Joe Farias
State Rep., District 118 

As temperatures rise in South Texas, the technologies that keep us comfortable, such as air conditioning and food refrigeration, are also the technologies that squeeze our pocketbooks the most.

While we may not be able to wish away the heat, we can lower the amount of money that we spend on gas and electricity by making a few simple adjustments.

CPS Energy offers a wealth of suggestions for ways to save money and conserve energy on its Web site: http://www.citypublicservice.com/Residential/Energy_Efficiency. The site includes ideas to increase efficiency and offers rebates for customers who upgrade home appliances to those that will save energy.

Some of the simplest ways to save money on your next energy bill involve adjusting how you use your air conditioner, refrigerator, lights and other appliances. If you have central heat and air conditioning, try to keep the thermostat set between 78 and 80 degrees. According to CPS, for every degree cooler, the cost can increase 7 to 10 percent.

Also, a programmable thermostat can control the temperature levels in your home; setting it to a higher temperature while you are away can save a lot of money during the summer. If you are interested in a free Honeywell programmable thermostat, call (866) 222-7645 or apply on the CPS Web site.

Try to turn off lights, computers, televisions and other electronics, and unplug chargers or other appliances when you are not using them. Leaving your refrigerator open, as well as washing or drying partial loads of clothing, can create sizeable, yet avoidable, costs.

Refrigerators that were made before 1993 use twice as much energy as a new ENERGY STAR model, so you may consider buying a new refrigerator to save on costs in the future.

Try to use as little hot water as possible, especially for washing clothes and dishes, so that your water heater will use less energy.

Standard, incandescent light bulbs use more wattage than the new Compact Fluo-rescent Lights (CFLs), and thus end up costing customers a considerable amount on their energy bills. Replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFLs can save three-fourths of the energy, and they last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

For details on rebates for energy efficient appliances and CFLs, call CPS Energy at 353-2728.

State Rep. Joe Farias, District 118 representative for portions of Converse, Live Oak, Universal City, Selma and Bexar County, can be reached by calling 923-0908.