Click to enlarge

BY LYNETTE GEORGE

HERALD DEMOCRAT

How much energy can those compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs really save? Would it be better to replace the old air conditioning unit with a more energy efficient one or keep it and make other cost-saving changes? Is there a fun, interesting way to teach youngsters about energy conservation?

Find the answers to those and any other questions surrounding energy efficiency at the newly-launched Web site -- www.TexasIsHot.org -- and the TexasIsHot Coalition. The site is the brainchild of Russell Mullins, a 1994 graduate of Sherman High School and 1998 graduate of the University of Texas, and his friend, Matt Valdez, of Austin. Aiding Mullins and Valdez is Sherman High School graduate and former state representative, Curt Seidlits.

The free, educational site isn't geared towards getting viewers to "buy" anything, says Mullins. Rather, it's a tool to learn how to make homes and businesses more energy efficient and to encourage everyone, including children, to make conscious decisions on how energy is consumed. Viewers will see the latest in ideas, from simple fixes to major projects, in energy conservation. They can use a variety of interactive calculators to compute current and possible energy usage and savings in homes and businesses and can ask questions on the topic. There's even a special section especially for children - a section that offers an actual teaching curriculum for teachers and parents to use and fun, learning-filled activities for children of all ages.

"It actually happened by accident," says Mullins explaining how the site began. "It was last summer and I was looking on the Internet for stuff to make my house more energy efficient. I found a whole bunch of information about energy efficiency, but all were selling something. There was nowhere to go to educate me as opposed to getting me to buy something."

Mullins and his friend, Matt Valdez "put their heads together" and created in just one weekend a simple Web site giving quick and easy things to do for energy efficiency. They then emailed it out to about 200 family members and friends. From those 200 emails sent, Mullins and Valdez got almost 40,000 hits.

"We thought, 'Hey, people are looking for this information, so let's take this a little further'," said Mullins.

The two contacted Seidlits who had just retired and was interested in working with them on the project. The three of them then hired professionals to revamp and improve the Web site and help them in other areas. The result is positive, thus far.

"As of today, we've had 338,000 hits, so it seems to be going real well," said Mullins. "We're going to continue to build it. So far, lots of electric companies are involved to push the message (of how to be more energy efficient), and we're continuing to look for other sponsors. We want people from a wide range of businesses involved to push message and continuing to look for other sponsors, want people from wide range of businesses, not just electric companies."

Mullins has worked for the Association of Electric Companies of Texas, one of the Web site's sponsors, for 13 years. The association has seen the need for the site and is allowing him to work on it as his full-time job. He has also dealt with the Texas legislature and state agencies frequently and says energy efficiency is "one of the things the industry has always said was needed in order to have reliable power at affordable prices ... Up until recently, the average citizen hasn't been that concerned (with energy efficiency), but with the downturned economy, they're saying, 'Wait a minute. I'm paying a lot of money for my electric bill. If there any way to make it lower?' ... In addition to the environmental benefits (of becoming more energy efficient), the state doesn't have to produce as much energy which helps the environment. It's a good deal whether you're trying to save money or save the planet!"

To make sure the Web site meets the needs of the public, Mullins said they have done focus groups and polling of what people want to learn about energy conservation and what they want to avoid.

"Since the mid-1970s when people began talking about energy efficiency, there's been lots of snake oil salesmen. They've talked people into buying things, supposedly to save money, but it didn't," explains Mullins. "People are not real trusting of energy efficiency, so one of the things we're going to be is a trusted source and not give bad information. We want all the information on the Web site to be reliable and it's all been tested and calculated ... One of the things people will see (from viewing the Web site) is why energy efficiency is important and there are real simple things you can do around the house to lower consumption."

Mullins stresses that if the information a Web site visitor needs isn't already on the site, they want the visitor to send in their question or concerns. The answer will be found and the information added onto the Web site as well.

"We want the site to be interactive and fresh," said Mullins. "A big part of that is finding out what people want and ask for (on the site)."

Youngsters haven't been neglected on the site, either. Kids Corner has been specifically designed to teach children about energy, electricity, energy efficiency and more through games, coloring books and other fun-filled activities. The information includes everything from what energy is to how electricity is generated and beyond. Mullins, Valdez and Seidlits have even included actual lesson plans for teachers to use.

"We've already done some testing (with the lesson plans) and have gotten great response from teachers who used it in their classes ... The schools taught straight off of our Web site," said Mullins.