Energy cutbacks, why just us?

Dear editor:

So much talk about cutting back on energy, but it all seems to be directed only to home owners and not businesses.

The poor woman in Toronto on the news last evening, even felt guilty about having her fan on after turning off her air conditioning, so guilty that she turned off the fan as well. It's with that little lady in mind, that I'm finally writing this letter.

It never ceases to amaze me that businesses such as Shoeless Joe's, get away with wanton displays of energy inefficiency.

One day I was in a Shoeless Joe's for lunch and, if my memory serves me correctly, there were 14 television sets turned on with no one watching them. Of course, even if you did want to

watch one of them, the volume was muted. This is a chain of restaurants so imagine if you could get them to turn off their t.v.'s! There'd be hundreds of them I would guess. How many other chains do the same thing?

Another area that would save energy, the malls which are too hot in the winter and way too cold in the summer. In the winter we are dressed for the cold weather outside and end up sweltering in the malls. The opposite holds true for summer. We are dressed in light clothing appropriate for the heat outside but upon entering a mall, we freeze. Why are the malls not being targeted to cut back? Most stores have too many lights on as well.

When one is going to the terrific expense of installing energy efficient windows, washing machines, light

bulbs, and high-efficiency furnaces, why do we have to pay taxes? Wouldn't it be more of an incentive if the taxes were waived on such products? We have done all of the above. In fact, we had our windows professionally filmed for added efficiency. We are thinking of updating more things with energuide products but where is the incentive? Our thermostat is set on 77 degrees in summer and during winter days, 65 degrees, winter nights, 60, unless we have grandchildren here overnight.

These are just a few of my thoughts, just the tip of the iceberg so to speak. Ahhh, where's an iceberg when you need one to lie on?

Mary-Florence Bartley

Barrie