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Newton shows its heart

Residents coached on how to conserve energy, lower costs.

Robert C. Reed | Hickory Daily Record

Mia Bailey, with ElectriCities of North Carolina, shows Newton resident Stacy Puckett items which will help him save electricity.

By Dee Henry | Hickory Daily Record

Published: April 16, 2009

NEWTON - Representatives from the city of Newton and ElectriCities of North Carolina came bearing gifts for Stacy Puckett on Wednesday. They also offered advice on how Puckett can conserve electricity while staying comfortable this summer.

"I think these light bulbs will work," Puckett said while pulling items out of the kit he was given. "And this foam divider. It goes between the socket and the wall for insulation."

Wednesday was the first time the city of Newton participated in the "Day of Caring" sponsored by ElectriCities. Mia Bailey, of ElectriCities, Angie Harris-Ramseur of the city of Newton and Roy Burgess, coordinator of the city's collection and distribution, visited six residences during the morning, telling residents how to be more energy-efficient and how to reduce their utility bills. The kits distributed to residents included fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), a low-flow shower head, electrical outlet sealers, thermometers to test utilities' output and a device that alerts the resident when a HVAC filter needs to be replaced.

"This is a filter whistle," said Bailey. "When an air filter gets dirty, it will actually whistle."

She also showed Puckett a hot water gauge, which can be held under running tap water to see if adjustments to the hot water heater are needed.

The three also installed the devices when requested by the resident.

Harris-Ramseur said the day was just part of a "Going Green" initiative by the city of Newton. The initiative includes such incentives as rebates, one in the amount of $400 when a resident installs a 14-seer heat pump.

"The heat pump does cost more than a regular one, but you will make that money back in electrical savings," Harris-Ramseur said.

The idea behind the switch is that the larger heat pump uses less energy.

Harris-Ramseur said residents were chosen when the city's customer service staff pulled records of people with unusually high electric bills. People who requested assistance from the city also were included.

ElectriCities of N.C. is an organization of communities that operates its own public power services. The organization manages N.C. Municipal Power Agency Number 1, of which Newton is a member.

For more energy efficiency tips, go to www.ncpublicpower.com.