Wednesday, October 26, 2011
How Indoor Air Pollution Works
But what's inside may be even worse. Indoor air pollution, the degradation of indoor air quality by harmful chemicals and other materials, can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution [source: Dunn]. This is because contained areas enable potential pollutants to build up more than open spaces do. You can easily visualize this if you think about dumping a gallon of oil into the ocean versus dumping a gallon into your bathtub. The oil in the ocean will dissipate and be diluted within the massive volume of water. That same oil in your bathtub will linger because it has nowhere else to go. The same thing happens with pollutants released into a small enclosed area, like your home or office.
Water is the source of life - treasure it! R5.
Water is the source of life - treasure it! R5.
Water is the source of all life on earth. It touches every area of our lives. Without it, we could not thrive — we could not even survive.
Sustainability – “We strive to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
We should discourage wastefulness and misuse, and promote efficiency and conservation.
"Conservation is really the cheapest source of supply,"
For the benefit of mankind, maintain the quality of life and preserve the peace and tranquility of world population. Water resources must be preserved - to sustain humanity. We must eliminate wasteful utilization of water, conserve our water sources and implement rigid conservation methods. We should utilize solar and or other source of renewable energy to operate desalinization projects from the oceans. Utilize renewable energy sources to purify and transport the water to its final destination. As world population increases the scarcity of water will become a cause for conflict, unless we take steps now to develop other sources of water for drinking, rainwater harvesting – storm-water and gray-water utilization. Designing of landscaping that uses minimal amount of water. "With power shortages and a water scarcity a constant threat across the West, it's time to look at water and energy in a new way,"
To preserve the future generations sustainability, we should look into urban farming – vertical farming. The term "urban farming" may conjure up a community garden where locals grow a few heads of lettuce. But some academics envision something quite different for the increasingly hungry world of the 21st century: a vertical farm that will do for agriculture what the skyscraper did for office space. Greenhouse giant: By stacking floors full of produce, a vertical farm could rake in $18 million a year.
"To succeed, you have to believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a reality."
YJ Draiman, Energy, Telecom and water conservation consultant
March 31, 2011
PS.
Hydro dynamics: forget oil. Sharing freshwater equitably poses political conundrums as explosive and far-reaching as global climate change.
Quoted from other sourcesAnyone who has ever stood on a beach and looked out into the vast expanse of an ocean knows that there is a lot of water on this planet. In fact, 70 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. It may seem like water is all around us, but safe, clean, reliable drinking water is not a ceaseless resource. The problems facing drinking water range from failing infrastructure, to climate change, to insufficient supplies.
Personal Conservation
Preserving our water resources is not a job for water industry professionals alone. We all have a vested interest in ensuring that water remains safe, affordable and available. Therefore, each individual American has a responsibility to monitor and control their water use, There are many simple ways for people to reduce excess water use, lower water bills and protect the environment, especially in die spring and summer months, Beyond the standard constraints of watering the lawn only when necessary and washing car wisely by using soap and a bucket of water, some steps include: draining water lines to outside faucets, disconnecting hoses, shutting off outdoor water sources during cold weather and running a small trickle of water on whiter nights to prevent pipe from freezing.
Conclusion
Water supply management is an issue that affects us all. It may not be apparent to every citizen today, but with climate change and population shifts transforming the United States
WATER!
The indispensable source of life-without water there would be no industry, no agriculture and, most importantly of all, no life. In dry parts of the world this essential commodity is even more precious. Almost all human actions involve water from taking a shower to reading a newspaper to driving a car or simply eating a sandwich - almost everything we do or touch is somehow related to this precious treasure. We ask that you stop and think how you use water and what you can do to conserve this essential natural resource.
*Water, beliefs and customs,
*Water as a vehicle of the economy,
*Water, source of art and life, irrigation and cultivation.
The people have decided to act to try and develop a real awareness program on the theme of water preservation and distribution in an attempt to help maintain the original purity of rivers and streams.
In many parts of the world water sources and wells are not equally distributed. Water as a source of life can also be at the source of conflict.
Whether we live inIndia , Iceland
Whether we live in
Unfortunately, many of the things we do every day can harm our water. That’s why all people and government should be working with municipalities, farmers, business leaders and developers just like you to take action to protect our water and clean it up.
Small changes can make a big difference. This guide outlines practical things we can all do to preserve and protect our water. We all need to be part of the solution.
Concentrated Solar Power, which requires no solar panels at all. It works by concentrating sunlight onto a small pipe using cheap parabolic reflectors. The pipe contains a liquid that’s heated to very high temperatures by the sun and drives a steam boiler that rotates a turbine to generate electricity (much like nuclear power plants, but without the nuclear waste). It’s cheap, low-tech, and far more affordable than solar power. Plus, it can be built in practically any desert, so it doesn’t take up valuable land. As another bonus, when CSP operations are built near the ocean, they can desalinate ocean water as a side effect, providing fresh water for irrigation to grow food. This is the only renewable energy technology I know of that can produce cheap energy, fresh water and crop irrigation all at the same time. Plus, it has no emissions, no toxic chemicals, no nuclear waste and very little environmental impact..“You can’t escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today” - Abraham Lincoln said it.
“That man is richest whose pleasures are the cheapest” – Henry David Thoreau.
“To waste, to destroy, our natural resources, to skin and exhaust the land instead of using it so as to increase its usefulness, will result in undermining in the days of our children the very prosperity which we ought by right to hand down to them amplified and developed” – Theodore Roosevelt.
“When the ‘study of the household’ (ecology) and the ‘management of the household’ (economics) can be merged, and when ethics can be extended to include ‘environmental’ as well as human values, then we can be optimistic about the future of mankind. Accordingly, bringing together these three E’s is the ultimate holism and the great challenge for our future” – Eugene Odum.
Water, it’s been said, is the "oil of the 21st century" -- a commodity whose availability and quality may be subject to both known and unknown influences. For companies, that poses significant risks, and many companies are making water a strategic issue, creating water management plans that include efficiency and conservation as well as contingency plans should water become less available or more costly. Many firms are examining their products, policies, and processes through the lens of a world in which the availability of water becomes a constraint to doing business.
Utility Savers 2 - Electric, Gas, Telecom, Cable/Dish, Utility Bill Auditing, Energy, and Water/Sewer Audits
Utility Savers 2 - Electric, Gas, Telecom, Cable/Dish, Utility Bill Auditing, Energy, and Water/Sewer Audits
Utility Savers 2 Business Services is a team of management consultants and utility auditors specializing in utility cost reduction, cost containment and vendor service contract optimization, as well as utility bill and service auditing. In this economy, where every penny counts, the Utility Savers 2 team of experts is saving money for businesses across the nation, by analyzing gas, electric, telecom, trash billing, water and sewer and other monthly expenses, and providing cost saving recommendations. Utility Savers 2 is the leader in reducing costs, water and trash expenses auditing and utility billing. They also continue to monitor your bills for the life of your contract. Their team of consultants and auditors handles everything, subject to your approval! If Utility Savers 2 cannot save your business money, there is no fee! That is why they say, “You save-Utility Savers 2 works.”
No Up-front Costs; No Up-front Fees
Our contingency-fee services offer businesses a risk-free opportunity to save money by reducing their monthly operational costs. We find cost-saving opportunities and we negotiate for our clients to ensure they get the best rates on business services. Utility Savers 2 works to save you money two ways; recovering overcharges and reducing future operating expenses. Contact us for a free no-risk analysis of your utility bills. 818-366-6999 – YJ DraimanTuesday, October 25, 2011
LADWP - PRIVATE WATER SUB-METER PROGRAM
City of Los Angeles Sewer Services
Sewer Charges
PRIVATE WATER SUB-METER PROGRAM
SEWER SERVICE CHARGES BASED UPON PRIVATE SUB-METER READINGS
FOUR DWELLING UNITS AND FEWER ON A SINGLE WATER METER
FOUR DWELLING UNITS AND FEWER ON A SINGLE WATER METER
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City Council authorized a new procedure in 1996 that allows the City of Los Angeles sewer system customers to use data from private water sub-meters in the calculation of their sewer service charges (SSC). The program is totally optional and the customer will bear all costs associated with it. The program requires that the customer's plumbing be configured to separate the water distribution lines on the customer's property which drain to the sewer ("tributary lines") from those which do not drain to the sewer ("nontributary lines"). In the residential situation, tributary lines serve interior (domestic) uses, and nontributary lines serve exterior (primarily irrigation) uses. The customer may install the private sub-meter on either the tributary or the nontributary line. Hose bibs may remain attached to the tributary line, but no credit against the SSC will be given.
The City Council authorized a new procedure in 1996 that allows the City of Los Angeles sewer system customers to use data from private water sub-meters in the calculation of their sewer service charges (SSC). The program is totally optional and the customer will bear all costs associated with it. The program requires that the customer's plumbing be configured to separate the water distribution lines on the customer's property which drain to the sewer ("tributary lines") from those which do not drain to the sewer ("nontributary lines"). In the residential situation, tributary lines serve interior (domestic) uses, and nontributary lines serve exterior (primarily irrigation) uses. The customer may install the private sub-meter on either the tributary or the nontributary line. Hose bibs may remain attached to the tributary line, but no credit against the SSC will be given.
The present SSC system bases the SSC on a percentage of the volume of water delivered through the City meter and uses an estimating procedure to determine the nontributary percentage. The private sub-meter will substitute actual data for the estimate. Thus, the program should benefit many customers who use a greater than average volume of water for irrigation than average nontributary uses.
Since data from the private sub-meter will provide the best available estimate of the sewage flow generated from a customer's property, the City's base rate of $2.66 per hundred cubic feet (hcf) of sewage will be applied to the readings of a private sub-meter (on the tributary line), or the difference between the readings of the Department of Water and Power (DWP) meter and a private sub-meter (on the nontributary line), to allocate the customer's SSC bill. The $2.66 represents the City's cost to treat one hcf of sewage flow.
To receive a complete information package customers may write to the
Bureau of Sanitation:
Attention:
Residential SSC, PO Box 79083, Los Angeles, CA 90079-0083
or
Commercial SSC, PO Box 79112, Los Angeles, CA 90079-0112
Commercial SSC, PO Box 79112, Los Angeles, CA 90079-0112
Utility Savers Telecom consulting & audits Etc.
Utility Savers Telecom consulting & audits Etc.
Do you find the charges, fees, taxes, etc., that appear on your local or long distance telephone bills confusing?
Most people don't take the time to review them; they assume everything is correct.
Have you tried ordering lines, services or telephone equipment? Do you understand the choices available; are you aware of contract and marketplace traps?
We have saved intelligent consumers, just like you, thousands of dollars. If you believe in that old adage "waste not want not", give us a chance to review your bills and order your services and equipment. Give us the opportunity to show you how to save your hard earned money!;
Utility Savers Consultantants
TELECOM MADE EASY
We will review your local telephone bills to ensure:- your are not billed for services you do not need
- there are no duplicate charges
- you are aware of any/all opportunities to change existing service that would save you money
- you are not being billed by unknown companies, who charge you minimum monthly charges, tax and fees, but provide no service.
We will review your long distance telephone bills to ensure:
- you are receiving the best rates available
- you are aware of possible long distance abuse/fraud
- your long distance company has not been changed without your knowledge
We will work with your architect, engineer, contractor or designing firm to prevent costly mistakes in setting up your equipment and network services, before you build/move.
Working with us before you build or move can save you thousands!
Here are a few of the services we will oversee and advise on:
- Dedicated circuit/line requirements
- Relay rack access
- Raised flooring considerations
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- Follow-up on your first bill for accuracy
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- Provide the best options on contracts
and the list goes on...
Basic rates jump, but so do potential savings from calling plans and new providers
Basic rates jump, but so do potential savings from calling plans and new providers
Major carriers’ interstate long distance basic rates have risen steeply, according to the latest Long Distance Rates Survey of 21 carriers and 47 discount calling plans. Basic rates, the highest rates paid by customers not on a calling plan, jumped 17.5% in one year at the Big Three carriers (AT&T, MCI and Sprint).Besides the steep jump in basic rates to as high as 35¢ per minute for weekday, daytime calls (Big Three), Consumer Action (CA) found large increases for:
- Calling card calls: The cost of placing a 10-minute weekday, daytime calling card call from Chicago to Los Angeles, using each company’s own card and access number, jumped 30% to $11.40 using MCI, 26.8% to $10.15 using Sprint and 42.8% to $5 for Verizon. AT&T’s charge for carrying the call ($10.15) is unchanged since last year, as is SBC’s ($4.25).
The total for these calls includes the per-call surcharge: this year, MCI’s surcharge rose from $1.25 per call to $1.50 and Sprint’s from 99¢ to $1.25. Surcharges levied by AT&T ($1.25) and SBC (75¢) remained the same. Verizon reports that it does not have a per-call surcharge on calling card calls. - Collect calls: The cost of a 10-minute, daytime collect call from Chicago to Los Angeles dialed using Big Three toll-free collect call access numbers shot up 52% across the board since last year. All three companies charged the same rate and implement-ed the same increase—from $8.49 to $12.89.
The cost for this collect call when you ask the operator to help is even higher: $15.40 for AT&T; $16.44 for MCI and $14.40 for Sprint. The cost of an operator-assisted collect call has remained steady for AT&T and Sprint—MCI increased its cost 18% since a year ago. - Directory assistance: In one year, the cost of asking for directory assistance by dialing the area code plus 555-1212 jumped 25% to $2.49 for MCI and Sprint customers. SBC customers, now paying $1.40 per call, have seen a whopping 47% increase. AT&T ($1.99) and Verizon ($1.25) remain the same.
In a worst case scenario, AT&T and Sprint customers using a discount international calling plan with rates of 9¢ per minute to the United Kingdom would end up paying 31¢ per minute if calling a cell phone because of the 22¢ per-minute surcharge added by both companies.
Linda Sherry, who conducted the survey, noted that most people are used to the notion that when calling a cell phone, the cell phone’s owner pays for the call. “This isn’t true everywhere overseas,” she noted, “which makes this a costly trap for the unwary.”
This year Consumer Action looked at 47 state-to-state long distance calling plans. (See a list of all interstate long distance calling plans) Of the calling plans surveyed, 31 (or 66%) had monthly fees, 11 (or 23%) had no fee and 5 (or 11%) had monthly minimum spending requirements. Monthly fees ranged from 75¢ (Big Zoo) to $59.99 (MCI’s Neighborhood Complete). Minimum spending requirements ranged from $5 to $10.
Calling plan rates ranged from 2.5¢ to 11.5¢ per minute.
The plans fall into several categories:
- One-rate plans. These plans offer one per-minute rate around the clock.
- Two-rate plans. These plans offer two rates—typically, a higher per-minute rate applies in the daytime and a lower rate in the evening, at night and on weekends.
- Online plans. These plans require that customers set up service through the company’s web site, and often include an online billing requirement and automatic credit card payment.
- “Buckets of minutes” plans. These plans give you a certain number of long distance minutes per month for one charge. When you use more than your allowance of minutes, a slightly higher per-minute rate applies for additional minutes. If you don’t use all the minutes in one month, you lose them—unused minutes don’t roll over to the next month.
- Prepaid plans. These plans require that customers pay in advance for long distance minutes.
- “Unlimited” plans. This new twist allows you unlimited calls in return for a set monthly fee.
“Unlimited plans are a new concept to hit the market since we last surveyed long distance rates,” noted Sherry. “Two plans like this showed up. AT&T has a plan that allows you unlimited minutes when talking to other AT&T customers, while you pay 7¢ per minute for calls to other people. MCI’s Neighborhood is a package of phone services that includes unlimited state-to-state long distance as well as local phone service and other optional services such as call waiting. Both have hefty monthly fees.”
Save up to 72%
CA analyzed how much Big Three customers can save by having a calling plan and found that savings of up to 72% are possible if you avoid paying the three companies’ highest basic rates. Using the same calling basket of 126 minutes of interstate calls it has tracked for 17 years, CA found that AT&T customers could save between $21.93-$25.20 per month, MCI customers between $13.80-$18.91 and Sprint customers $12.15-$24.88 just by enrolling in one of their calling plans.To assist consumers in shopping for long distance service, CA compiles a chart of the lowest per-minute plan rates. Appearing on the interstate long distance calling plans, this year’s chart features six online plans with interstate rates of 4.5¢ to 9¢ per minute. Internet sign-up and automatic credit card billing usually are required for online calling plans.To assist consumers in shopping for long distance service, CA compiles a chart of the lowest per-minute plan rates. Appearing on pages 4 and 5, this year’s chart features six online plans with interstate rates of 4.5¢ to 9¢ per minute. Internet sign-up and automatic credit card billing usually are required for online calling plans.
“If you’re willing to use the Internet for sign-up, billing and even customer service via e-mail, you can find substantial savings because none of the plans we list have monthly fees,” said Sherry.
Prepaid providers
This year two online prepaid long distance providers have been added to the survey.BigZoo and OneSuite operate strictly via their web sites, selling prepaid long distance time charged to a credit or debit card. (See interstate calling plans for more details about their services.)
Both services require customers to use either a toll-free or local access number and a personal identification number (PIN). However, they offer automatic PIN recognition, which can save the trouble of dialing the PIN when calling from your home phone. (To make using the access numbers easier, you can use your phone’s speed dialer.)
Sherry said these services have advantages, including lower rates and not having to worry about an unexpectedly large bill. “You can really budget your long distance charges by using a prepaid service,” she said.
The services can be used from any phone, although a payphone surcharge applies.
Long distance comparison sites try to sell you—but that may not be a bad thing
By Michael IacuessaWith slumping sales causing major long distance carriers to raise rates and fees, consumers have more incentive than ever to search for an inexpensive provider. When consumers go shopping for long distance deals on the web, they often end up at one of the many web sites run by telecom brokers who make money from commissions.
Many of the lowest long distance rates around are offered by companies that buy time in bulk from the major carriers and resell it to the public. By some estimates, there are hundreds of companies selling long distance services and this can make it difficult for consumers to find the carrier that best suits their calling patterns.
To fill that need, many web sites have emerged to offer comparisons between providers, including lists of companies with the cheapest rates and consumer information on long distance service. The sites also direct shoppers to certain providers in exchange for a commission. That may raise questions of reliability but the owners say they have consumers’ best interests in mind.
William Van Hefner, president of The Digest, an on-line newsletter covering the telecommunications industry, said comparison web sites make money on “click-throughs.” That is when a shopper is directed to and signs up with a long distance company via the comparison web site.
The Digest’s sister site, Telcom-pare.com, started in 1999, is an agent for 20 to 30 long distance companies. Van Hefner insists it makes little difference to his company which one a consumer selects because all pay his company the same click-through rate.
“I don’t have any reason to choose one over the other,” he said. “So I would prefer ones that generate the least number of complaints and have a good reputation and customer service.”
While there are countless web sites offering long distance comparisons, Van Hefner said only a handful tend to get heavy traffic. He believes the successful ones are popular because they take a consumer-friendly approach.
At Telcompare.com, providers are ranked in the order customers find most popular. The site is picky about the providers it lists.
No slammers, crammers
“We won’t add someone if they have a history of repeated slamming or cramming,” said Van Hefner. Slamming is when a company takes over a person’s long distance service without permission. Cramming is when a customer is billed for services that were never authorized.SaveOnPhone.com, by contrast, tries to be the most comprehensive long distance comparison site, listing every provider it knows to exist—even if the company does not offer commissions.
Like many others, SaveOnPhone has a rate calculator that allows you to type in information about your own calling patterns. It then returns a list of 10 long distance plans that might work for you.
Company vice-president Bill Hardekopf says the system is an objective one and does not favor firms that offer commissions to SaveOnPhone.
Calculations take into account in-state and state-to-state rates, billing increments, minimum charges and Universal Service Fund (USF) charges. (The USF is a fee companies must pay to the federal government to help provide phone and Internet service to schools and remote rural areas).
“The comparison sites tend to sell the plans of many of the same cut-rate long distance providers,” said Linda Sherry of Consumer Action. “Some sites seem to exist only to sell long distance, while others have a track record of providing objective information on how to select long distance service.”
Sherry advises that consumers visit several of the sites before conducting business with one. “It’s an educational process in itself to visit these sites.”
As a consumer advocate, Sherry has one sore point. “Some of the rate calculators ask for your entire phone number. They only need the area code and prefix to give you applicable rates. If you’re asked to type in your whole number, I’d look to see if the site has a strong privacy policy before continuing or you might be inviting telemarketers to call.”
While per-minute rate comparisons are usually obvious, other factors, such as billing increments can have quite an effect. Companies that bill in six-second increments instead of the standard one minute can shave your long distance bill considerably.
The USF fee also can vary from company to company. Providers are taxed 6.8% on what they collect but many pass a higher percentage on to consumers.
“Most of them charge a higher amount,” said Hardekopf, noting that major carriers charge consumers up to 11%. “That’s some of the fine print stuff some of the long distance providers are not up front about.”
ABTolls.com, another comparison site, puts each provider through a blind shopping test before choosing whether to list it. Currently, it lists 170 long distance companies.
“We actually call as an anonymous consumer to see how they represent themselves, to see whether or not they are responsive to the customer, including hold times,” said co-founder Dr. Marc-David Seidel.
Not all listed companies pay ABTolls a commission if a consumer signs up through the site, but the company does disclose which companies are sponsors.
ABTolls, started in 1997, is run by three partners—Seidel, Justin Pollock and Scott McCoy—all of whom have other full-time jobs. Seidel says new long distance companies usually find ABTolls on their own and ask to be listed. Other companies are recommended by the site’s users.
Seidel recommends that consumers who are seeking a new long distance provider should “look at the plan and make sure it makes sense for their calling patterns. They should understand what the hidden costs are. There’s a lot of companies out there that are just not reputable.”
ABTolls has a custom pricing tool (TollChaser.com) which offers net rates alongside the advertised rates. It asks visitors for an unusually in-depth calling profile, including the number of state-to-state and out-of-state calls, total monthly minutes and the time of day that calls are usually made. Seidel said recommending the best provider for each household is impossible without knowing these variables.
Pays to look closely
Even with the help of comparison sites, customers need to look pretty closely. The rates and terms can be different depending on where you live.Some of the companies that are highly rated for value include Isterra, and Pioneer Telephone—sold only through resellers—and ZoneLD. But Isterra’s in-state rates can vary by up to 9¢ per minute. Ditto for Zone LD, which offers Wisconsin residents an in-state rate of 4.5¢ per minute but charges West Virginia residents 16.1¢ per minute on in-state calls.
Pioneer has low 4.9¢ per minute overseas rates to France and England, but requires automatic credit card billing.
“What’s good for one individual may not be good for someone else,” said Seidel, perhaps explaining why his sites have become so popular with consumers who find comparison shopping a time-consuming and tedious process.
Set your ‘sites’ for comparing discount long distance rates
AB Tolls(http://abtolls.com) For all plans featured, ABTolls displays actual per-minute rates and monthly costs after fees, surcharges, minimums and taxes have been figured in. From ABTolls, you can click through to its sister site, Tollchaser.com, which offers “customizable” rate comparisons based on details you provide about your long distance calling patterns.
Discount Long Distance Rates (www.discountlongdistancerates.com)
This site run by Rachael Hoffman allows you to browse its providers or use its online calculator to figure out a “good fit” before you click through to the company of your choice to seal the deal.
LD Wiz (http://ldwiz.com) Telecom consultant Bruce Galle provides detailed information for the plans he offers on his site, including in-state rates, intrastate rates and fees such as the Universal Service Fee (USF).
Lower My Bills (www.lowermybills.com) Recommends alternative providers to help consumers save on various bills, including long distance, and allows you to sign up online for the services of your choice.
Phone Bill Busters (www.phone-bill-busters.com) Represents discount long distance and cellular carriers and provides detailed information, including in-state rates, intrastate rates and fees such as the Universal Service Fee (USF).
Save On Phone (www.saveonphone.com) This site uses its own rating system that gives each carrier 100 points to start and deducts points for unfriendly consumer practices such as call rounding, minimum charges, monthly fees and higher-than-average fees and surcharges.
TelCompare (www.telcompare.com) The long distance plans sold on this site are chosen by William Van Hefner, founder of The Discount Long Distance Digest (www.thedigest.com), and he offers an “unconditional money-back guarantee” to consumers who purchase listed plans.
Interstate Calling Plans
ADELPHIA (888) 374-8444 • www.adelphia.com
Calling plan : Adelphia Long Distance
- Type : One-rate plan
- Monthly fee : None
- Rate periods included : All
- Plan description : Calls are 8¢ per minute. Calls are billed in six-second increments. Stand-alone billing only.
A T & T (800) 222-0300 • www.att.com
Calling plan : Unlimited Plan
- Type : One-rate plan
- Monthly fee : $19.95
- Rate periods included : All
- Plan description : ncludes unlimited calls to other AT&T long distance customers; calls to non-AT&T customers are 7¢ per minute.
- Type : One-rate plan
- Monthly fee : $3.95
- Rate periods included : All
- Plan description : Calls are 7¢ per minute.
- Type : One-rate plan
- Monthly fee : None. $5 minimum monthly usage requirement.
- Rate periods included : All
- Plan description : Calls are 10¢ per minute.
- Type : Online two-rate plan
- Monthly fee : None. $5 minimum monthly usage requirement.
- Rate periods included : Peak (weekdays) and Off-Peak (Saturday and Sunday).
- Plan description : Peak calls are 9¢ per minute and Off-Peak, 5¢. Online billing is required (no paper bills are available with this plan).
- Type : Two-rate plan
- Monthly fee : $4.95
- Rate periods included : Peak (weekdays) and Off-Peak (Saturday and Sunday).
- Plan description : Peak calls are 7¢ and Off-Peak, 5¢.
- Type : Two-rate plan
- Monthly fee : None. $5 minimum monthly usage requirement.
- Rate periods included : Peak (7 a.m.-7 p.m.) and Off-Peak (7 p.m.-7 a.m.)
- Plan description : Peak calls are 10¢ and Off-Peak, 5¢.
BIG ZOO Toll Free Number : None • www.bigzoo.com
Calling plan : BigZooLong Distance Service
- Type : Online prepaid one-rate plan
- Monthly fee : 75¢
- Rate periods included : All
- Plan description : Calls in the continental U.S. are 2.9¢ (local access); 3.9¢ (toll free access). (Calls to Hawaii and Alaska are 16.3¢ per minute. Calls cannot be placed from Hawaii or Alaska.) You sign up on the company’s web site (see above) and pay using a credit or debit card. Payphone calls are subject to a 55¢ charge. You can view all of your calling activity by signing in to your account on BigZoo’s web site. For first-time users, the minimum amount is $5; on subsequent recharges, the minimum is $10. BigZoo PINs expire six months from the date of purchase or last recharge, whichever is more recent. Note: some of the international rates show below have been rounded to the nearest 1/10th of a cent.
Australia: 5.9¢ for most continental calls (to a cell phone, 32.4¢)
Brazil: 17.4¢ (to a cell phone, 35.4¢)
Canada: 4.4¢
England: 4.5¢
Mexico (Mexico City): 11.9¢
Taiwan: 6.5¢; 5.4¢ (Taipei) (to a cell phone, 15.4¢)
Energy Savers has the expertise to ensure that the energy decisions you must make will be the right decisions.
In today’s business climate, large energy users must make informed choices about how energy is delivered, used and managed. To do otherwise risks hard-earned profits. Energy Savers has the expertise to ensure that the energy decisions you must make will be the right decisions.
Energy Savers manages the procurement and delivery of energy to our clients’ locations. We manage price exposure and volatility, and we ensure budget integrity. Our powerful range of services is customized to meet your unique energy needs. The result is improved profitability and price security.
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with no energy at all. Energy Savers manages the complex process of moving your energy from where it is produced to where it is needed.
We build long-lasting relationships with our clients in order to better understand your business challenges. We view ourselves as a member of your team, focused on your bottom line.
Our business approach works. We have a 97% client retention rate. A recent national energy marketer survey conducted by Mastio and Associates rated Energy Savers “No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction.”
with no energy at all. Energy Savers manages the complex process of moving your energy from where it is produced to where it is needed.
We build long-lasting relationships with our clients in order to better understand your business challenges. We view ourselves as a member of your team, focused on your bottom line.
Our business approach works. We have a 97% client retention rate. A recent national energy marketer survey conducted by Mastio and Associates rated Energy Savers “No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction.”
ENERGY SAVERS PORTFOLIO OF SERVICES
Supply Management
The complexities of acquiring and managing natural gas, electricity and other fuels for your facility can be challenging. What options are best for you? How can your energy costs be minimized and your reliability maximized? Energy Savers offers the following services to address these issues;
· Energy Procurement – Are you getting the best energy price? The energy delivery chain (supply/generation, transport/transmission, distribution) is complex—with minimal price transparency. Energy Savers develops competitive options so that you get the best value in cost and reliability. · Logistics Management – Did you know your energy costs can be reduced by cutting out the middleman? Energy Savers can purchase supply on your behalf directly from the source where energy costs are lowest, arrange transportation to get the energy to your facility, and manage the required nominations, scheduling and balancing. The net result is a lower energy cost for you. · Bill Review – Are you confident that your utility bills are correct? Energy’s Savers bill verification process will verify that your utility invoices are correct. We review billing rates and usage. |
Tariff Review – Many clients are surprised to learn that they are not on the lowest-cost utility tariff for which they qualify. Our utility experts can review tariff options and recommend the best alternative for your facility.
· Cost and Usage Reporting – Do you have a reporting system that provides timely energy cost and usage reporting for your facilities? Energy Savers can provide you with this information through our web-based Consolidated Energy Reporting System.
Sales Tax Exemption – Are you paying unnecessary sales tax? Industrial customers typically are not required to pay sales tax on energy consumed in the manufacturing process. But many do! Energy Savers will ensure that you do not pay more than required.
PRICE RISK MANAGEMENT
Energy prices are extremely volatile! Natural gas prices can range from $2.00 to well above $15.00 per MMBtu. Electric prices can range from 2 cents to 90 cents per kilowatt hour. Can your enterprise tolerate this degree of price volatility and risk?
Energy Savers works with each client to design and implement a customized Price Management Plan. The plan explicitly identifies potential natural gas and electric
price exposure and defines a strategy that incorporates each client’s pricing objectives and risk tolerances. Our client-specific price management approach results in a risk management strategy that meets your goals such as securing product margins, meeting budget targets and controlling price volatility
Clients should make informed decisions. Consistent with that objective, we provide clients with technical and fundamental analysis, periodic expert presentations and an annual energy conference focusing on timely energy issues
Plant Site Development
Whether you are developing a new facility or expanding an existing facility, the energy infra-structure and contracting decisions you make can determine the success of your enterprise. Maximizing competition between potential energy providers will result in a stronger bottom line for you.
We analyze the energy costs for potential new sites for your business, and give you objective advice related to infrastructure facilities such as gas lines, on-site fuel systems, substations and on-site generation. We negotiate with utilities, pipelines and suppliers to arrive at the best pricing and reliability possible.
Energy Savers is experienced in obtaining economic development rate discounts, tax exemptions, rebates and other special incentives for our clients. We can also provide you with expert advice on ways to reduce energy costs and improve efficiency in your facilities.
Energy Savers exists to save money for our clients.
Think of Energy Savers as a member of your organization. Our role is to deliver value to your bottom line. We bring peace of mind through well-informed energy decisions.
OUR BIAS IS YOU
Energy Savers is not owned or affiliated with any other company. We are 100% employee-owned. Our independence allows us to provide objective energy advice. Our fee structure removes the concern of hidden costs and bias toward a specific supplier or fuel.
EXPERT STAFF
We recruit employees with outstanding reputations for knowledge, integrity and service. Our employees bring experience from a wide variety of companies—utilities, pipelines, wholesale/retail commodity suppliers, financial institutions and industrial equipment suppliers. This depth of experience gives us an extensive base of in-house expertise. Our professional staff members have, on average, more than 20 years of industry experience.
DATA MANAGEMENT
Management of energy costs begins with obtaining, organizing and tracking cost and usage information. We have developed proprietary software applications that allow complete data warehousing of client information. Our interactive Web site provides our clients with confidential access to this data. This information is used to guide strategies and decisions regarding your energy issues.
WE DELIVER VALUE
We establish long-term relationships with our clients by consistently providing value. Let us show you how we can bring value to your company through energy cost savings, price stability and energy market information.You can be confident that your energy is expertly managed when Energy Savers is on your team.
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