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Slay the energy vampires
Dollars and sense
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You turn off the television when you’re not watching it because it saves you money, right? Not so.
If you can see lights from all the extra gear you have connected to the television, the juice still is flowing and the meter still is running. That can mean your cable box, DVD player, Wii or Xbox, and your stereo are pulling energy even though they're not being used.
If you turn off the lights in your house and navigate by flashlight, you’ll spot many of the energy thieves at work. Laptops and computers in sleep or standby mode, coffee makers on a timer set to start up in the morning, cellphone adapters and telephone chargers are all energy thieves that increase your energy bill. So are clock radios, rechargeable electric toothbrushes and printers on standby.
Called “vampires” or  “phantom loads,” these appliances pull energy even when they’re not in use.
Here are some tips for dealing with energy vampires:
• Unplug, especially if it’s a device you don’t use every day.
• Use a power strip to easily turn off multiple devices.
• Have an energy audit done to see where your biggest expenses are. Or invest in a Kill A Watt electricity-usage monitor (www.p3international.com) to see how much energy your individual appliances are using.
• If you need a night-light for small children but forget to turn it off during the day, invest in the type that only comes on when it's dark.
• Turn off your electronics gear and step outside to your meter. You’ll likely see it still running, possibly from all the other “sleeper” appliances.
• When it’s time to buy a new appliance, go for the ENERGY STAR models. Look for the big yellow tag on the side that tells you the appliance’s rating.
• If you have pets, you might be guilty of keeping appliances on for their comfort. Reconsider whether your pet needs human-type temperatures.
To learn more, go online to energy.gov and put “vampire loads” in the search box.

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GPA grows trade, market share
Intermodal volume up 20 percent
port photo
Rubber tired gantry cranes handle cargo at the Chatham Intermodal Container Transfer Facility at the Port of Savannah. The Georgia Ports Authority's Mason Mega Rail project will double rail lift capacity to 1 million containers per year by 2020 - photo by Provided

The Georgia Ports Authority achieved 14 percent growth in March container volumes, moving 355,208 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.

From July 2017 to March, TEU container trade grew by 9 percent, or 255,786 additional units for a total of 3.08 million, a new record for Savannah.

"Savannah's continued strength is a reflection of our customers' commitment, Georgia's leadership, and the many dedicated service providers, GPA employees and ILA members who come together every day to achieve great things," said GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch. "March marked our 17th consecutive month of business expansion thanks, in part, to a strong economy and growing market share."

Intermodal rail volumes jumped by 20 percent in March and 15.4 percent for the fiscal year to date, for a total of 318,454 containers handled over nine months – another record for the GPA.

"As the numbers show, our rail cargo is growing at a faster pace than our overall trade," GPA Chairman Jimmy Allgood said. "This is important because rail is playing a key role in our responsible growth strategy. We anticipate our rail infrastructure investments to take 250,000 trucks off the road each year by 2020."

The GPA recently broke ground on its Mason Mega Rail Terminal, on which the Port of Savannah will build 10,000-foot unit trains within its own footprint. From the expanded rail infrastructure at Garden City Terminal, Class I rail providers CSX and Norfolk Southern will provide direct rail service to major Southeast and Midwestern markets from Memphis to St. Louis, Chicago to Cincinnati.

An added benefit is that the Mason Mega Rail project will move all rail switching on terminal – improving vehicle traffic flow around the port.

In August, the GPA will open its Appalachian Regional Port in Murray County. Located in an industrial belt, including the production and export of carpet and flooring, automobiles and tires, the ARP will provide an alternative to all-truck transit to Northwest Georgia.

Each round-trip container moved via the Appalachian Regional Port will offset 710 truck miles on Georgia highways.

March was also a strong month for roll-on/roll-off auto and machinery units at the Port of Brunswick and Ocean Terminal in Savannah. Colonel's Island Terminal in Brunswick handled 66,144 cars, trucks and tractors, while Ocean Terminal added 4,050, for a total 70,194, a 17.2 percent increase.

"The global economy is thriving and our volumes are following suit," Lynch said. "As existing accounts grow their footprint in the expanding auto facility in Brunswick, Georgia's competitive logistical advantages are drawing additional business across all of our docks."

Lynch noted that for the fiscal year to date, Mayor's Point breakbulk terminal in Brunswick grew by 44 percent (34,515 tons) to reach 112,728 tons of forest products. At East River Terminal, bulk cargo expanded by 34 percent July-March (189,918 tons) for a total of 750,384 tons.

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