i nursaay, marcn i iy«b/1 ne battalion Page J
State and Local
:hoose cost-efficient appliances'
Center gives tips on saving energy
University News Service
With hot, humid summer days
ist approaching, knowing how to
":aci your utility bill and knowing
ow much energy various appliances
■can help save money, say energy
■ialists at the Center for Energy
nd Mineral Resources at Texas
i&M.
“pou must know how you cur-
enily use energy in order to save
tiergy,” specialists say in the March
isue of Texas Energy, a CEMR pub-
cation.' “For example, when your
■trie bill rises during the late
Hng and summer, it is likely that
ilepater use of your air conditioner is
jmcause. So your major conserva-
ioij efforts should focus on using
■r air conditioning system effi-
t jfltly and on keeping the cooled air
[lour home.”
,vv '■he next time you receive a utility
)ill| take time to make sure you un-
'VartiWtand the charges, the experts
lay.
the polii
(“Noil
as theys
■ Marxisi
nserv
pinion!
lance o
“Compare the units of energy
used to usage for the corresponding
month of a previous year, which had
similar weather patterns,” they say.
“By comparing the units of energy
used, rather than the energy cost,
you will have a true indication of
how well you are conserving en
ergy.”
In a typical Texas home, about
two-thirds of the energy used goes
for space heating and cooling and
for water heating. About one-third
goes for lighting, small appliance op
eration, refrigeration, clothes wash
ing and drying, cooking, dishwash
ing and television.
“So it makes good energy-saving
sense to choose energy-efficient ap
pliances and to make sure your
home is adequately insulated and
sealed,” the experts say.
Information on heating, air con
ditioning and water heating, as well
as insulation and air-leak reduction
is available from the Texas Energy
7 cents
$1.42
Extension Service by writing CEMR
at A&M.
Looking at average figures from
utility companies and industry statis
tics, CEMR gives the following costs
per use of various household appli
ances:
• Central, electric air conditioner
— 37 cents per hour
• Room air conditioner — 11
cents per hour
• Ceiling fan — 1 1 cents per day
• Electric blanket, king -
per night
• Swimming pool heater
per hour
• Swimming pool circulating
pump — 7 cents per hour
• Waterbed heater with thermos
tat— 37 cents per day
• Color TV — 2 cents per hour
• Radio — 0.7 of a cent per hour
• Clock — 15 cents per month
• Night light (seven watt) — 37
cents per hour
• General household lighting —
22 cents per day
• Coffeemaker, electric perk — 2
cents per brew
• Freezer, frostless -— 37 cents
per day
• Microwave oven, 5 minutes —
0.7 of a cent per use
• Hair dryer — 2 cents per use
The energy specialists urge con
sumers to maintain a record of util
ity bills and energy use.
"Voo mean, all 1 havtf to do to be a
brother is play RAGE, with some gay cdllec/ Keg? u
Schulman’s Palace Theater
presents
Stage Center’s
Spoon River Anthology
March 6-8,13-18
8 p.m.
Ticket information: 693-0050
i rude u
the i
Grant allows Project OASIS to go statewide
ulv, heli
By SAM BUCHMEYER
Reporter
Project OASIS, a community service that origi
nated at Texas A&M, has received a grant from
■ Hogg Foundation of Mental Health to spread
the program statewide.
lonsonlx*> r() j ect OASIS, which stands for Older Adults
sm.' ■ring Important Skills, is one of the few orga-
Hations in the country that provides profes-
Kial mental health care on a volunteer basis,
said Royda Crose, program coordinator.
Krose, a doctoral student in the Department of
Hucational Psychology, said the program is in
tht first year of a two-year period, which is being
funded by the foundation.
iram fori 1 he project was organized in 1984 as a dem-
‘ , 'onsiiation by the Department of Educational
na. i ‘"W/chology, the Gerontology Program of the
c l nw lixas Agricultural Extension Service and the
ves. BwciRcitired Senior Volunteer Program of Brazos
ds: lout County.
>ol distric&BRight now we have about 12 volunteers in lo
cal nursing homes,” Crose said.
) replaceiRChe volunteers, whose ages range from 55 to
oils (aseiR’ are tra * nec I * n basic skills and sent to local
^jd(, uniTUrsing homes to counsel patients with mental
) the fedei®
a bare ra|
m.d pinofl
health problems. At first the volunteers conduct
meetings on an individual basis, she said. But
some now are developing problem-solving
groups and support networks.
Lynn McGuirt, associate commissioner for
special health services in the Texas Department
of Health, said, “I’m very impressed (with the
Texas A&:M program). With the big cuts we’re
facing and the shortage of funds, we’re going to
need more and more volunteers.”
The duties of the volunteers are to generally
improve the quality of life for the patients, Crose
said. Volunteers are trained to address the men
tal health needs of patients since the main func
tion of the nursing home is to provide physical
care. They also address specific problems such as
conflicts with roommates, staff and family, she
said.
The real success of the program can be mea
sured by. the participation of the volunteers.
Crose said some people feel that their lives be
come empty after retirement and that they have
little worth. In Project OASIS, they can gain sta
tus as a volunteer and they are treated like a pro
fessional, she said.
“The volunteers have a role to play,” she said.
The only real cost of the program is the salary
of the professional mental health worker who su
pervises and trains the volunteers.
Crose said efforts are under way to raise
money from local businesses and civic clubs to
supplement the foundation grant. This money
would be used to hire a coordinator to supervise
locally and to help train volunteers.
Crose said they hope to have a staff intact by
the end of the funding period so that when the
program spreads, people will be available to give
technical assistance and to aid in training.
Project OASIS conducts monthly training ses
sions, so volunteers would be able to begin train
ing immediately, she said. After the initial train
ing period, the volunteers are taken to local
nursing homes where they are supervised in a
working situation. Crose said there also are peri
odic intensive training sessions.
Dr. Michael Duffy, associate professor of edu
cational psychology and program director, said,
“We’ve had lots of success stories. People who
were isolated and had given up on the world
eventually came around and became part of the
nursing home community.”
LET’S GO SKIING
SEMESTER BREAK!
C’MON IN - THE SNOW’S GREAT IN RUI-
DOSO, N.M.
AT SKI APACHE on SIERRA BLANCA
GREAT SPRING SKIING - WITH THE FULL
MOUNTAIN OPEN
FOR SPECIAL COLLEGE DISCOUNTS ON
LODGING AND SKI RENTALS
CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-545-9013
Call Battalion Classified 845-2611
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razine. Sur|
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are thosei
tin.liiei
New Member Orientation
cTVISC^OPAS
W
Wed. April 2 Ruddef 504
of
Thurs. AprilJ SOOnn
8:30pm
Attendance Mandatory
For" Mane Eileen O'Brien
Info. Calf 846-5630
c Kelly'McCabe
260-3354
%(£MSC Opera®’
Per forming Arts Society'
Michelle I’o* 1
Ray Mai
Loren SitS
jerry Oil
(Millie Andellj
, Travis Tii
(.\| and Hnan-Ofl
(p/|1 . ( i,sses |lif|
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