Do you know what’s exciting? Stumbling across the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s website filled with facts about the usage of energy in each individual state. Oh wait, it’s just me who is happy at the discovery? Admittedly, I am a bit of an information nerd, so sites filled with facts fill me with joy. Let me synthesize the info on Washington State for you so that you can find the same thrill that I have in my heart.
- Power to us for our massive amount of renewable resources! (Get the pun?) Washington state is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in the nation. And get this– In November 2006, Washington adopted a renewable energy standard that requires all utilities serving at least 25,000 people to produce 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2020.
- If you’re thinking of leaving on a jet plane, you’re not the first. Washington is among the highest users of jet fuel, mostly due to the military bases in the area.
- Your South King County heat pump might just be run on power from the Columbia Generating System, which generates 1/10th of the state’s power. And you might also have a gas furnace like 1/3 of the state who uses gas as their primary source of home heating.
While I have provided you with some scintillating facts, I’m sure that you will want to read even more yourself. Head on over to the U.S. Energy Website for more thrills.
With the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics rapidly approaching, we wanted to cheer on some of the Olympians who are representing South King County in Vancouver this year.
NICOLE JORAANSTAD is from Kent and will be a member of the women’s curling team. She graduated from Kentridge High and has been dominating the world of curling since 2006 when she didn’t qualify for the Olympics that year. We look forward to seeing what she can do at the Olympics this year!
APOLO OHNO of Federal Way is poised to set a new record for the most winter Olympic medals. He is currently tied at 5 medals with long track speed skater Eric Heiden for the most in a career for an American man, and is hoping to add at least one more this winter to tie with Bonnie Blair. We look forward to cheering him on to meet that goal!
J.R. CELSKI, also of Federal Way, joins Apolo Ohno in the short track speed skating. He had a bad accident in September at the Olympic trials where he cut his thigh to the bone and required surgery to fix it. He is optimistic that he will be up to the task of winning some medals in Vancouver. With his record of winning 5 medals at the World Championships in March, he will be one to watch at the Olympics.
All of us at AAA Heating & Air Conditioning wish these Olympians the best of luck in Vancouver and look forward to watching them win many medals in the next few weeks!
Image sources: http://www.usacurl.org/athletes/biographies/nicole_joraanstad.gif & http://www.g-skate.com/images/blades/Apolo_JR.jpg
