June 2016
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Today in Mississippi
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Our Homeplace
Fasten your seat belts; we’re heading into a hot summer ay’s weather was kind to Mississippi this year, although farmers in some areas didn’t appreciate the abundant rainfall so soon after planting. Most of us enjoyed an extended spring. Several cold fronts swept through, leaving sunny skies and keeping temperatures below the 90s. The nights were cool too. If only it would continue. More typical summer weather will settle in this month. Many hot, humid days are ahead and probably won’t let up until mid-September. I hope our air conditioners can hang in there. Extreme heat is tough on the home budget too. A home without adequate insulation and energy-efficient appliances and windows will use a great deal more electricity to maintain the same comfort level as one that does. Simple changes in daily habits will help reduce a home’s energy use, however. Those living in rental properties have fewer options for improving the energy efficiency of their homes, but there are things they can do as well. Here are some suggestions for any home: • Your cooling system is the No. 1 user of electricity in the summer. Raising the thermostat as high as you can stand it will have the biggest impact on your power bill. Start by setting it at 78 degrees F, and rely more on ceiling or portable fans to cool your skin and circulate the air. They use much less energy than air conditioning. • Change (or clean) your air conditioner’s filter often, about once a month—more frequently if you have indoor pets. A clean filter allows your air conditioner to run far more efficiently and with less wearand-tear on the compressor. • Keep in mind that hot water use is another major contributor to your power bill. Plan to take shorter showers and wash laundry in cold water. • Wait until evening, when temperatures drop, to turn on the dishwasher, stove, oven or clothes dryer. Open the dishwasher to let dishes air dry, and set the clothes dryer to low. Better yet, use a clothesline
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On the cover Suburban Nancy Gayle, a daylily hybridized by Earl Watts, was selected as a Mississippi Medallion winner for 2015. Earl and his wife, Barbara, operate Suburban Daylilies at their home in Lamar County. Their daylily garden is an official American Hemerocallis Society Display Garden, and open to the public. Meet these Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association members on page 4.
to dry laundry. • Use the microwave more. It can provide the most efficient way to cook single food items without the heat. A microwave uses lower wattage to operate and can cut cook time in half. • Enjoy no-cook meals centered on salads, sandwiches or fruits. • Plan for leftovers of foods that require boiling water or a hot oven. If you cook eggs, pasta or rice, cook extra for use another day. Same with baked potatoes; throw a few more into the oven to make potato salad or mashed potatoes later. • Use the toaster oven, slow cooker and pressure cooker instead of the oven. These handy appliances use less energy and generate less heat than a standard oven. • Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact My Opinion fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or Michael Callahan light-emitting diodes Executive Vice President/CEO (LEDs). Incandescent light Electric Power Associations of Mississippi bulbs give off 90 percent of their energy as heat, not light. That’s lost energy! CFLs and LEDs cost more but they give off no heat, last far longer and use way less energy. To identify high-quality bulbs with the greatest energy savings, choose bulbs that carry the ENERGY STAR label. • Reduce the moisture in your home by running exhaust fans while bathing or cooking. Reducing the humidity level in the home will make the air feel cooler and help prevent mold growth. When you use less electricity, your power bill drops. It’s as simple as that. To find more ways to save, go to Energy.gov.
Today in Mississippi OFFICERS Keith Hurt - President Tim Smith - First Vice President Barry Rowland - Second Vice President Randy Smith - Secretary/Treasurer
EDITORIAL STAFF Michael Callahan - CEO Ron Stewart - Sr. VP, Communications Mark Bridges - Manager, Support Services Debbie H. Stringer - Editor Elissa Fulton - Communications Specialist Trey Piel - Digital Media Manager Rickey McMillan - Graphics Specialist Linda Hutcherson - Administrative Assistant
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ON FACEBOOK Vol. 69 No. 6 EDITORIAL OFFICE & ADVERTISING 601-605-8600 Acceptance of advertising by Today in Mississippi does not imply endorsement of the advertised product or services by the publisher or Mississippi’s Electric Power Associations. Product satisfaction and delivery responsibility lie solely with the advertiser. • National advertising representative: National Country Market, 800-626-1181 Circulation of this issue: 435,526 Non-member subscription price: $9.50 per year
The Official Publication of the Electric Power Associations of Mississippi Today in Mississippi (ISSN 1052-2433) is published eleven times a year (Jan.-Nov.) by Electric Power Associations of Mississippi, Inc., P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300, or 665 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157. Phone 601-605-8600. Periodical postage paid at Ridgeland, MS, and additional office. The publisher (and/or its agent) reserves the right to refuse or edit all advertising. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Today, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158-3300
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This time of year, nature shows us who’s really in charge of the beautification of our world. These amaryllis blooms practically shout for attention.
Mississippi is Mississippi to me is home; home is where the heart is. Mississippi to me is a place where colors blend, A place where laws open doors but love opens hearts. Mississippi is the place where friends and neighbors come in all colors, A place where a helping hand is extended to a stranger And everyone is considered your neighbor. A place where “I’m sorry” is shown in action, not words, A place where your church home means family. Mississippi is a place where you meet God daily, Not just on Wednesday night or Sunday morning. A place where “yes, ma’am” is a badge of respect for everyone As a token of love from God above. Mississippi will always be the place I call home. —Dorothy E. Smith, Forest Mississippi is front porch sitting and tobacco spitting. I was born and raised in central Mississippi (Kemper County) where catfish was king. Many locals would sit for hours on a creek bed or pond, awaiting the bite of their day’s meal. Mississippi is visiting the grandparents’ home on Sunday afternoon for time to relate with numerous cousins and eat bountiful home-grown foods. Hearing the chirping of crickets as the days become nights. Mississippi is awaiting the start of football season in the fall and participating in the homecoming parade and game that excite the community. The backdrop of tall pine trees and blooming of the state tree, the magnolia (which is not seen here in Texas). Mississippi is my home! —Floyd L. Henson, Austin, Texas
What’s Mississippi to you? What do you treasure most about life in our state? Send your thoughts to Today in Mississippi, P.O. Box 3300, Ridgeland, MS 39158, or to news@epaofms.com. Please keep your comments brief. Submissions are subject to editing for length and clarity.
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