February can be hard on energy bills. But cold winter weather is no match for a home that is prepared to fight it. Address these five common winter culprits throughout your house: Drafty doors and windows. An easy fix with a big payback is weather-stripping. Caulk or apply weather-stripping around all window and door seams,… Continue reading.

Clean your clothes dryer’s lint trap every time you load the machine. A lint-free trap allows for better air circulation, which could mean your clothes will dry quicker. When it’s sunny outside, throw open the curtains, even in the winter. Let the sun help warm your room and add enough light that you won’t need… Continue reading.

Flickering lights: If an electrical circuit in your house is overloaded, it could cause the lights to dim or flicker. This usually happens when you have too many energy-intensive appliances or fixtures wired to the same circuit. For example, your lights might flicker when your washing machine is running — if the two are on… Continue reading.

Take these four precautions if you’re giving Valentine’s Day balloons instead of candy this year.  Tether each balloon to a weight so it can’t float away. When you’re ready to dispose of the balloons, pop them so they can’t become airborne. Stay at least 10 feet away from power lines if you’re walking outdoors with… Continue reading.

Eat at home. Save on gas – and reduce emissions – by cooking your Valentine’s Day meal together at home.  Shop locally. Buy locally grown food for your home-cooked meal. That supports your neighbors and ensures that your food hasn’t traveled to reach you — which takes extra energy. While local food may seem scarce… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling Ever since my Barbie moved into her homemade cardboard dream house years ago, I’ve dreamt of having my own tiny house.  Wouldn’t it be cool to be a real-life Alice in Wonderland, living large in a diminutive storybook abode? Furnishings would be sparse and intentional but, of course, super cute, and clutter… Continue reading.

Crusaders for a “tobacco-free generation”; for the homeless, hungry, handicapped and poor; for Jesus Christ; and for the community at large constituted a distinguished crop of students who are the latest to be selected for a Youth Power & Hope Award. Given by Indiana Electric Cooperatives and its magazine, Indiana Connection, since 2009, the Youth… Continue reading.

Who doesn’t love the opening of “A Charlie Brown’s Christmas”? Giant puffy snowflakes float from the sky; the Peanuts gang is out skating on a glistening frozen pond. But if you grew up in the lower three-quarters of Indiana, chances are you probably never experienced the exhilaration or beauty of skating all bundled up outdoors… Continue reading.

Story and Photos by Richard G. Biever  It’s another typical but blustery day in the fair northern Indiana city of Elkhart.  Citizens go about their routines fabricating recreational vehicles and musical instruments. Traffic rolls along the I-80/90 corridor carrying commerce and travelers from near and far.  Meanwhile, just off the toll road in an unassuming… Continue reading.

By Richard G. Biever Between a U.S. naval base occupying its northern third and a chunk of Hoosier National Forest occupying its southeastern quarter, there isn’t much of Martin County that’s Martin County. But what is left is filled with unique natural attractions and small towns that complement the base, which is known for developing… Continue reading.

Chances are good that you have an electronic item or two in your house that you didn’t have before the holidays. Are you doing all you can to protect that expensive equipment from damage during a power surge? A power surge in a home full of large home appliances and electronics isn’t unusual. According to… Continue reading.

Christmas cookie season is behind us, but don’t put away those baking sheets just yet: Making the sweet treats can be one of the most pleasant ways to pass a chilly, indoor afternoon with your children. Baking with kids teaches them kitchen skills that they’ll use for the rest of their lives. You also can… Continue reading.