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FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
Commission Update May 2017 Julie I. Brown Chairman |
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Helping Students Learn Conservation Strategies for a Lifetime
On April 27, 2017, the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) hosted its 2017 Take Our Daughters & Sons to Work Day (TDSW) activities, using the national TDSW hashtag #COUNTONME. For 24 years, TDSW has “encouraged girls and boys across the country to dream and to think about their family, work, and community lives.” The PSC showed our future workforce that they can #COUNTONME!, something we demonstrate when meeting and talking to Florida’s consumers throughout the state. Since everyday habits form at an early age, student outreach is important when trying to instill effective safety, energy efficiency, and water conservation practices. Our children also tend to remind us if our habits are wasteful or inefficient. Lessons learned can have a broad impact! TSDW is one way the PSC reaches this young audience. This year, PSC Executive Director Braulio Baez welcomed participating children to our TDSW activities, offering insight into how consumers count on their parents to keep utility rates affordable. PSC staff then reminded students to “Think Safety First!” at home, at school, and at play, with electric and natural gas safety practices. These lessons were reflected through their drawings that featured safe digging, water/electric use warnings, and proper appliance use, among other safety practices. When we make presentations to schools, we often ask students how they can conserve water. Taking shorter showers, turning off the water while brushing their teeth, and watering plants in the morning are some of the more common answers. Xeriscaping, planting a drought tolerant landscape, is one water conservation technique that is rarely, if ever, mentioned. During TSDW, we showed children the PSC’s xeriscaping consumer tip and demonstrated xeriscaping with a hands-on planting activity using lantana, a drought tolerant plant. TDSW is a reminder that we all need to prepare students to be our next generation of energy, water, and natural gas consumers. Undoubtedly, they will help find new ways to produce energy and extend water supplies in the future. Still, these are difficult lessons to teach. When you can easily turn a faucet and have water or flip a switch and have light, it''s hard for children to understand how water and energy fuels are finite resources. The PSC produces various brochures and information on the importance of energy and water conservation. As an agency, we regularly do a lot of outreach in the community and with schools, and we encourage the utilities we regulate to do the same. Below are a few of the PSC’s educational resources that we often use with students to help them better understand the importance of energy and water conservation:
Because Florida students live in a state that is susceptible to hurricanes, we also find it helpful to have information on how families can be prepared with a hurricane plan. The PSC’s “Hurricane House,” in English and Spanish, is an online guide that includes 19 tips to help prepare your family and your home for severe weather. Tips include everything from planning an evacuation route, to installing carbon monoxide detectors and dealing with downed power lines. The PSC’s website also features a consumer tip that details how to make a hurricane kit, as well as a storm preparation consumer tip. Now is a good time for you and your children to take advantage of these student-friendly resources! The students participating in TDSW cheerfully reminded us, “school’s almost out!” Well, “the almost” brings many stresses, including awards programs, recitals, class parties, and exams! Lives are very busy this last month of the school year, but if you’re needing a summer learning project or want to keep your kids back-to-school ready, check out the PSC’s website (www.floridapsc.com) and review some of the brochures I’ve mentioned.
CONTACT THE PSC: On-line: www.FloridaPSC.com E-mail contact@psc.state.fl.us Call toll-free number: 800-342-3552 Fax toll-free: 800-511-0809 Send a letter to: The Florida Public Service Commission 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0850
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June Commission Calendar
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PSC to Consider Gulf Rates from Approved Settlement Agreement; Hold Commission Conference on Thursday
April / May Notable FPSC Dockets
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