Texas Goes Greener, Tests Lowering Consumer Power Use and Bills
A consortium of Texas energy companies is launching a two year pilot for consumers to learn the impact of automatically lowering their energy usage.
The "Direct Response Project" will turn off high load items like swimming pool pumps and air conditioners for a short time during a short period. Consumers who participate will receive energy-efficiency benefits from the participating companies.
This is win-win-win.
About two thousand Texas families will receive upgraded energy equipment and monitoring. Texas utilities can respond to public demand for more environmentally friendly behavior. And while the utilities will ultimately lose a little revenue, they also introduce a non-disruptive technology to their existing service and work on changing consumer behavior at the same time.
A treasure trove of data will come out of this project, but two years is a long time to wait. One wonders if the time horizon can be accelerated given the looming environmental crisis.
If you're in Dallas or Houston and interested in the program, contact your electric company.
Labels: energy, environment, Texas, utility
AT&T Not Alone In Consumer Battles
Information Week is reporting that the California Supreme Court has
agreed to let a class action suit against T-Mobile proceed.
At issue is the often-reviled early termination fee and phone lockdown that occurs when a subscriber cancels early. As we wrote last week when
praising Verizon Wireless, locked phones (owned by the consumer) and early termination fees are the second biggest issue consumers contact us about after excessive roaming charges. Interestingly enough, T-Mobile often ranks as one of the better wireless companies in terms of number of complaints and resolutions. Verizon's actions last week render most of this issue moot, and T-Mobile now has a long way to go.
California, New York, Minnesota and Washington (state) often lead the way on consumer issue legislation and judicial decisions. Now that T-Mobile has appealed to the highest court in the state, this case is moving forward. How the decision is rendered will impact tens of millions of consumers.
Meanwhile, today is also
Blog Action Day. If you have one of those old cell phones around the house, don't throw it away. Talk with your local women's center or police department. Many will help you recycle that phone for someone who needs but can't afford their own phone. The phone will typically be limited to dialing emergency numbers only.
You'll not only help our planet, but you could save a life. Be sure to read the other Blog Action Day folks who are sharing their thoughts, helps, tips, hints and exhortations about the environment.
Labels: environment, Information Week, T-Mobile, Verizon
