Illinois
Currents News • Legislation • Trends • Research •

Farmers reflect on their visibility

Farmers could give highway safety a jump-start by installing high-tech reflectors on farm equipment. Illinois State Police statistics report injury or death in 67 percent of farm-car collisions. Many of these accidents happen when cars traveling 50 to 60 miles per hour suddenly come up behind slow-moving, poorly lit farm equipment in the dark.

Following visibility standards issued by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers could make farm equipment less hazardous on the roads. Among other things, the guidelines require: reflectors both front and back on the outermost tips of machinery more than eight feet wide; alternating day and night reflectors all across the rear of implements wider than 12 feet; night reflectors at the back of trailing equipment longer than four feet; and side reflectors on equipment longer than 16 feet.

The recommended reflectors are adhesive strips in red and yellow (for night use) and fluorescent orange (for day). Made of retro-reflective material, they're about 10 times brighter than what is on most equipment now. Inexpensive kits are available at grain elevators, Farm Bureau offices, chemical and equipment dealers, and farm supply stores and through farm catalogs.

There are steps you can take now to avoid becoming a state police statistic. Clean your existing reflectors, check lights and blinkers, use back roads and avoid heavily traveled routes, pick times when those roads are less busy, drive defensively, and use both courtesy and caution.

Co-op scholarship winners

Students from Shelbyville and Tuscola have won $1,000 scholarships from the Illinois Electric Cooperative (IEC) Memorial scholarship fund. Katherine Marie Brix, daughter of John and Sandra Brix, was selected in the competition for children of electric cooperative members. Her parents are members of Shelby Electric Cooperative. Tim Heyen, son of R. Joe Heyen, line foreman for Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative, won in competition for sons and daughters of electric cooperative employees or directors.

Katherine is senior at Shelbyville High School and is active in a wide variety of school and community activities. She plans to attend the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Tim, a senior at Tuscola High School, also is very active in school and community activities. He plans to attend Bradley University.

For information about the IEC scholarship, contact your local electric cooperative.

AUGUST 1999 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 5

When off doesn't mean totally off

You would think your TV, other electronics and small household appliances wouldn't use electricity when you turn them off. Wrong. TVs, VCRs, microwaves and other small appliances constantly draw electricity. Standby electricity powers clock displays, transformers for recharging portable devices, memory for programmable appliances, and remote control sensors that activate appliances at the touch of a button. Standby electricity often powers nothing more than integrated circuits that are not in use. This standby power demand is just one of the reasons your meter continues to spin even while you are away from home.

The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released a report detailing how much energy is used to provide standby power. The report also covers alternative design options to reduce the waste, which is estimated to total between 37 and 45 billion kwh annually in the United States. Policy approaches have been adopted or are being considered in the United States, Europe, and Japan to stop this inefficiency.

Chance of serious Y2k power supply troubles slim

Electric industry officials report that it appears increasingly unlikely that U.S. and Canadian utility systems will have any significant operational problems associated with the rollover to the year 2000.

In a report to the U.S. Department or Energy (DOE), the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) said it has tested more than half the industry's mission-critical components and believes that Y2K problems will have "minimal impact on electric system operators in North America."

"Our real expectation is that any problems we do have will be invisible to customers," said Gerry Cauley, NERC's Y2K reliability coordinator. Cauley added that "in the extreme worst-case scenario" outages would be measured in hours.

DOE last year asked NERC to coordinate industry efforts to resolve Y2K problems. The council is expected to submit its final report to DOE in June.

Most of the operating systems governing power generation, transmission and distribution are analogue-based and largely immune to Y2K problems, Cauley said. Of the digital systems in use, Cauley said they do not expect to encounter problems that would rise above the "nuisance" level.

Sources: North American Electric Reliability Council and Electric Power Daily

Historic home features geothermal heat pump

A historic home in St. Charles, the third oldest settlement in Missouri, is now using the latest in heat and cooling technology, a geothermal heat pump.

The home, built in 1890, is adjacent to an old brewery recently turned into a banquet center and winery called the Cavern Springs Winery. The brewery operated from 1851 to 1972 (even through prohibition with nonalcoholic brews). The winery has 5,000 to 7,000 square feet of cellars located 50 feet underground, which were used to store beer. Now the cellars are used for aging wine and wine tasting parties.

The historical 9,600 square-foot, three-story home, now features two WaterFurnace Premier units totaling 11 tons for heating and cooling and two Premier Plus units for domestic hot water. The units use an open loop system to pump water from a spring, which used to be the main water supply for early settlers.

Since the system uses units located in the attic and the basement rather than noisy, outdoor units, the system preserves the integrity of the historical surroundings.

With a background in architecture, Jim Reid, owner of the home and winery, knew the value of geothermal systems. After talking to three contractors, he decided on Peters Heating & Air Conditioning because of the excellent reference they offered him. Peters Heating & Air Conditioning has been in business for 43 years and is the largest residential WaterFurnace dealer in the country, with headquarters in Quincy.

Benefits of geothermal heating and cooling include up to 60 percent lower operating costs than traditional HVAC systems. To learn more about geothermal technology, contact your local heat pump dealer or electric co-op.

6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING AUGUST 1999

How to childproof your home

About 2.5 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that using simple child safety devices on the market today can prevent many of these incidents. Remember that these devices are not completely childproof. Determined youngsters can disable them.

1. Use safety latches and locks for cabinets and drawers in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas. The cost is less than $2 for a lock or latch.

2. Safety gates help prevent falls down stairs and to keep children away from dangerous areas for about $13 to $40.

3. Doorknob covers and door locks to help prevent children from entering rooms and other areas with possible dangers. A cover sells for about $1 while a lock can be purchased for $5 and up.

4. Install anti-scald devices on faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Cost: $6 to $30 each.

5. Smoke detectors can be installed on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires for under $10 apiece.

6. Window guards or safety netting to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings. Cost: $8 to $16.

7. Corner and edge bumpers can prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces. Cost $1 and up.

8. Outlet covers and outlet plates can be installed at a cost of less than $2 to help prevent electrocution.

9. Carbon monoxide detector should be installed outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning. These devices sell for $30 to $70.

10. Cut window blind cords and use safety tassels to help prevent children from strangling in blind cord loops.

11. Use door stops and door holders to help prevent injuries to fingers and hands. The cost under $4.

12. Use a cordless telephone to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they're in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas. Cordless phones cost as little as $30. For more information, contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772 or visit their Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Sources: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in conjunction with, CNA Insurance

Illinois vehicle wins ethanol race

The University of Illinois took first place honors in the 1999 Ethanol Vehicle Challenge, an engineering competition designed to advance automotive technology using E85 (85% ethanol-15% gasoline). Fourteen other universities competed and the result was significant improvements in fuel economy and emissions. The event also provides real world answers on how ethanol can help meet society's future environmental goals.

This year's challenge was to convert a 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 4x4 Full-Size Pickup to operate on E85. Following the competition, the teams embarked on a two and a half day, 600-mile road rally through Michigan, Indiana and Illinois.

Sponsors of the Challenge include the U.S. Department of Energy, General Motors, Natural Resources Canada, Renewable Fuels Association, Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, State of Nebraska, National Corn Growers Association, Governors' Ethanol Coalition, Williams Ethanol Services, Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and others.

Co-op development thrives in U.S.

The United States is emerging as fertile ground for co-op development, with new energy co-ops taking root in many parts of the country with the help of some friends in the business.

This evolving cooperative development movement has been spurred by heightened consumer interest in the cooperative business model. As competition pervades the electric industry, more consumers are embracing the cooperative enterprise as an effective means to aggregate marketplace and political influence.

Ed Yaker who is a founding member of 1st Rochdale Cooperative in New York City credited several electric co-ops for helping to get the New York co-op off the ground, adding that it was cooperation among cooperatives that made its launch so successful.

For 1st Rochdale, the list of allies included NRECA, North Carolina EMC, ACES Power Marketing (Southern Illinois Power Cooperative, Marion, is a member of ACES), the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, and the Cooperative Response Center.

Another friend in the business of co-op development is the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC) and its affiliate, the National Cooperative Services Corporation. NCSC recently established a million-dollar Cooperative Development Grant Program to develop new co-ops that supply energy services or to help existing co-ops reach out to provide energy services to new customers. The initiative makes grants of up to $100,000 to help form new co-ops or to assist existing electric co-ops seeking to provide energy services.

Electric co-ops serve 30 million consumers in the United States. With new cooperatives being developed because of deregulation that number could double in the next five to 10 years. Surveys show that if given a choice, consumers would choose a co-op.

AUGUST 1999 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING   7

Your electric co-op does not endorse insurance companies

Illinois Country Living readers recognize that this magazine occasionally carries advertising material from insurance companies. Several of these companies are longtime advertisers in the magazine.

The magazine staff makes every effort to determine the legitimacy of these companies, but none are endorsed by your local cooperative or the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives (AIEC), the organization that publishes this magazine.

We would like to inform Illinois Country Living readers about one insurance company that has confused some of our readers in the past. For many years, Reserve National Insurance has used direct mail, telephone and in person direct marketing to rural Illinoisans, many of them electric cooperative members. In past marketing efforts they imply that they have an affiliation with the electric cooperatives.

Their envelope return address says: A National Association of Rural Co-Operative Members, Oklahoma City, OK. The envelope also says: "ATTENTION - RURAL CO-OPERATIVE MEMBERS NOW QUALIFY FOR A GROUP HOSPITALIZATION PLAN THAT PAYS OUTPATIENT EXPENSES. IMMEDIATE REPLY REQUESTED." Inside there is a questionnaire form with the heading: "RURAL CO-OPERATIVE MEMBERS QUESTIONNAIRE." Only in the fine print at the bottom do they state: "This plan is independent of, and not affiliated, associated, or endorsed by any national electric association or any local Farmers, Electric, Telephone or other rural co-operative."

We want to make it perfectly clear that the Illinois electric cooperatives do not endorse Reserve National Insurance, nor is there any connection with the company and its insurance products.

Keeping your cool for less

The average air-conditioned American home uses around 2,000 kwh of electricity per year for cooling. But you can enjoy the comfort of air conditioning without paying a fortune for it. Here are a few ideas to help you keep your cool:

• Every two degrees you raise your thermostat setting saves up to five percent of your higher cooling costs. Try to keep your thermostat set at about 78 degrees. You can probably go to a higher setting if you also use ceiling fans or other types of fans. A programmable thermostat will let you set your thermostat even higher while you're away.

• Whenever possible, avoid using the range and oven, which add a lot of heat to the house. Opt for the microwave, which is more energy-efficient, cook on the outdoor grill, or serve a cold dinner for a nice treat on a hot night.

• Save chores that add humidity to the indoor air such as dishwashing, laundry, mopping and the like for cooler hours. The more moisture you put into the air, the harder your cooling system has to work.

• Make sure your system has been serviced by a qualified HVAC contractor.

New Web Site For Kids

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unveiled a new and improved "Kid Safety" web site. The site is designed to educate children about safety issues that they encounter every day, from hazards around the home to preventing injuries while playing sports.

Located at www.cpsc.gov/kids/kidsafety/index.html, the CPSC kids web site is designed for children ages 8 to 12. Featured on the site are: a memory game, which is disguised as a virtual home full of safety tips; a hangman game, which provides clues to safety terms; an interactive safety game, which challenges the player to catch the safety items, but dodge unsafe items and a few puzzles, to test a child's overall safety knowledge.

CPSC protects the public from the unreasonable risk of injury or death from 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury and for information on CPSC's fax-on-demand service, call CPSC's hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC's teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270.

To lose weight eat your vegetables

Feel hungry right after a big meal? Chances are you ate carbohydrate-containing foods that caused a rapid spike in your blood sugar. This musters extra insulin into the blood. But the high insulin makes blood sugar crash and suppresses the fat fuels as well, leading to that famished feeling that makes you overeat. That's what happened in a study by researchers at Children's Hospital in Boston and the USDA research center at Tufts. The study is the first solid evidence that carbohydrate foods with a high glycemic index (GI) — those which are rapidly digested and absorbed — contribute to obesity.

The researchers concluded that high-GI meals induce a sequence of hormonal and metabolic changes that promote overeating in obese people.

About one-fifth of U.S. children and one-third of adults are now overweight, despite a drop in fat intake over recent years. Most starchy foods commonly eaten in North America have a high GI. Also, many of the low-fat foods that have flooded grocery shelves are also high in calories.

Some starchy foods have GI's up to 50 percent higher than even table sugar. Sources of concentrated sugars, such as sodas and fruit juices, also have a high GI. By contrast, vegetables, legumes and fruits generally have a low GI.

8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING AUGUST 1999