Changing the Scene Changes Its Name

5-year-old school wellness program becomes HEALthy Schools

After five years of extraordinary success, UNH Cooperative Extension's Changing the Scene school wellness program has changed its name to HEALthy Schools: Healthy Eating and Active Living in New Hampshire Schools.

The program provides New Hampshire schools with resources, technical assistance, and peer support to help them improve their school nutrition and physical activity environments.

"We changed our name to reflect our close collaboration with the statewide HEAL (Healthy Eating, Active Living NH) initiative and other partners," says Valerie Long, Cooperative Extension nutrition education coordinator.

Since 2003, the program has worked with more than 580 school personnel in 330 Granite State schools and Head Start programs. More than 50,000 children have received the health-promoting benefits of changes their schools have made.

Learn more about HEALthy Schools

Food Safety During and After a Power Outage

Cleaning out the refrigerator and checking your freezer for the safety of its contents don't often at rise to the top of your to-do list, but an extended power outage is a good time for these tasks.

These food safety tips can help:

• Keep appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer at all times. Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs need to be refrigerated at or below 40 degrees F. Frozen foods need to be stored at or below 0 degrees F. Digital, dial, or instant-read food thermometers and appliance thermometers will help you know if the food is at safe temperatures.


• If you don't have an appliance thermometer, you can insert an instant-read food thermometer into the food and check its temperature.


• Keeping an appliance thermometer in the freezer will help you evaluate the safety of frozen foods. When the power comes back on, check the thermometer. If the temperature reads 40 degrees F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.


• If you don't have a thermometer in the freezer, check each package of food individually. Food is safe to refreeze if it still contains ice crystals. Partial thawing and refreezing may reduce the quality of some food, but the food will remain safe to eat.


• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed.


• For prolonged power outages, try to obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic foot full freezer for two days. Use caution when handling dry ice.


• Storing food outside isn't a good idea, even though the outside temperature is below 40 degrees F. Frozen food can thaw if exposed to the sun's rays, even when the temperature is very cold. Since the outside temperature could vary hour by hour, refrigerated food may become too warm and bacteria that cause foodborne illness could grow.


• Additionally, perishable items left outside could be exposed to unsanitary conditions or to animals. Never eat food that has come in contact with an animal.


• Rather than putting the food outside, consider taking advantage of cold temperatures by making ice. Fill buckets, empty milk cartons or cans with water and leave them outside to freeze. Then put the homemade ice in your refrigerator, freezer, or coolers.


• Discard any perishable food (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers) that have been above 40 degrees F for 2 hours. Be sure to discard any items in either the freezer or the refrigerator that have come into contact with raw meat juices.


• Remember, you can't rely on appearance or odor to tell you whether a food is still safe to eat.

When in doubt, throw it out! It's much safer to throw out $150 worth of food than to spend $1000+ for a visit to the emergency room. Think of it as a great way to make room in your refrigerator for all the extra holiday foods. Have a happy, healthy and safe holiday season!

By Alice Mullen, Family & Consumer Resources Educator

More information

• Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency
• Food and Water in an Emergency
• Food Security and Emergency Preparedness





Posted December 15, 2008 | Comments (0)

Assessing and Cleaning Up Storm-Damaged Trees: Stay Safe!

On Thursday, December 11, Mother Nature covered much of the state in a glaze of ice that felled trees and ripped out power lines, cutting off power to more than half a million households and causing Gov. John Lynch to declare a state of emergency.

Four days later, tens of thousands of families are still without power, and many have moved into the 60 emergency shelters set up across the state. Once people have returned home, many will find themselves dealing with downed or ice-damaged trees. A few tips:

Don't panic, be safe and seek professional help: Removing large trees or limbs is dangerous. Don't climb a ladder with a chainsaw. Don’t climb into a damaged tree. Never touch any tree near electrical wires. Assess your particular tree situation carefully and watch for safety hazards.

Most tree work needs to be done by professional arborists, especially if the work requires climbing or when the tree is leaning against another tree or structure.

Assess immediate hazards first: Remove dead trees; trees or branches that are leaning; trees with broken or cracked stems;trees with extensive broken roots; and any large, dead, or broken limbs that are still attached to the tree.

Hire an arborist: Hiring a qualified arborist will get the work done properly and safely. Trained arborists are aware of proper pruning and removal procedures and can reduce the chance of further damage to the tree. Check to see that they are certified and ask for certificates of insurance, including proof of liability for personal and property damage and worker’s compensation. Also, request local references and get more than one estimate.

Prevent additional damage: Later, you may want to prune the damaged trees to improve appearance and reduce additional hazards. If the top has been broken, the tree should be pruned back to a strong lateral branch. Damaged branches should be pruned back to the branch collar.

Don’t forget to look at your trees in the spring and summer:
Some damage may not be immediately apparent. Hidden cracks may cause branches to droop when leaves come out in the spring. Stem decay, aswell as cracks, may lead to structural loss, causing the tree or large branches to become hazardous. Root damage may not be evident until twigs or branches in the upper crown begin dying after two or three growing seasons.

Hire a forester: If you own large acreage, contact your County Extension Forester or a licensed forester to assess the damage, then salvage the trees if needed. Over time, damaged trees may develop decay and discoloration.

As long as it is safe, there is no need to rush. You have more than a year to act before you lose wood to discoloration and decay.

By Karen Bennett, UNH Cooperative Extension forest resources specialist

For additional information and assistance:

• Certified Arborists


• County Extension Foresters


• Directory of Licensed Foresters


• Hiring an Arborist


• Large Tree Care and Pruning


• Pruning Storm Damaged Trees

Save Energy this Winter: Prepare Now!

Start with your heating system

The typical New Hampshire household will spend around $3000 to heat their home this winter.

There are a lot of things you and your family can do right now to reduce those heating bills as much as 20 percent or more with simple actions that don't cost too much.

Lower your thermostat

Every degree you lower the thermostat reduces your fuel costs by about two percent. Keeping your home at 68 degrees in the winter, rather than 73 degrees will typically save about 10 percent in fuel bills.

Lowering the temperature even further when the house is empty or when everyone is sleeping will also reduce your heating bill. If you keep forgetting to lower the temperature manually, a programmable thermostat can help. ("Set it and forget it.") These cost about $50 but will pay for themselves in the first heating season.

There's a common misconception that it takes more energy to raise the temperature of a previously unoccupied home to a comfortable range than it does to maintain that temperature consistently regardless of whether the home is occupied or not. This simply isn't true. If no one is going to be home, turn the heat down; you'll save.

Have your heating system professionally serviced

Having your heating system cleaned and serviced regularly could reduce your fuel costs by 10 percent or more. Getting your system professionally serviced now reduces the likelihood of needing emergency service come January. As a general rule, oil systems should be cleaned and serviced annually, while gas systems should be serviced every other year.

The service technician should:

• Make sure the pilot light (if you have one) and thermostat are working correctly.


• Check the fuel pipe and heating exchanger for cracks or leaks.


• Test the efficiency of your heating system (how effectively your furnace or boiler converts fuel to heat).

Since all conventional heating systems produce carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion, getting your system checked is a safety issue, too.

Change the filter in a forced hot-air system monthly during the heating season to help keep the system at peak efficiency. Most homeowners can change the filters themselves.

Consider a new heating system

If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, consider replacing it with a new ENERGY STAR-qualified heating system. These models use 6 percent to 15 percent less fuel than non-ENERGY STAR systems. Visit the ENERGY STAR Web site for a list of retailers and qualifying models.

Seal those air leaks

You wouldn't leave a window open all winter long, but small air leaks around windows, doors, pipes, recessed lighting, and electrical outlets can cause an equivalent loss of heat. Sealing air leaks can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent to 20 percent and possibly more depending on specific conditions in your home. Here's how:

• Seal door leaks with weather-stripping or a door sweep; seal window leaks with caulking. Rope caulk is an effective alternative to cartridge caulking and can be easily removed in the spring.


• Most heat loss occurs as warm air rises and exits the house through gaps around the chimney or attic, while also drawing cold outside air in through cracks in the basement and foundation (home airflow schematic). Pay particular attention to the attic hatch or pull-down stairs and to any interior-wall top plates in the attic, as these areas are frequently leaky.


• Exterior points such as bulkhead doors and the spaces around pipes where they enter your house (called plumbing penetrations) can also let in cold air and should be sealed.


• Another significant source of air leaks is ductwork that extends throughout the house. Several studies have indicated that sealing ductwork alone can result in an average annual savings in heating bills of 17 percent. Seal ductwork joints with high-quality foil tape or mastic paste. Despite the name, duct tape doesn't work well. Avoid it.

Homes do need to "breathe." Harmful flu gases from the heating system and mold can accumulate in homes without adequate ventilation. Most New Hampshire homes have adequate airflow. In fact, most homes in our state should have their airflow reduced. A blower-door test can determine if you have sufficient ventilation.

"Seal tight and ventilate right" should be the guiding principle when it comes to sealing air leaks. The trick: making sure your home doesn't lose valuable heat but does provide enough fresh air to maintain good indoor air quality. You can have both.

Make sure your home is adequately insulated

Sufficient insulation in your attic, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces can reduce your heating costs by as much as 25 percent. The Department of Energy has recommendations for insulation; consult their guide if you're not sure if your home is adequately insulated.

Generally speaking, attics are the most cost-effective area to insulate. Also insulate heating ducts (especially in unheated areas such as attic crawl spaces). Since many ducts are hidden and not easily accessible, you may need to hire a professional to seal and insulate your ductwork.

Insulate all hot water heating pipes and domestic hot water pipes with foam tubing insulation. Consider adding an external insulating jacket to your hot water heater if your water heater's factory-installed insulation is less than R-15. You can purchase an insulating jacket at your local hardware store for around $20.

Insulate water heaters carefully (especially gas fired heaters) following the manufacturer's guidelines. It's important not to obstruct the top, bottom, thermostat, and burner compartment (if applicable) of the water heater.

Clean and unblock radiators and baseboards

Dirt, dust, and pet fur all reduce the effectiveness of the radiators and baseboards that distribute heat. Clean these elements regularly and make sure furniture and drapes don't inhibit the air flow.

Check the chimney

Closing the chimney and fireplace dampers when not in use will prevent drafts and a loss of heat. (Learn more about chimneys.)

Have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually. Oil, propane, natural gas, and wood all produce carbon monoxide when burned to produce heat. House fires can also result, so its important to test all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in your home regularly to ensure they're fully operational.

Note however, that carbon monoxide detectors may not be as reliable as smoke detectors. Your best defense against carbon monoxide poisoning is still regular cleaning and inspection of all heating system elements.

Heat your home with wood

Using wood from sustainably managed New Hampshire forests can make economic and environmental sense this winter. As heating oil prices have increased, so have the prices of cordwood and wood pellets, but they remain more economical than fuel oil.

Considering the energy content of both fuels, if heating oil is $4.00/gallon, you could afford to pay more than $500 a cord for seasoned hardwood and $470 per ton for wood pellets to get an equivalent amount of heat.

Of course, wood burning has special safety considerations and requires you to invest some of your own time and energy. See Heating with Wood for more information on using wood efficiently and safely this heating season.

New windows (or not)

If you want or need new windows, purchasing Energy STAR windows can reduce your heating bills.

New windows are expensive, however, and most homeowners can achieve significant savings through less-costly options such as storm windows, plastic sheeting applied to the interior of a window (with a hair dryer), and tight-fitting shades or cellular blinds.

On sunny winter days, open window shades on south-facing windows to maximize solar heat gain. Close these shades after dark to minimize heat loss.

Reduce your hot water use

Water heating consumes about 15 percent of a household's energy budget. There are lots of ways to reduce this figure. For example:

• Install low-flow showerheads.
• Limit showers to 3-5 minutes.
• Run the dishwasher only when it's fully loaded.
• Wash clothes in cold water; 80 percent of the energy used to wash clothes goes to heat the water.
• Set your water heater to 120 degrees F. That's hot enough to clean and sanitize. The lower temp also prevents scalding.

Conserve electricity

Unless you heat your living space with electricity, lowering your electric bill won't directly reduce your heating expenses, but it will free up money you can put towards heating fuel. Here are a few tips that can save up to 15 percent of your monthly electric costs:

• Turn off any lights you aren't using.


• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). CFLs use up to 75 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times as long. A single CFL can save more than $70 worth of electricity over its lifetime.


• Plug electronic devices such as computers, printers, and televisions (especially those with a remote control or digital clock) on a power strip and shut the power strip off when not in use. Many electronic devices continue to draw electricity even when the device is off. Known as phantom load or standby loss, this perpetual electricity draw really adds up, accounting for up to 12 percent of a monthly electric bill. "Smart" power strips are also available that can make it even easier to reduce phantom load.


• A plug-in watt meter can tell you how much electricity each of your appliances and home electronics consumes, while a whole house meter will monitor your entire home's electricity consumption. These devices can help you identify ways to reduce your electricity use and costs.


• To reduce your bill further, consider replacing older appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, and dehumidifiers with energy-efficient ENERGY STAR appliances and unplugging appliances you don't use much. Replacing an 18-year-old refrigerator and unplugging a freezer that's only partly full (providing you have freezer space elsewhere to keep the food frozen or have a plan to use the frozen food within a day or two) will each save about $150 a year.

Get a professional audit

Although the actions above will go a long way toward winterizing your home, there's simply no substitute for a professional energy audit. An energy auditor will analyze how your home uses energy and what steps you can take to use energy more efficiently.

Energy auditors will use specialized diagnostic equipment such as a blower door test to measure air leakage and an infrared detector to identify under insulated areas in your home. They can also test the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems and make recommendations on ways to reduce your electricity and hot water consumption.

A professional energy audit costs about $300 to $500, but most homeowners recoup this cost after implementing the auditor's recommendations. You might check with your utility first to see if they provide free or discounted energy audits.

Most auditors have specialized training in residential construction, heat transfer, moisture control, insulation, and air leakage and are thus skilled in maximizing home energy efficiency without sacrificing comfort or safety. Contact the New Hampshire Residential Energy Performance Association for a list of qualified auditors in your area.

Additional Resources and Energy-Tip Guides

NH Office of Energy and Planning: StayWarmNH

Vermont Sustainable Energy Resource Group: Energy Savings Tips

US Department of Energy: A Consumer Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Alliance to Save Energy: How is Your Home’s Physical Fitness?

American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE): Consumer Guide To Home Energy Savings

ENERGY STAR's Do It Yourself Guide to Air Sealing and Insulation

ENERGY STAR's Guide to Duct Sealing

Efficient Windows Collaborative

The Home Energy Diet

Building Science: Homeowner Resources

Energy and Environmental Building Assn: Existing Home Resources

New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Association

NH Department of Environmental Services: Consumer Guide to CFLs and Mercury

By Denise Blaha, UNH Cooperative Extension Energy Answers Coordinator, with help from George Malette and Andy Duncan, Energy Answers Advisory Team

We're Talkin' Turkey

Whether you're an expert chef or a first cook trying to figure out which way the turkey goes in the pan, UNH Cooperative Extension can answer your turkey and holiday meal-preparation questions. Our toll-free info line is staffed by trained volunteers who give practical information on how to thaw, roast, and store your Thanksgiving turkey. Call 1-877-398-4769, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. UNH Cooperative Extension's Top Turkey Tips

1. Buy a quick-read food thermometer, if you don't have one already. You can purchase one in the grocery store when you are shopping for your holiday meal ingredients.
2. Allow 1 pound of turkey per person.
3. Buy fresh turkey one to two days before you plan to cook it. Store it in the refrigerator at 40°F or below until cooking. Place it on a tray to catch any meat juices that might leak.
4. Thaw your frozen turkey in the refrigerator (40°F or below). Allow approximately 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. A 16- to 20-pound turkey will take 4 to 5 days to defrost, so plan ahead. Place it on a tray to catch any meat juices that might leak.
5. Wash hands, utensils, the sink, and anything else that comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices with soap and water. Keep everything clean to prevent cross contamination and the spread of harmful foodborne bacteria.
6. Set your oven temperature no lower than 325°F. Roasting turkey at a temperature lower than 325° can make the turkey unsafe to eat.
7. Cook your stuffing outside the turkey in a casserole for optimum safety. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the stuffing. The stuffing must reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
8. Cook your turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F. An 18- to 20-pound turkey will take approximately 4 1/4 to 4/1/2 hours to cook.
9. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
10. Remember the two-hour rule. Discard any turkey, stuffing, and gravy left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours.
11. Divide leftovers into smaller portions and store in small shallow containers. Cover containers, label, date and refrigerate or freeze.
12. Use refrigerated turkey and stuffing within 3 to 4 days. Use gravy within 1 to 2 days. If freezing leftovers, use within 2 to 6 months for best quality.
13. Reheat turkey and leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F. To keep the turkey moist, add a little broth or water and cover.
14. Eat and enjoy your delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

More turkey tips Let's Talk Turkey Poultry Preparation Fact Sheets