How Big Is Your 'Carbon

A neighbor of mine is really having financial difficulties. I think she’s behind in paying her electric bill. Is there anything the BWL can do to help her?
                    — J.L., Lansing

Yes, up to a point. But your neighbor must take the first step, by calling our Customer Service Department at (517) 702-6006. The BWL does expect its customers to pay their bills. However, we do understand that, sometimes, people fall behind in bill payments. We will work with customers on a payment schedule.

Other help may be available. The Greater Lansing community’s new social services hotline, 2-1-1, is a great resource. Also, the BWL will waive security deposits and reconnection fees to eligible customers being assisted by local social service agencies. Waiving these deposits and reconnection fees will free up $76,000 a year – money that can go to assist other BWL customers struggling to make ends meet.

Finally, we encourage more fortunate BWL customers to consider Pennies for Power. This program allows customers to round up their utility bills to the next whole dollar amount. The difference between the actual bill and the “round up” amount is placed in a fund, which helps pay utility bills for those struggling financially. Each year, Pennies for Power contributes about $40,000 to help those in need. To enroll: See the Pennies for Power form on the back page of this Connections issue, check the Pennies for Power box on your BWL bill, or click here for more information.


Do you have a question for BWL Q CORNER?

  E-MAIL: mailto:mdn@lbwl.com

    FAX:  (517) 702-6855

   MAIL:  Lansing Board of Water & Light

          Communications Department

          1232 Haco Dr., P.O. Box 13007

          Lansing MI 48901.

Footprint' ?

“Carbon footprint” is the latest environmental catch phrase.

What is it?
Essentially, it means the amount of carbon dioxide emissions created by people's actions – anything from how much you drive a car to whether you recycle.

Reducing carbon footprints – whether they're made by an individual, a business, a community or a country – is considered key to reducing greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

For an individual, leaving a smaller carbon footprint can be as simple as taking a walk or riding a bike instead of driving the car.

For a community such as the Lansing area, it means a coordinated effort to promote a cleaner, greener place to live. In Lansing , Mayor Virg Bernero has launched the Greater Lansing Region Go Green! Initiative. It aims to promote a “green” ethic at work, at home and in our schools. Among other things, Lansing 's city facilities will become more energy efficient, and the city will help local industry and businesses “go green.”

The Lansing Board of Water & Light is similarly committed to a greener future. We have an historic agreement to buy electricity generated from landfill gases. Our vehicle fleet operates on cleaner biodiesel fuel, made partially of soybeans. We have given away thousands of energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Most recently, the BWL unveiled its first all-electric service vehicle (above), which reduces emissions and also saves more than $600 a year by using electricity instead of gasoline.

For more information about Lansing 's Go Green! plans, visit www.GoGreenGoLansing.com.

For information about how YOU can lessen your individual carbon footprint, click here to check out our GreenWise Program, which allows you to buy electricity generated from renewable energy sources.

Clear the Way, Please

Clearing snow and ice for pedestrian traffic is a matter of safety and efficiency. And, in cities such as Lansing, it's the law.

Property owners in Lansing are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours after the snow stops falling. Though the city hopes that issuing warnings will motivate property owners to act, Lansing can levy fines of $50 for a first offense and $200 for repeat offenses.

Keeping sidewalks clear is especially important in areas where children are walking to and from school.

While the BWL doesn't levy fines, we do ask customers to keep snow and ice clear of an access route to our meters. We pride ourselves in doing actual meter “reads” on 96 percent of all BWL meters every month. That's well above the industry standard of 87 percent.

However, the safety of our meter readers is a top priority. Meter readers are instructed not to try reading a meter if they risk slipping and falling. In such cases, the BWL may choose to do an estimate on electricity and water usage.

For everyone's safety – including the kids and BWL employees – please keep sidewalks and meter access routes clear of snow and ice.

CAPITAL AREA DISTRICT LIBRARY ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY-WIDE BOOK-READING PROJECT

 

The Capital Area District Library is encouraging mid-Michigan residents to take part in a community book-reading project throughout February and March.

A committee has chosen the book, “An Inconvenient Truth”, based on the film by the same name. The film and book are by former Vice President Al Gore, and they deal with global warming. Book discussions will be held at various CADL library branches in February and March.

Visit CADL’s website, http://www.cadl.org/books-movies/books-movies/car/capital-area-reads.html for details.

The film will be shown at 2 p.m. March 2 in the downtown Lansing library branch, 401 S. Capitol Avenue.

At 6 p.m. March 19 in the Lansing Center, a panel of experts will discuss topics related to the book and film, including an overview of global warming. The event is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available at all CADL branches or by calling (517) 367-6355.  

Snowflake worked its magic, then Ottawa's sign, stack disappeared

Some of our customers caught our new holiday ad that aired on local television stations in December. The unofficial name for the ad is “Magic Snowflake,” since it follows a snowflake's journey as it flies by various local landmarks before landing on top of a pine tree.

In one segment of the ad, the snowflake flies past the Board of Water & Light sign on the Ottawa Power Station, lighting up the sign as it goes. In a very real sense, this segment highlights a part of our history. Why? Because the signs atop the Ottawa building have come down.

Late in 2007, a plan was announced to redevelop the decommissioned Ottawa plant. In preparation for redevelopment, last December a huge crane lifted sections of Ottawa 's 150-foot stack and lowered them to the ground. Then in January, the 7-foot-high letters that spell out “Board of Water and Light” were detached from Ottawa and lowered to the ground. The letters will be stored for possible future use.

So, our holiday ad became not only a greeting card to the community, but also captured a piece of local history. We hope you enjoyed the ad. If you didn't catch it on local TV, click here to visit.