21 minute read
Co-op News
Three DIY Efficiency Projects To Tackle Today
YOU MAY THINK ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES REQUIRE A great deal of time and expense, but that’s not always the case. If you’re interested in making your home more efficient but don’t want to break the bank, there are several do-it-yourself projects you can tackle to increase energy savings. Let’s take a look at three inexpensive upgrades that can save energy throughout the year.
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Trim Dryer Vent Hose Level of difficulty: easy. Supplies needed: tin snips, gloves, measuring tape and masking tape. Estimated cost: about $25 depending on the supplies you already have.
If your dryer vent hose is too long, your dryer is working harder than it has to and using more energy than necessary. The vent hose should be long enough for you to pull the dryer out a couple feet from the wall and should form a line—it should not have a lot of slack, twists or curves. A shorter, unobstructed vent hose increases the efficiency of your dryer, allows for faster drying and reduces the buildup of lint, which is a potential fire hazard.
Simply measure, mark and trim the hose to the desired length, then reattach the hose to your dryer and exterior vent.
Seal Air Leaks Level of difficulty: moderate. Supplies needed: caulk and caulk gun, weatherstripping, gloves, putty knife, and paper towels. Estimated cost: $25 –$50 depending on the materials you purchase.
Sealing air leaks in your home can help you save 10%–20% on heating and cooling bills. Apply caulk around windows, doors, electrical wiring and plumbing to seal in conditioned air. You should also add weatherstripping around exterior doors, which can keep out drafts and help you control energy costs. Types of caulking and weatherstripping materials vary; ask your local hardware or home store for assistance if you’re unsure about the supplies you need. For more information, the U.S. Department of Energy provides step-by-step instructions for caulking and weatherstripping online at bit.ly/howtoseal. M A KS I M Y R E M E N KO | I STO C K .CO M
Insulate Attic Stairs Opening Level of difficulty: moderate. Supplies needed: rigid foam board, faced blanket insulation, tape for foam board, measuring tape, utility knife, caulk and caulk gun, and plywood. Estimated cost: $50–$100. A properly insulated attic is one of the best ways to optimize energy savings and comfort in your home, but many homeowners don’t consider insulating the attic stairs or the opening to their attic space. Even a well-insulated attic can leak air through the stairs opening. Luckily, there’s an easy fix. An insulated cover box can seal and insulate the attic stairs opening. You can build your own insulated cover box or purchase a prebuilt box or kit from a local home improvement store for about $60. If you decide to build your own, check out step-by-step instructions from the Department of Energy online at bit.ly/atticstairscover. If your attic opening is located in a garage that you do not heat and cool, this upgrade will not be as effective.
Test Your Power Line Safety Knowledge
Ways To Make Your Home Safer
IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, MAKE SURE UNUSED WALL OUTLETS HAVE SAFETY coverings. Unprotected wall outlets can be a hazard. Also: a Check that outlets and wall switches are cool to the touch. Unusual warmth may indicate unsafe wiring and should be checked by an electrician. a Ensure all outlets and switches are working properly. Faulty equipment may mean unsafe wiring. a All outlets and switches should have faceplates. Exposed wiring is a shock hazard. a Check that extension cords are correctly rated for the amount of electricity they are going to carry and are approved by a reputable safety standards organization. a Screw lightbulbs in securely. Loose bulbs may cause a fire or shock. a Check all electric cords for visible damage. Frayed cords can be dangerous. a To avoid excessive wear and cord damage, ensure that cords don’t run under rugs and don’t have furniture resting on them. a Do not nail or staple electric cords in place. Cord damage can result in a fire and shock hazard—and extension cords should only be used for temporary purposes. a If you have wet hands or are standing on a wet surface or in water, don’t touch or use any electrical device. a Small appliances (hair dryers, toasters, etc.) should be unplugged when not in use. Unattended, connected appliances create an unnecessary risk. a Keep all appliance cords away from hot surfaces (toasters, range tops, ovens, etc.). Cords can be damaged by excessive heat. a Check that all appliances and electric equipment are located away from the sink and bath. Appliances can kill if they come into contact with water. a In kitchens, bathrooms and anywhere there is water nearby, standard outlets should be replaced with ground-fault circuit interrupters. GFCIs provide shock protection by quickly cutting off the circuit and preventing injury. a Never insert any metal object, such as a fork, into an appliance. a Make sure you’re using the correct wattage and proper kind of lightbulb in all lighting fixtures. The wrong type of bulb can lead to overheating or fire. a Never leave space heaters unattended when in use.
TRUE OR FALSE? POWER LINES ARE insulated for contact. False. While power lines may have a covering to protect against weather, they are not insulated for contact. Birds can sit on power lines unhurt because they don’t represent a path to the ground. You and your ladder do. TRUE OR FALSE? I should keep myself and any equipment I’m using at least 10 feet away from any power lines. True. You don’t need to contact a power line to be in danger; electricity can jump, or arc, from a power line to a person who gets too close. The best insulator is lots of space. You should keep yourself and any equipment you’re using a minimum of 10 feet away from power lines, but far greater distances are recommended.
TRUE OR FALSE? I can be electrocuted by a power line even if I am wearing gloves and rubber boots. True. Work gloves and rubber boots offer no protection against contact with a power line. Once again, space—and lots of it—is the best insulator.
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On Board the Elissa
Sailing the historic tall ship out of Galveston is a hands-on experience
BY JOEY HELD
In the late 19th century, a cargo ship like the Elissa, now the Galvestonbased official tall ship of Texas, sailed with a crew of fewer than 20. The Elissa hosts a sail training program that draws groups of up to 120 for six-hour training cruises.
In its permanent home at Galveston’s Pier 21, the Elissa is maintained yearround by certified volunteer crew members who upgrade their skills by working the annual cruises. Others interested in learning the techniques required to sail the ship can take part by invitation.
Last spring, I accepted an invitation to join the group aboard the Elissa. Launched in 1877 in Aberdeen, Scotland, the threemasted, iron-hulled Elissa is one of just three ships of its kind in the world. Its 19 sails cover more than a quarter acre; and from the tip of the stern’s boom to the tip of the boom on the bow (sparred length), it measures 205 feet.
The crew that helps maintain the Elissa (40 members of our group) undertakes the seven-month course and spends 130 hours with the Galveston Historical Foundation, training on board and taking proficiency exams. The volunteers put in almost a million dollars’ worth of labor annually, according to port captain Mark Scibinico.
Mast captain Todd Grove offered a tutorial on technique and the meaning of basic commands. For example, stop pulling on ropes when you hear, “That’s well on the halyard.” I jumped at the chance to pull one of the ship’s 183 lines.
“Every single rope and sail work together,” says crew member David Bowers of Galveston. “You really have to stop and listen to the people bark these orders to understand what they’re saying.”
“It was amazing to watch all that manpower, watching them quickly climb up the masts,” says Ashley Shaw, a passenger from Birmingham, Alabama. “Not knowing the lingo made me appreciate their work even more.”
On our cruise, there was plenty of op - portunity to explore the ship. I mostly hung out on the main deck admiring the teamwork. As we sailed down the Galveston Channel, Grove pointed out a small buoy in the distance. When we passed it, we would be sailing the Gulf of Mexico.
That buoy also signified rougher waters. The trick for avoiding seasickness is to look at the horizon, but that’s not easy on a cloudy day. While conversing with a passenger, I felt my stomach rumble, as I sometimes experienced as a child. Back then, my mother was prepared with Dramamine or BioBands to combat motion sickness. I had neither.
During orientation, we were told to let loose over the edge if we felt nauseated. The only request? Do it downwind. As I neared the ship’s edge, I glanced at volunteer Aaron Stephens.
“Is this a good spot to throw up?” I asked.
“Yeah, not too bad,” Stephens said. I leaned over the edge while he brought me some crackers and an apple. Eating was the last thing on my mind, but he’d seen this before. “It sounds counterintuitive, but if you get sick, keep eating
and drinking,” Stephens said.
About halfway through the voyage, trainees unfurled the sails so we could head back toward Galveston. Despite my queasy stomach, I marveled at the sight. Volunteers scaled the rigging, navigated narrow walkways, leaped from one platform to another, untied ropes and let the sails fly. Commands bounced across the deck, and the passengers ceased talking and watched in awe.
After we reversed course, my seasickness returned. I went to my familiar spot
but soon felt a tap on my shoulder.
“When you’re able, can you move to the other side?” a volunteer asked. She reminded me I was now facing upwind. I groggily thanked her and went across the deck.
Even though my stomach was dancing, I loved the trip. Between the tall sails, the crew working together and hearing stories from the passengers, a ride on the Elissa is an exceptional experience.
Captain John Svendsen commends the volunteers for their work. “All the living history comes to life only with people,” he says. “This ship is a static piece of iron, rope and canvas without people.”
The visitors came from all walks of life, with their sunscreen, long sleeves and closed-toe shoes, to sail the Elissa. “That was really neat,” Shaw says. “You see older generations next to teenage kids, and they’re all so nice and friendly. They’ve got some great stories to share.” Writer Joey Held looks forward to more ropepulling adventures—though next time he sets sail, he’ll remember his Dramamine.
A Texan at Iwo Jima
RGV native among the immortals in the famous photo from 75 years ago
BY GENE FOWLER The high school seniors on the 1942 Weslaco Panthers football team formed a bond even stronger than most brothers of the gridiron. All eight of the young men finished their final year of high school in one semester so they could enlist in the Marines and fight for Uncle Sam in World War II. All but one survived the global conflict.
That Marine, Harlon Block, appears in one of the most reproduced images in history, the raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945. The photograph by The Associated Press’ Joe Rosenthal won a Pulitzer Prize, but because Block’s back was to the camera—he’s crouching on the far right—he was at first misidentified by military authorities as another Marine.
When Harlon’s mother, Belle Block, saw the photograph on the front page of
the Weslaco Mid-Valley Newson February 25, she exclaimed, “That’s Harlon!” Her intuition was affirmed in 1946, when Ira Hayes, a surviving flag raiser, visited Harlon’s father, Ed Block, in Weslaco and told him that his son was indeed in the photograph. Ed Block wrote his congressman, and an investigation confirmed the identity. Hayes, a member of the Pima tribe, is
further immortalized in the Peter La Farge song The Ballad of Ira Hayes, recorded by Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and others.
Block died in combat on Iwo Jima, just six days after the flag raising. He was 21. Block was first buried in the 5th Marine Division Cemetery at Mount Suribachi, then he was reinterred in Weslaco in 1949. He was reburied a second time in 1995, on
the grounds of the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen, beside the academy’s Iwo Jima Monument.
According to the son of one of Block’s high school teammates, all seven of the surviving football players served as pallbearers at both of his reinterments. Writer and author Gene Fowler specializes in art and history.
Pain and Aging?
Just Ask Christina. Christina Walker Chief Science Researcher
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Introducing the future of personal transportation.
It’s not a Wheelchair...
Also available in Black
It’s not a Power Chair... e Zinger folds to a mere 10 inches.
It’s a Zinger Chair!
More and more Americans are reaching the age where mobility is an everyday concern. Whether from an injury or from the aches and pains that come from getting older– getting around isn’t as easy as it used to be. You may have tried a power chair or a scooter. The Zinger is NOT a power chair or a scooter! The Zinger is quick and nimble, yet it is not prone to tipping like many scooters. Best of all, it weighs only 47.2 pounds and folds and unfolds with ease. You can take it almost anywhere, providing you with independence and freedom.
Years of work by innovative engineers have resulted in a personal electric vehicle that’s truly unique. They created a battery that provides powerful energy at a fraction of the weight of most batteries. The Zinger features two steering levers, one on either side of the seat. The user pushes both levers down to go forward, pulls them both up to brake, and pushes one while pulling the other to turn to either side. This enables great mobility, the ability to turn on a dime and to pull right up to tables or desks. The controls are right on the steering lever so it’s simple to operate, and its exclusive footrest swings out of the way when you stand up or sit down. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the Zinger is sturdy and durable yet convenient and comfortable! What’s more, it easily folds up for storage in a car seat or trunk– you can even gate-check it at the airport like a stroller. Think about it, you can take your Zinger almost anywhere, so you don’t have to let mobility issues rule your life. It folds in seconds without tools and is safe and reliable. It holds up to 275 pounds, and it goes up to 6 mph and operates for up to 8 miles on a single charge.
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