More smart meter snake oil

The Glendale News-Press article on Sept. 4 titled “Smart meters in the frame” was very informative.

Jim Sepe holds the title of “chief technology officer” for Ceiva. I doubt that he is a guinea pig for the new project his employer is proposing, but is just using another snake oil sell about smart meters.

Does anyone with a shred of common sense need another energy consuming gadget to advise them that when they lower temperatures or activate air conditioners, power use will either decline or rise in use? We should be working with what we have — our brain.

This idea of a digital frame is just another toy that Ceiva is trying to push onto the consumer to enhance their business. We do not need another energy consumer toy/gadget to know that by using fans instead of air conditioning, we save energy.

We also know that by not having a Jacuzzi, or a swimming pool, we save energy and water. We also know that not having a dish washer, which is the first appliance you are told to turn off when attempting to save water and energy, is not a necessity. We know that the microwave should be used sparingly, not as a substitute for cooking on a conventional stove.

We do know that maintaining a lawn and planting trees is an asset to the environment. We also know that vegetation helps with the quality of air we breathe and enhances our aesthetic environment.

So, we have a lawn to aid in the quality of life of our neighborhood. We do not continue to fall for every snake oil scheme and gadget proposed by the utility under the guise of helping us keep track of our energy usage.

Glendale Water & Power continually advises us that our water and energy usage is far below any of our neighbors. For this result we used common sense, not another gimmick proposed by the utility or the sales department at Ceiva to enhance their profit margin.

The citizens of Glendale are not fooled by this additional big-brother assault on our freedom and health. I now have an additional title — chief technology officer for our home.

I am watching our usage. I do not need Glendale Water & Power or Ceiva to sell under the guise of promoting conservation and/or increasing my knowledge of energy conservation. In fact, all Ceiva wants to do is add another energy-user item to the already overburdened energy-saver list.

Carole Weling

Glendale

Don’t our so-called civic leaders have more important issues to deal with than fake turf (“Mayor: faux grass may contain varying levels of toxins,” Aug. 24)?

The only one in favor of artificial turf is the only one with common sense. He should be praised. Come on people, get real, get a life, and do something right for a change.

Pros for the use of artificial turf include:

No watering (cost-cutting after initial investment).

Little or no maintenance.

No noise or air pollution from the use of gas mowers/blowers/weed whackers.

No energy use from electric mowers.

No debris to deal with.

I cannot think of a valid negative issue of the use of artificial turf.

If all people have to do is drive around and look for fake grass, they must lead a very miserable life. Perhaps our governor should be brought into the equation to see what his take is on this issue.

I am sure he would be in favor for the use of artificial turf.

Rex L. Shields

Montrose