The Walton EMC Blog

Help your kids go green

 
 

These days, Dr. Suess isn't the only one getting kids to think green. While Green Eggs and Ham is still a favorite among children, green means a lot more to kids these days; they hear and talk about being "green" - energy efficient and environmentally friendly - all the time. But are you helping them to be green at home?

A person who is energy efficient as a child - consistently energy efficient - will likely practice those same energy efficient behaviors as an adult. So how do you encourage your children to save energy? Here are a few tips:

1. Make a game of it.

Who doesn't love a good game? Have a little friendly competition to see who can remember to turn off the most lights in a week. Or create an energy saving chart where you track progress and reward good behaviors like turning off the water while brushing teeth or closing blinds during the day with little treats.

2. Put in into perspective.

Kids naturally have a genuine concern for the world around us. Simply let them know that saving energy not only saves money, but also helps the environment. 

3. Set a good example.

As with anything else, it's important to practice what you preach. If you take a steaming hot 45-minute shower every day, you may not be sending the right message.

4. Watch the savings add up.

Follow your electric bill from month-to-month. If the bill is lower than the last month, place the difference in a jar. Tell the kids that once you've saved a certain amount of money in the jar, you'll use it for a fun activity.

5. Have a family night.

Turn off the TVs and computers for an evening and have a good old fashioned family night. Gather together in one room (and turn the lights off in all the others!) to play a board game.

For more fun ideas, check out Nickelodeon's Big Green Help site.

Have a special way you teach your children to save energy? We'd love to hear it in the comments!

Calling all energy users (that's you)

We're looking for a few families (Walton EMC customers) to spotlight in a future issue of the Realite (and possibly on our blog). We'll be comparing your energy habits and consumption with other families. Interested in being one of them? Email hmaynard@waltonemc.com.

When your power goes out

Have you ever wondered what happens when the power goes out? Yes, we all know it gets dark. But how do Walton EMC crews decide whose power to turn on first? 

No, it's not based on how friendly - or unfriendly - you are on the phone (though we appreciate a friendly voice), or whether or not you've ever commented on our blog (though we appreciate comments). 

Think of power restoration as a big to small concept - an upside down triangle, if you will. Our crews work to restore power to the most consumers first and tackle the small, isolated issues last. 

 

Toward the top of the triangle would be substations. Substations are the hubs that connect transmission lines to main circuits. Main circuits, just under substations in the triangle, carry power throughout our service territory. They are the backbone of our system. 

Moving down the triangle, below main circuits, are taps, which carry power to a smaller number of consumers (such as a subdivision) from the main circuits. And finally at the bottom there are service wires, supplying power to just one or two locations.

Obviously, it makes more sense to start at the top and work our way to the bottom. It would be pointless to prepare a service wire to a location if the tap was also out. For a more detailed description of the process, click here.

So that's what we do when the power goes out. Of course, there a lots more dedicated employees who work long hours to answer phones, alert the media to updates and other behind-the-scenes work, too.

There are also things you can do when the power goes out, from staying safe to making yourself a little more comfortable sans electricity. Our storm center is a great resource for all things outage related.

If your power goes out - reporting an outage and following updates

Power outages due to wintry weather are a possibility this time of year, but following certain methods to report your outage can mean a faster restoration time and less work for you. 

Follow our outage reporting tips if one occurs at your home or business. Our website makes it easy to report outages online via the storm center. In order to take advantage of this feature, we must have your correct phone number on file. To check, just look at your bill and be sure that the phone number matches the number you'll be calling from. If it needs to be updated, just call our call center at 770/267.2505 to update it soon.

 

Please don't try to report an outage via twitter, Facebook or the blog. We will be using all of those methods to keep you updated on outages, but our crews will be alerted to your outage much faster if you use on of the methods suggested on our website.

In addition to finding info here, on Facebook and on twitter, we'll also post regular updates to our website. You can find a map of current outages here.

Ready or not...

Winter is here. And so is the possibility of an ice storm. And of course with that comes the possibility of something we really don't like to talk about - power outages.

There's lots you can do to prepare for outages due to winter storms and also things that you can do once a storm hits to make "going without" a little easier. This week, we'll be blogging all about it, so check back to be sure you've got the 411 before the storms get here.

We're going to kick it off with things you can do to prepare in advance for a storm.

Of course we do all that we can to prevent outages from happening in the first place, including regular maintenance of our equipment as well as regular right-of-way maintenance. But in the event of wintry weather, heavy ice can pull down large limbs and power lines - something that can't be prevented.

It's always good to be prepared, though! Here's a checklist of items to be sure you have on hand:

• Light: Keep battery powered flashlights and lanterns with extra batteries in a place you can easily access.
• Water: if you are on a well, have plenty of clean water in jugs on hand for drinking. Also, fill up bathtubs with water for flushing toilets. 
• Food: You'll want to have non-perishable foods that don't have to be cooked - like peanut butter, crackers and canned fruit. 
• Heat: Have lots of extra blankets and clothes on hand. If you have a fireplace, be sure there is an adequate supply of wood.
• Information: Remember that cordless phones won't work if the power is out. And don't forget to charge your cell phone battery. If you have a phone that can access the internet, you'll be able to report outages and get storm updates straight from our website.
• Medical plans: Have a contingency plan already in place if you have someone with a medical necessity for electricity in your home. This includes back-up power, extra medical supplies or an alternate location.
• Standby power: This one's optional in most cases, but if you do have a generator, be sure that you have a properly installed transfer switch.

For more info on storm preparedness and lots of helpful links, check out our website.