Energy is so accessible to us, it’s hard to believe it hasn’t always been that way. There was a time when Texans used horses and buggies for transportation, and the word “plug” didn’t refer to an electrical socket, but a piece of wood to fill a gap. There was a time before air conditioning and refrigeration. During that time, previous generations of Texans had to think creatively about using natural resources to “keep cool.” Architecture played a role in temperature control by harnessing the natural power of wind. The design of the “shotgun style” house was created to facilitate air flow throughout the home. Other houses used porches or verandas to circulate breezes around the house. The kids might have swept around the verandas to intensify the effect. Windows were placed

in homes to bring in air or avoid heat. Another significant resource they utilized was shade. In the hot Texas sun in the middle of the summer, if you were attending church and it was too hot inside, the pastor might have said, “Let’s go sit outside and have church under the big cottonwood tree.” Ladies would bring their fans, and men would wear their hats and kerchiefs. Texans used other resources to combat the heat. Nowadays we have swimming pools, but back then, if you were lucky, you found a lake or watering hole to cool off in. Of course, if you didn’t have time to get wet, at least you could “wet your whistle” with some iced tea or cold lemonade. Looking back at our more recent history, we have developed the resource of the air conditioner. People were very appreciative of this invention, but its usage was limited to those could afford it. Although many cars started using air conditioning in the 1950’s, by 1965, only about 10% of households had air conditioning due to the size and expense of units. Compare this to 2016, when 93% of single-family homes had air conditioning.

We live in a day and age when taking an evening stroll through your neighborhood in the summertime includes the background sounds of humming air conditioners, automated sprinklers, and possibly a radio or automatic security lighting. This is all thanks to the resource of electricity. As with any resource, after invention comes innovation. We want to make the resource better, more efficient, or smarter. Today’s air conditioners are more advanced and, in some instances, are controllable from anywhere using your phone. We make our homes more insulated to trap

the cool or heat. We equip our commercial properties with sensors to gauge and adjust the temperature around

business hours. Hotels use technology to adjust room temperatures based on occupied or vacant units.

These are just a few of many examples in today’s world. To return to the original question, do we take our energy resources for granted? It depends on whom you ask and how much disposable income they have to spend. Many people are concerned about preserving this planet for future generations. They work to conserve resources and appreciate what they have. Others will pay extra for the luxury of using as much electricity as they want whenever they want it. For those of us who value conservation and savings, why pay more than you have to? TES Energy Services, LP (TES) agrees with this position. We have been helping churches and other nonprofits achieve “under market” rates through our large aggregation pools. Anytime you can lock down the “below market rate” is a benefit to you. Providing no-hassle opportunities to select these rates has become a significant resource for the members of the CO+OP. Every church, nonprofit, and school needs to take a look and ask fellow members of the CO+OP if they are part of the aggregated rates at TES.

If you would rather have green energy, we can also help with that. Whatever energy needs you have, we understand the finances of churches and nonprofits are a limited resource and want to help you stretch your dollar as far as possible. At TES, our owners and salespeople are qualified and certified by “The Energy Professionals Association” known as TEPA. We want to have a fair and honest system for competitive pricing and support legislation for all who work in the energy industry. The TEPA certification we hold is another reason to have confidence in TES. Ask a member of the CO+OP about TES resources today!

— John Blunt

(Originally published in the AUG 2019 Magazine)