Energy used for consumer electronics and small appliances has increased by 20 percent since 2005— and TVs and PCs account for a lot of that increase. In fact, the largest high-resolution TVs can use as much electricity as a new conventional refrigerator. Just over 20 years ago, the average American home had two TV sets. Today, more than half of homes have three or more TVs. Add the fact that many of those old TVs are replaced by big, flat-panel versions that use double the energy, and you can start to see the energy use pile up. This increased energy use means an increase in greenhouse gas emissions in our environment, which contributes to the effects of climate change.

Looking to trim your energy bills? Try these tips:

1. Choose ENERGY STAR. You can find the ENERGY STAR label on products in over 60 different categories for your home, including electronics and office equipment. Visit energy star for TVs recognized as ENERGY STAR’s Most Efficient. These are the most efficient products among those that qualify for the ENERGY STAR and represent the leading edge in energy efficient products.
2. Use a powerstrip. Plug electronics and computer equipment into a power strip with an on/off switch and turn it off when you are not using the products.
3. Sleep is good! Activate power management features on computers and monitors to place them in a low-power sleep mode after a set time of inactivity to reduce power consumption.
4. Turn it off. Turn off computers and monitors if you will be away for more than two hours. It doesn’t harm your computer and will save energy.
5. Laptops are more efficient. If a laptop will meet your needs, choose one over a desktop. Laptops are 2.5 to 3 times more efficient than desktop computers.
6. Visit energy star for the latest energy-saving news, products, and ideas for your home.

Stats taken from http://blog.epa.gov/blog/2012/02/21/how-to-keep-your-home-electricity-use-down-while-still-enjoying-your-favorite-gadgets/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Greenversations_main+%28U.S.+EPA%3A+Greenversations%29

Our training is developed with your success in mind. We want to ensure you feel confident in your comprehension of the materials and do what we can to help you do so.

For more information on our system, or to view our training, visit ecatts.com now.

Welcome to Denver, Colorado!

Not a bad place to hold a Symposium

Our President and CEO, Nina Arcaro, helps set up the booth

Our give-a-ways were a hit. They’re all gone!

All set up and ready for the Sympo to start

Our Customer Support Manager, Sarah Spalding, teaches one of her

many Training Sessions.

(Training Sessions held all day Monday-Thursday)

Class ID # 27, Room 610. Hope you were there!

President and CEO, Nina Arcaro, and Marketing Manager, Marisa Brandt

pose at their home away from home, booth #401.

It was wonderful to meet so many new people and reconnect with clients and friends.

Nina Arcaro speaks at her Tech Session #69 Tuesday afternoon,

“ESOHTN: Minimizing the Risks, Maximizing the Mission”

Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule

The Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule includes requirements for oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response to prevent oil discharges to navigable waters and adjoining shorelines. The rule requires specific facilities to prepare, amend, and implement SPCC Plans. The SPCC rule is part of the Oil Pollution Prevention regulation, which also includes the Facility Response Plan (FRP) rule.

http://www.epa.gov/oem/content/spcc/

In addition, training is an important factor in maintaining SPCC compliance. That’s why ECATTS offers a 20 minute training course designed to give a general overview of the program:

SPILL PREVENTION CONTROL AND COUNTERMEASURES (SPCC) - This course provides an overview of Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures (SPCC), the SPCC program, goals of SPCC training, spill prevention and planning requirements, spill prevention, basic spill response expectations, reporting incidental shop spills, hazardous material spills, storage tank requirements, and storage tank discharge.

Visit ecatts.com for more information, or to check out other available training courses. 

Water authority honors Kirtland AFB for pollution prevention

377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

2/3/2012 - KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. – Kirtland Air Force Base has been recognized for its environmental stewardship. It received an award from the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority during a ceremony Wednesday at the Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Center.

The Award of Excellence for Industrial Pretreatment recognizes organizations for efforts in pollution prevention through waste minimization and pretreatment.

Col. Donald Conley, 377th Mission Support Group commander, and Christopher Segura, 377th Civil Engineer Division Environmental Water Quality program manager, accepted the award on behalf of the base.

“Team Kirtland is dedicated to ensuring it preserves and protects the valuable resources afforded to us by the citizens of our great nation,” said Conley. “It is through the outstanding cooperative efforts of ABCWUA and Team Kirtland that the achievements recognized by this award are possible.”

http://www.kirtland.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123288570

Punxsutawney Phil

The forecast is in!

More winter Weather, Punxsutawney Phil predicts

If you were hoping to be done with winter, Punxsutawney Phil had some bad news for you on Thursday.

After Phil was summoned from his burrow at Gobbler’s Knob in Pennsylvania, observers proclaimed that “the prognosticator of all prognosticators” had seen his shadow.

“Many shadows do I see, six more weeks of winter it must be,” a member of Phil’s “Inner Circle” said as the crowd erupted in boos.

The celebration derives from a superstition that if the animal comes out of hibernation and sees his shadow, there will be another six weeks of winter. If he does not, the belief is spring will come early.

Much of the United States has seen an unseasonably warm winter, so Phil’s prediction may come as a surprise to some.

How much stock  would you put in this year’s prognostication?

Here’s what Phil indicated in the last few years, according to Groundhog.org:

2011: ”No shadow, spring is near!”

2010: ”Phil saw his shadow and told his prediction to new Inner Circle President Bill Deeley.”

2009: ”Phil saw his shadow and Inner Circle President Bill Cooper completed his final interpretation and retired at Gobblers Knob. It was 7:26 a.m.”

2008: ”It was 29 degrees. In front of one of the largest crowds ever at Gobblers.”

To view this article, visit http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/02/more-winter-weather-ahead-punxsutawney-phil-predicts/?hpt=hp_c2

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) - This training is an introduction to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), outlining the steps of the NEPA process, its policies and goals, and identifying elements of NEPA that are applicable to Navy projects.  (version: Navy)

To view a complete list of ECATTS’ available training, visit ecatts.com.

Below is a brief summary from the EPA on the history and importance of NEPA compliance:

Summary of the National Environmental Policy Act

42 U.S.C. §4321 et seq. (1969)

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was one of the first laws ever written that establishes the broad national framework for protecting our environment. NEPA’s basic policy is to assure that all branches of government give proper consideration to the environment prior to undertaking any major federal action that significantly affects the environment.

NEPA requirements are invoked when airports, buildings, military complexes, highways, parkland purchases, and other federal activities are proposed. Environmental Assessments (EAs) and Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), which are assessments of the likelihood of impacts from alternative courses of action, are required from all Federal agencies and are the most visible NEPA requirements.

To view EPA’s page on the National Environmental Policy Act’s laws and regulations, visit http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/nepa.html

The ECATTS Team

The ECATTS/ ESOHTN team poses for a picture after our annual team meeting/ all-day work session this past Tuesday.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) helps the federal government “buy green,” and in doing so, uses the federal government’s enormous buying power to stimulate market demand for green products and services. Geared first to help federal purchasers, this site can help green vendors, businesses large and small — and consumers. Use the easy index to:

• Find and evaluate information about green products and services;
• Identify federal green buying requirements;
• Calculate the costs and benefits of purchasing choices;
• Manage green purchasing processes.

Read more about the EPA’s EPP program and view helpful links to sites regarding green products and services, tools and other related links: http://www.epa.gov/epp/

Did you know that ECATTS/ ESOHTN offers a training course on the similar Green Procurement Program?

Green Procurement Program (GPP): This is a detailed training course targeting personnel involved with purchasing, project planning or hold a Government Purchase Card (GPC), and those responsible for purchasing or writing specifications to purchase items that can be made with recovered materials, hazardous materials, toxic materials, ozone depleting substances, energy efficient components or items that use alternative fuels. Additional topics include GPP benefits, green procurement policy, responsibilities, GPP legal requirements, the seven components of GPP, energy and water efficient products, mandated supply sources, documentation, and finding green products.

For more information on our training courses, visit our website at www.ecatts.com.

Great job in completing your training, Air Force!