Save money on energy

To the Editor:

There are quick and free ways to reduce your energy and water costs.

For example, you can order a free water conservation kit compliments of Minnesota Energy Resources, the natural gas company that serves Fairmont. These kits are free to Minnesota Energy Resources customers and are shipped directly to your home. Each kit includes easy to install low-flow showerheads, kitchen and bathroom aerators, and pipe insulation. Call (866) 872-0052 and press 1 for residential programs, or order online at orders.amconservationgroup.com/mercfreekit

Other ways to reduce energy costs (but still stay comfortable) include:

o Turn off fans in empty rooms. It ends up fans cool people, not rooms.

o Close window blinds and drapes when gone to block sunlight, but open windows at night to help cool and enjoy the extra daylight when home.

o Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use or put them on power strips (and use them).

o Raise the temperature of your air conditioner during the day to 78 degrees and at night to 85 degrees. Install (and program) a programmable thermostat to automatically manage temperatures when you are home and away.

o Replace incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. Most energy from inefficient lighting is heat.

o Use a microwave or grill to cook instead of using an oven.

o Take shorter, cooler showers and use bathroom exhaust fans to alleviate humidity.

o Run dishwasher (instead of washing by hand), and use laundry machines only when full. Allow the dishes to air dry and remove lint from the dryer.

o Decrease temperature of water heater to 120 degrees.

Enjoy your summer.

Joel Haskard

Clean Energy Resource Teams

St. Paul

City’s help appreciated

To the Editor:

Please accept our highest level of appreciation to the city of Fairmont for supporting the graduating class of 2020. We have heard a tremendous amount of praise about the graduate banners, the graduation video and the graduation parade. We could not have successfully accomplished this without your help. It was heartwarming to see the number of citizens cheering and congratulating our graduates as we paraded through town. We know this meant the world to our graduates and their families.

Thank you to City Administrator Cathy Reynolds, Mayor Deb Foster, Police Chief Mike Hunter and the City Council for supporting this event. Thank you to the city of Fairmont employees who hung the banner brackets and the graduate banners. Thank you to the fire and police departments for assisting us with the parade. Thank you to the senior parent group that helped raise funds for the banner project. Thank you to the many businesses that showed their support for our graduates.

This event truly demonstrated the community pride that the city of Fairmont has to offer. Thank you for everything that you have done to make this a memorable experience for our graduates and their families.

Jacob Tietje and Alex Schmidt,

co-principals

Fairmont Jr./Sr. High School