OLORADO LIVING C by Leigh Fortson Western Region According to Consumer Reports, the nationwide average cost of regular gas in October 2007 was $2.87. Diesel was $3.16. Since then, it has fl uctuated dramatically, reaching as high as $5.00 a gallon. Who knows what tomorrrow will bring. The non-profi t Smart Energy Living Alliance www.smartenergyliving. org states that the average house leaks 50-60 percent of its conditioned air every hour. Plus, an average home is responsible for two times as much pollution as the average car. Every step we can take to conserve energy will translate into saving money. There are lots of things you can do in your home—you’ve probably considered doing them before. With hair-raising fuel prices, your efforts will pay off now more than ever before. First, think about having a detailed energy audit conducted on your home. These audits can identify the source of your home’s greatest energy loss and advise you about how to fi x them. You may be surprised that most air leaks out from utility cut- throughs for plumbing pipes, gaps around chimneys and recessed lights, and unfi nished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Fall 2008 Happenings on the Western Slope-Northwest Area To fi nd a qualifi ed auditor: •Go to the Residential Energy Services Network: www.resnet.us/about/default.htm •Conduct a do-it-yourself audit via the Governor’s Energy Offi ce www.colorado.gov/energy/ or the Smart Energy Living webpage: smartenergyliving. org/Library/EnergyLogic.lowres.pdf •The Department of Energy also has good information: www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/ Meanwhile, follow these simple suggestions provided by the American Council for Energy Effi ciency www.aceee.org. These steps really do save energy, which means they really do save you money. Turn off the lights even if you’re leaving a room for just a few minutes. • Use compact fl uorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Due to mercury contents, • dispose of them according to directions. Purchase an Energy Star programmable thermostat that can set the best • temperatures for waking hours, sleeping hours and while you’re away. Change the air fi lter on your heating and air conditioning units once a month • and get them inspected every two to three years. Insulate your water heater with a blanket from the hardware store. Also, • reduce the water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Buy low-fl ow showerheads and faucet aerators. • Insulate hot water pipes and ducts in areas where there is no heat. • Unplug products when not in use. That includes cell • phone chargers, hair dryers, toasters, blenders, etc. Use a power strip with an on/off switch for home electronics such as computer, DVD players, and stereos. Cutting Energy Costs From Gas Guzzling to Green Goin’ by Leigh Fortson Looking for a more fuel effi cient car? Go to greencars.org, a non-profi t that can help you select the best (and worst) value for the class and comfort you’re after. They provide comparative charts for all kinds of vehicles— not just hybrids—so you can know which truck, van, SUV, or compact best suits your needs. The good news is that cars that most of us only dream of—Lamborghini Roadsters and certain Mercedes Benz—rank low because they’re the most offensive to our wallets and the environment. The vehicles that most of us are looking to actually buy are easiest on the air we breathe and at the fuel pump. More energy saving tips: •Don’t warm up your car when it’s cold. Just drive “gently” for the fi rst few minutes •Avoid idling your car. It wastes more gas than turning it off, even for short periods of time About Energy Star The next time you need a new major appliance, purchase one with the ENERGY STAR label. You’ll fi nd it on refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers, central and room air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, lighting fi xtures, compact fl uorescent bulbs, and numerous electronic appliances. Go to www.energystar.gov/ and select the appliance category you are searching for at the top left-hand corner. Once on the appliance page, look for “Product Lists” near the top right-hand corner of the page. Here’s an idea of what you’ll save with Energy Star products: •Freezers use at least 10% less energy than older products. •Compact refrigerators and freezers use 20% less energy than old and larger units. •Dishwashers save 25% more energy. •Air conditioners save 10% more energy. •Clothes washers use 50% less energy than those manufactured before 1994. 2 Western Slope- Tri River area Colorado Living Fall, 2008 They taste the same. That’s what Routt County Extension agent Karen Massey says, anyway. Her offi ce hosted a food dehydration workshop on July 29th and participants got to taste some samples. Master food safety advisor and class instructor Gina Hackett said her children prefer the dehydrated yogurt to candy. “It’s a good way to get your kids to eat it,” Hackett said. Massey said about 20 people attended the course, putting it close to capacity. “There is just a lot of interest right now in Routt County surround- ing food preservation,” she said. According to Massey, those who are interested include people who want to buy and store locally produced food, as well as backpackers who want healthy dried food to take on hikes. This course was the Extension offi ce’s fi rst on food de- hydration. Hackett, who lives on a ranch about 10 miles from Muddy Pass toward Walden, taught it with Candi Loftsgard. Hackett said she has been dehydrating food for 25 or 30 years. She started doing it out of necessity for her family, and she dehydrates or cans just about everything. Hackett tries to preserve enough food for a whole year. She also makes her own seasonings through dehydration. The Similarities between Dehydrated Yo gurt and Cheesecake “It’s relaxing for me, and it’s really fulfi lling when you look at the pantry and have your food stacked up for the win- ter,” she said. “A lot of the time, you can’t get out to go to the grocery store anyway.” Hackett also is knowledge- able about food safety. “Food preservation is one of those things where if you do it wrong, you could really be making somebody sick,” Massey said. “She’s gone through a lot of training for good standards of preservation of food.” Hackett recommends people buy a commercial dehydra- tor if they want to preserve food that way. She has taught classes before and said people tend to pick up the process quickly. “There’s nothing hard to it,” she said. “After you learn your basics, there’s nothing hard to it at all.” Preventing harmful fumes from accumulating inside your home and other enclosed spaces is imperative. Fuel-burning appliances including wood stoves, fi replaces, furnaces, gas stoves, clothes dryers, and gas burning space heaters should be in- spected by a professional annually to ensure they are in good work- ing condition and that vents, fl ues, and chimneys are connected and in good condition. Whenever possible, appliances that vent their fumes outside should be purchased. Fumes from gasoline-powered engines can build up inside an en- closed area very quickly. Therefore, an automobile should never be left idling in a garage even if the garage door is open. A gas, propane, or charcoal grill should never be used indoors. Small gasoline-powered engines and tools such as lawn- mowers, chain saws, weed trim- mers, or generators should not be used in enclosed spaces. Many of these initial symptoms are similar to those of the fl u or food poisoning. If high levels of carbon monoxide persist, victims can faint, become unconscious, and death may result. Infants, small children, elderly people, and people with anemia or a history of heart or re- spiratory conditions are most at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms should not be ignored especially if more than one person in the home is experiencing them. If someone suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, call 911. Carbon monoxide detectors can help protect your family from carbon monoxide poisoning. These devices alert your family of unsafe levels in your home. However, carbon monoxide detectors are not the “end all” to safe-guarding your family against carbon monoxide poisoning. Prevention is equally important. Follow the manufac- turer’s recommended instructions on installation and placement in the home since these devices do not work the same as smoke detectors. A recent tragedy close to home served as a stark reminder to me and my husband that we did not have a carbon monoxide detector in our house. Of all the precautions we take to make our home a safe place for our family, this was not even on our radar. It also never occurred to us that carbon monoxide is the lead- ing cause of poisoning deaths in the United States, with over 500 deaths annually. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced whenever a fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. When fuel-burning appliances such as stoves, furnaces, clothes dryers, fi replaces and spaces heaters are maintained and used properly, hazardous amounts of carbon mon- oxide are usually not produced. However, dangerous levels can accumulate if appliances are in disrepair or are used incorrectly. Carbon monoxide can also rise to dangerous levels from an idling car or a gasoline-powered engine or tool such as lawnmower or genera- tor operating in an enclosed garage or space. Initial symptoms of carbon mon- oxide poisoning include headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. Carbon monoxide detectors can be purchased at most home improvement stores and cost $20 or more. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning-Keeping Your Family Safe by Rhonda Follman, Tri River Area director and family & consumer science agent Overview of Fall Gardening Chores by Yvette Henson, director, San Miguel County and natural resources agent General • Winterize irrigation system • Turn compost • Clean beds of debris that can harbor disease and insects • Mulch • Harden plants/ deep watering • Plant spring-blooming bulbs Perennials • Cut back dead stems, except for crown protection and food and shelter for small wildlife • Divide and transplant • Plant new Annuals • Pot up any plants want to bring indoors and place near sunny window • Sow seed for self-seeding types (California poppies, love-in-a-mist, cosmos, etc.) Vegetables • Harvest warm-season crops before frost • Tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, squash, etc. • Harvest cool season crops after frost • Cabbage, carrots, brussels sprouts, etc. Lawn • Fertilize • Aerate • Mow to 2” (never cut more than 1/3) • Apply vole repellant and fungicides Shrubs/ Trees • Plant or transplant evergreens • Apply anti-desiccant to ever greens • Prune and discard diseased, damaged wood For answers to your gardening questions 24/7 visit Planttalk Colorado: www.planttalk.org You can also subscribe to an updated podcast from PlantTalk Colorado by visiting the link above. Native Plant Master® Program by Susan Rose, Tri River Area horticulture education We are very excited in the Tri River Area to be participating in the Native Plant Master® Program, which has now gone statewide. The courses for this program take place in the fi eld on three consecutive Saturdays. Participants learn to identify native plants using a key, and become familiar with their botanical names. Alien spe- cies are also identifi ed, and the importance of environmental stewardship is woven through- out the course. We are currently teaching the courses at three wonderful and diverse sites: the Colorado National Monument, the Black Canyon of the Gunni- son, and on Grand Mesa. Check our Web site: westernslopegardening.org this fall for dates and locations for 2009. COLORADO LIVING is a publication of Colorado State University Extension 4040 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, Colorado 80523-4040 (970) 491-3813 FAX 491-3722 Joanne Littlefi eld - Leigh Fortson - Meg Wilson Editors October 2008 Colorado State University Extension’s programs are available to all without discrimination. The information contained herein is provided as a public service with the understanding that Colorado State University makes no warranties or endorsements, either expressed or implied. Colorado State University Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Colorado counties cooperating. Kiowa ........................................ (719) 438-5321 Kit Carson .................................. (719) 346-5571 La Plata ..................................... (970) 247-4355 Larimer ...................................... (970) 498-6000 Las Animas ................................ (719) 846-6881 Lincoln ....................................... (719) 743-2542 Logan ........................................ (970) 522-3200 Mesa ......................................... (970) 244-1834 Mineral ...................................... (719) 852-7381 Moffat ....................................... (970) 824-9180 Montezuma ............................... (970) 565-3123 Montrose .................................. (970) 249-3935 Morgan ..................................... (970) 542-3540 Otero ......................................... (719) 254-7608 Park .......................................... (719) 836-4289 Phillips ...................................... (970) 854-3616 Prowers ..................................... (719) 336-7734 Pueblo ....................................... (719) 583-6566 Rio Blanco ................................. (970) 878-4093 Rio Blanco ................... (Branch) (970) 675-2417 Rio Grande-Saguache ................ (719) 852-7381 Routt ......................................... (970) 879-0825 San Miguel ................................ (970) 327-4393 Sedgwick ................................... (970) 474-3479 SLV Area Offi ce .......................... (719) 852-7381 Summit ..................................... (970) 668-3595 Teller ......................................... (719) 689-2552 Washington ............................... (970) 345-2287 Weld ......................................... (970) 304-6535 Yuma ......................................... (970) 332-4151 Adams ........................................(303) 637-8100 Alamosa .................................... (719) 852-7381 Arapahoe .................................. (303) 730-1920 Archuleta ................................... (970) 264-5931 Baca .......................................... (719) 523-6971 Bent ........................................... (719) 456-0764 Boulder .................................... (303) 678-6238 Broomfi eld ................................ (720) 887-2286 Chaffee ...................................... (719) 539-6447 Cheyenne ................................... (719) 767-5716 Conejos ..................................... (719) 852-7381 Costilla ...................................... (719) 852-7381 Crowley ................................ (719) 267-4741 x7 Custer ........................................ (719) 783-2514 Delta .......................................... (970) 874-2195 Denver ....................................... (720) 913-5270 Dolores ...................................... (970) 677-2283 Douglas ..................................... (720) 733-6930 Eagle ......................................... (970) 328-8630 El Paso ...................................... (719) 636-8920 Elbert ......................................... (719) 541-2361 Elbert ................. (Branch offi ce) (303) 621-3162 Fremont ..................................... (719) 276-7390 Garfi eld ..................................... (970) 625-3969 Gilpin ........................................ (303) 582-9106 Grand .........................................(970) 724-3436 Gunnison ................................... (970) 641-1260 Huerfano ................................... (719) 738-2170 Jackson ..................................... (970) 723-4298 Jefferson ................................... (303) 271-6620 Extension County Offi ce Phone Numbers Visit us online: www.ext.colostate.edu