It’s been a number of years since the telephone industry was deregulated. The thought of having only one choice in telephone service providers sounds ridiculous to today’s generation. In most areas of life in the United States, we have options to choose from. Fair competition in the marketplace is one of the cornerstones that our country was built upon. In spite of that, consumers and businesses, in most places, don’t have a choice when it comes to their electric power provider.

Most people are also under the mistaken assumption, that the power company which sends them a bill each month, is the same company which has generated the electricity they are consuming. This perception comes from a lack of understanding of how our power system works.

Power plants produce the electricity that feeds into the massive interconnected delivery system that is now referred to as the power grid. It is that power grid that then delivers the electricity to your local area and eventually to your home or business.

Your local power provider is responsible for servicing the lines and is your connecting point for payment and issues related to that electrical service, regardless of where that energy originated from.

Deregulation would not change who serviced your local power lines, or who your local power company was. The option it would give consumers, is the ability to choose the which power source receives the payment for the electricity billed through your local service.

Listed below are ten reasons why more states should consider deregulating electricity.

1. Consumer price options Flat or variable. One of the possibilities available with deregulation is giving the consumer the option of paying a flat or variable rate for their energy usage. Many propane dealers have given this option to their customers in the past. The propane customer would have the option of a contract that was set at a fixed rate per gallon for the year with no fluctuation, or they could have a standard contract where the price per gallon fluctuated with the market.
2. Green source support. With the ability to choose your power source, the consumer that desires to support green energy options can do so through their choice of a power source that utilizes wind and solar energy.
3. Free market competition. Deregulation allows and encourages competition between existing and new energy providers. This competition would hopefully keep prices lower they are under the current regulated system.
4. Business opportunities. With deregulation comes many new business opportunities, just as it did with the deregulation of telephone service. Smaller companies will be eager to take on the giants.
5. Same service, different price. The service would still be provided in the same way by the same people. Your billing would still come through the same company, only your prices would be susceptible to change.
6. Education of the public. A natural bi-product of deregulation is the education of the public regarding how their electric power is produced and delivered. Knowledge is power, they say, and this remains true in this situation.
7. Renewable energy development. Deregulation also has the potential of encouraging more research and development of renewable energy sources, by giving consumers more convenient options for accesses these alternative sources.
8. Improved efficiency. Competition fuels the need to improve a provider’s efficiency in order to remain profitable in the current market.
9. Economic stimulus. When utility costs are lowered, its benefits are far reaching. Not only does it put more money in the pockets of consumers, it also lowers the costs of doing business, which can lower prices.
10. Deregulation stability. Several states have already gone through the deregulation process with varying results. As each state implements these changes, new ideas are brought into play, which can benefit the rest of us.

Energy consumption and costs are an important topic in today’s world. Improvement only comes with change. Riding through the ups and downs of those changes are going to be part of the deregulation process.

I don’t do windows.  Many of us don’t have the luxury to say that we don’t do windows.  Spring has sprung and it’s time to do some Spring-cleaning!  One of the easiest cleaning projects you can do is to clean your windows.  The impact that this simple task has on the light in your house can be amazing depending on how dirty your windows are.

1. Vinegar and Water: A vinegar and water solution will clean your windows and it’s something that you probably already have in your home.
2. Rubbing Alcohol: If you add rubbing alcohol to the vinegar it will help the solution dry faster and have fewer streaks on your window.
3. Use Newspaper: If you use newspaper to wipe the windows dry instead of paper towel you will not only be recycling and helping save the planet, but newspapers don’t leave lint on the windows like paper towels often do.  They also make the windows shine.
4. Don’t use anything abrasive on windows: Windows will scratch easily so don’t use any cleaner that is gritty or a scrubby sponge.  Don’t even pick at sticky spots with your nail as it may scratch the window.
5. Go different directions on either side: While washing your windows it’s a good idea to wipe side to side on the inside and up and down on the outside.  Then if you see a streak you will know whether it’s on the inside or the outside of the glass.
6. Remove any sticky residue first: Use a commercial product like Goo Gone to break down the glue from a sticker or any sticky residue before you clean the windows.
7. Use a squeegee for a lot of windows: If you have a lot of windows to do it’s best to use a bucket of soapy water and a squeegee.  Soap up the windows and clean them off using the squeegee, wiping the rubber off between wipes.
8. Use a toothbrush to get into the corners: If you find that the corners of the window are dirty, especially on the outside, use a soft bristle toothbrush to get into the corners.
9. Don’t forget to clean the windowsill: While you are cleaning your windows don’t forget to do the whole job.  If the windowsills are cruddy then it kind of takes away from the clean glass.  Wipe them down with a soft cloth and a dust cleaner.
10. Wash your windows in the shade: This is probably the most important tip; do not clean your windows if the sun is shining on them.  They will dry too quickly and cause a lot of streaks.