Iowa Global Warming

Blanche Formaro, 79, has lived in her house on Southeast Dunham Avenue in Des Moines since 1952. The house has survived two floods and frigid winters, but Formaro said a lot of air comes in the front door.

Or at least it did before Monday.

Volunteers with Iowa Global Warming turned out Monday to help Formaro weatherize her home. They taped plastic on the windows, changed her light bulbs to energy-efficient ones and put weather stripping on her front door.

“I appreciate it a whole bunch,” said Formaro, who has six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Basic weatherization of a home can save up to 30 percent on the energy bill, said Andrew Snow, campaign manager with Iowa Global Warming.

With the present economic crisis, there couldn’t be a better time to cut down on energy bills, Snow said.

About 30 volunteers weatherized 18 area homes Monday.

“When you get groups working together, we can really make a difference in people’s lives,” Snow said.

Excerpt from a longer article. Read the full story here