cooperative, to thank you for your support of the cooperative during 2007 and wish you all a happy and safe holiday season. We look forward to serving you in 2008.