Current Events in July 2017

Shoppers are becoming increasingly conscious about what ingredients are in the foods they buy and where the products come from, and now it seems that many are pushing for even more information.

According to a survey conducted by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), 89% of Americans are either strongly or somewhat in favor of requirements that would force food sellers to indicate the country of origin on fresh meat labels. Additionally, 88% of respondents said they’d like to see more specific information on where the animals were born, raised, and processed.

“These results demonstrate that U.S. consumers continue to strongly support country of origin labeling,” said Thomas Gremillion, Director of the Food Policy Institute at Consumer Federation of America.

More information

Country of origin labels (COOL) have had a checkered past in the U.S. In 2002, Congress mandated that certain meats, poultry, vegetables, fruits, and nuts have the information on their labels. Those same rules were expanded in by the USDA in 2008, but other countries did not look at them so favorably.

Both Canada and Mexico challenged the COOL law at the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that the law was a barrier to trade. WTO eventually upheld the U.S.’ right to require country of origin labeling, but it found that the existing regulations imposed too much of a cost on imported livestock and meat.

The USDA crafted new regulations in response to the ruling, but WTO said that they still acted as unlawful trade barriers. Finally, in 2015, congressional leaders voted to repeal the regulations. However, the results of this latest survey indicate that the majority of Americans want them reinstated.

“We urge the Administration to include country-of-origin labeling in its renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement,” said Gremillion. “Canada and Mexico should agree to withdraw their lawsuit in the WTO and allow USDA to once again require food sellers to provide this information.”

The survey was conducted by ORC International between July 20 and July 23 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3%. The full results can be seen here.

Childhood obesity is still a major problem in the United States, affecting millions of children and adolescents between the ages of 2 and 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are numerous risks associated with being overweight or obese at this young age, but new research has found that the risk of developing colorectal cancer is particularly worrisome. Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel conducted a massive, long-term study and found that higher body mass index (BMI) scores correlated with higher rates of both colon and rectal cancer.

"This is a huge cohort with a minimum follow up of 10 years, and all individuals had measured BMI, not just reported or recalled," said Dr. Zohar Levi of the Rabin Medical Center. "This is the largest study ever, including both men and women, and it had the power to prove the importance of BMI at age 17 on events later in life."

Increased risk of colorectal cancer

Levi and his colleagues analyzed information on nearly 1.1 million Jewish men and over 700,000 Jewish women who took part in health examinations that measured their BMI between 1967 and 2002. Participants ranged in age from 16 to 19, and assessments were followed up in 2012.

With a median follow-up period of 23 years, the researchers said that 2,967 new cases of colorectal cancer were identified in participants, and that being overweight or obese was associated with an increased risk of 53% and 54%, respectively.

The researchers found particularly strong ties between obesity and rectal cancer, with obese men having an increased risk of 71% when compared to non-obese men. Obese women were twice as likely as non-obese women to develop the disease.

While the authors admit that their cohort had shortcomings -- including lack of data on diet, physical activity, and smoking habits – they say that their results represent a strong indicator that obesity and colorectal cancer rates are linked.

The full study has been published in the journal Cancer.

As dietary supplements have gotten more popular, there has been an increase in their link to adverse reactions.

New research published in the Journal of Medical Toxicology has found the rate of calls to poison control centers, related to supplements, jumped 50% from 2005 to 2012.

However, in most cases the incidents did not stem from normal, adult use of the supplements. The researchers found that 70% of the cases involved a child, younger than six, who found the supplements and swallowed them.

Dr. Gary Smith, of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and senior author of the study, says consumers mistakenly believe dietary supplements are similar to over-the-counter medication.

“Dietary supplements are not considered drugs, thus they are not required to undergo clinical trials or obtain approval from the FDA prior to sale, unless the product is labeled as intended for therapeutic use,” Smith points out.

Miscellaneous substances

In fact, Smith says miscellaneous substances in the supplements were often the cause of a reaction. Those substances include botanicals and hormonal products.

The researchers said energy products, along with botanical and cultural medicines, accounted for the largest proportion of serious medical events. Among botanicals, yohimbe accounted for the largest proportion of serious medical outcomes.

The researchers says almost 30% of yohimbe exposure calls resulted in moderate or major effects, which can include heart beat rhythm changes, kidney failure, and heart attack.

Childproof packaging

Henry Spiller, a co-author of the study and director of the Central Ohio Poison Center, says a lack of federal oversight has caused inconsistencies in the quality of supplement products. He said mandating child-proof packaging for supplements would be a first step.

Sales of supplements have increased in recent years, along with the growth in the population of older adults. According to the staff at the Mayo Clinic, supplements aren't necessary for people who eat a well balanced diet, but they may be helpful for older adults who don't live in an assisted living facility.

The staff recommends talking with your doctor about what supplements and doses might be appropriate, and says to ask about any potential side effects or interactions with prescription medicine you take.

Driver distraction causes 80% of crashes and 65% of near-crashes, and unrestrained dogs can be a huge distraction to drivers.

In fact, a new survey from PEMCO Insurance Northwest finds that 43% of drivers in Washington think it's more distracting to drive with pets than it is to commute with kids.

Given free reign of the space within a vehicle, some pets may take the liberty of sitting on the driver’s lap, placing their paws on the steering wheel, or expressing their feelings through loud barking.

Major safety risk

Hitting the road with pets can jeopardize the safety of both two and four-legged passengers. In crashes, unrestrained pets can become projectiles, seriously injuring themselves or others.

Derek Wing, a PEMCO spokesperson, pointed out that in a 30 mph crash, “a 60-pound dog can slam into you with 2,700 pounds of force -- enough to cause severe damage to you and your precious pet.”

“So, just like humans, pets need their own special seat belts and other protections to keep everyone as safe as possible on the road,” Wing said.

Driving with pets

Summertime is rife with opportunities to get outside with your pet, but not all destinations are simply a leashed walk away. If you need to travel by car with your furry companion, PEMCO recommends doing following:

• Restrain your pet in a well-ventilated carrier that can be secured with a seat belt.
• Place pets and carriers in the backseat.
• Keep dogs from sticking their heads out of open windows. Pets who do so can suffer injuries from flying road debris or insects.
• Don’t let pets ride in the pickup bed. In a serious crash, even a crated dog has minimal protection, PEMCO said.
• Check with your vet on issues that might arise from an unhappy animal passenger.

Mazda North America Operations is recalling 205,377 model year 2009-2011 Mazda6, and model year 2007-2011 CX-7 & CX-9 vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with certain airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 24, 2017.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 1317F. 

Bhu Foods of San Diego, Calif., is recalling various flavors of protein bars after being told by a supplier that organic sunflower seed used in the bars have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No confirmed illnesses have been reported to date.

Bhu Foods is recalling the following items, produced from May 9 – June 9, 2017, are being recalled:

• Organic Vegan Protein – Chocolate + Tart Cherry + Pistachio -- Lot Code: 13717
• Organic Vegan Protein – Apple Chunk + Cinnamon + Nutmeg -- Lot Code: 13717
• Organic Vegan Protein – Peanut Butter + Chocolate Chip -- Lot Code: 13917
• Organic Vegan Protein – Superfood Chocolate Chip + Fudge Brownie Batter -- Lot Code: 13817 and 15417
• Organic Vegan Protein – Peanut Butter + White Chocolate -- Lot Code: 15317 and 15417
• Grass Fed Whey Protein – Dark Chocolate + Coconut + Almond (Made with Organic Ingredients) -- Lot Code: 13917
• Grass Fed Whey Protein – Salted Caramel + Pecan (Made with Organic Ingredients) -- Lot Code: 13017 and 13817
• Grass Fed Whey Protein – Vanilla + Almond + Cashew (Made with Organic Ingredients) -- Lot Code: 13017 and 13817
• Paleo Protein – Double Dark Chocolate Chip (Made with Organic Ingredients) -- Lot Code: 13117, 14017, and 14317

The recalled product, whose lot code is printed on each individual bar wrapper next to the expiration date, was sold in retail stores nationwide as well as by mail order/direct delivery.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, return them to the place of purchase for an exchange.

Consumers with questions may contact Bhu Foods Monday through Friday from 8am – 4pm (PST) at 619-855-3992.

To scammers, Social Security is like catnip. They can't resist it.

It's hard to count just how many scams involve the retirement benefit in one way or another, but you can add a new one to the list. The Social Security Administration Inspector General is warning that seniors are getting calls from scammers pretending to be government officials.

In a scam, the objective is always one of two things -- money or personal information that can be used to steal money or an identity. In this case, Inspector General Gale Stallworth Stone says the objective is personal information.

The hook, however, is money, as the scammer tells the victim he or she is eligible for a 1.7% increase in Social Security benefits. That's attractive because benefits have hardly budged in recent years.

To receive the cost of living increase, the scammer says the victim needs to verify information including name, date of birth, Social Security number, and parents’ names -- all the information a scammer would need to open credit accounts in the victim's name.

Even steals the victim's benefit payment

Not only that, the Social Security Administration says the scammer has even contacted the agency and used the stolen information to change the victim's direct deposit, address, and telephone information, so that the scammer receives the victim's monthly benefit.

Normally, here is where we would caution seniors and their families that the government doesn't contact people by phone -- but that isn't actually the case. The Social Security Administration will sometimes contact a recipient by phone for customer service purposes. However, in only a few rare occasions, the agency says a legitimate government representative may ask a citizen to confirm person information.

SSA says in those rare cases, the recipient is already involved in a customer service matter with the agency. If someone calls out of the blue requesting personal information -- especially if it is required to receive a 1.7% benefit increase -- consumers should treat the call with a high degree of suspicion.

If there is any doubt, no personal information should be provided. Instead, the consumer should hang up and call for Inspector General's Office at 1-800-269-0271 to report the call and confirm whether it was legitimate or a scam.

Buying a home can be a good investment. It can be a rewarding experience for you and your family.

But the fact is, it isn't right in every situation and it only works if the buyer is financially prepared. As we saw during the housing crisis, buying a house when you aren't ready can lead to disastrous results.

How can you tell if you're ready? The experts at real estate marketplace Trulia suggest asking yourself some questions.

The first has to do with income. Does your household earn enough money to make the monthly payment on a home, pay for insurance, pay the taxes, and cover maintenance and repairs?

When you rent your home, all of those costs are baked into the monthly rent. If the water heater goes bad, that's the landlord's problem, not yours.

It's true that, with low interest rates, a mortgage might be the same, or even less than rent in some markets. But you can't overlook the other costs of owning a home.

Debt-to-income ratio

What about your debt? If you have outstanding student loans and rising credit card balances, you might not be ready to take on a mortgage. In fact, that could be one thing that might disqualify you.

Lenders look at a borrower's debt-to-income ratio. If the ratio is too high, it reduces the amount you can borrow. In most cases, a lender will want your debt to be no more than 36% of gross income.

When looking at your savings, don't just think about how much you need for a down payment. If the down payment takes all your ready cash, you'll have nothing left to cover those expenses that almost always crop up in the first year of home ownership.

Two important factors

Before considering a home purchase, you also need to make sure you will qualify for a mortgage. Two factors could keep that from happening.

First, you need to have been on the job, or employed in the same industry, for at least two years. Lenders want to see that employment consistency before they'll consider funding your home purchase.

Second, you need a reasonably good credit score. While it is true you might qualify for a subprime mortgage with a marginal credit score, there could be some real disadvantages to being lumped into the subprime sector.

Having a better credit score -- 720 or better -- will get you a better interest rate, in most cases. So it might be wise to spend some time trying to raise your credit score before considering a home purchase, and the easiest way to get started on that is to simply pay all of your bills on time.

Finally, give some thought to the future. If you purchase a home, you'll need to live in it for a while before you can sell it without losing money. The experts at Trulia suggest three to five years is the minimum length of time you'll need to live in it before selling.

If you think there's a good chance you'll be relocating in a couple of years, the prudent thing to do is keep renting.

The feds have relieved three airlines -- American, Delta, and Frontier --  of $850,000 for violating various consumer protection rules. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) fined Frontier Airlines $400,000 for violating oversales and disability rules, American Airlines $250,000 for failing to make timely refunds to passengers, and Delta Air Lines $200,000 for filing inaccurate baggage reports. 

In the announcement late Friday, the DOT found that Frontier failed to seek volunteers before bumping passengers involuntarily, failed to provide bumped passengers the required written notice describing their rights, and failed to provide proper compensation to passengers in a timely manner, in violation of DOT rules. 

In addition, Frontier failed to provide passengers with a disability prompt and adequate wheelchair assistance in enplaning and deplaning aircraft and moving within the terminal, and did not adequately respond to complaints filed by passengers with disabilities. 

The Department found that American failed to process refund requests in a timely manner, in violation of DOT rules. 

Delta was fined for underreporting to the Department the number of mishandled baggage reports it received from passengers. The underreporting made Delta’s ranking in the Department’s Air Travel Consumer Report seem better than it was at various times.

Eating meals that are high in protein is a great way to provide your body with the means to build and repair muscle, bones, and other important building blocks. However, a new study shows that pairing a sugary drink with a high-protein meal could be harmful.

Researchers from the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Grand Forks Human Nutrition Center have found that consuming sugar-sweetened drinks with high-protein foods negatively affects the body’s energy balance and can lead to it to store more fat.

"We found that about a third of the additional calories provided by the sugar-sweetened drinks were not expended, fat metabolism was reduced, and it took less energy to metabolize the meals. This decreased metabolic efficiency may 'prime' the body to store more fat," said lead author Dr. Shanon Casperson.

Reducing fat-burn

The study analyzed 27 healthy-weight adults over two 24-hour periods who were given protein-laden meals and sugar-sweetened beverages. Participants were given 15% protein meals on their first visit after an overnight fast and 30% protein meals under similar conditions on their second visit. On each visit, one sugar-sweetened beverage was consumed during one meal and one non-sugar-sweetened beverage was consumed during the other.

The researchers found that the sugar-sweetened drinks decreased the fat oxidation process after a meal by 8%, which means that it took longer for the body to start breaking down fat molecules. For the 15% protein meal, that translated to 7.2 grams of potential fat that wasn’t burned. For the 30% protein meal, that figure increased to 12.6 grams.

Additionally, Casperson says that the sugar-sweetened beverages changed participants’ food preferences, causing them to not feel satisfied with their meal and to crave different types of flavors and foods for long periods after eating.

"We were surprised by the impact that the sugar-sweetened drinks had on metabolism when they were paired with higher-protein meals. This combination also increased study subjects' desire to eat savory and salty foods for four hours after eating," she said.

Weight gain and obesity

The results of the study show that consumers who are looking to lose weight should avoid sugar-sweetened drinks, especially if they are consuming more protein to recover after working out.

"Our findings suggest that having a sugar-sweetened drink with a meal impacts both sides of the energy balance equation. On the intake side, the additional energy from the drink did not make people feel more sated. On the expenditure side, the additional calories were not expended and fat oxidation was reduced,” said Casperson. “The results provide further insight into the potential role of sugar-sweetened drinks -- the largest single source of sugar in the American diet -- in weight gain and obesity."

The full study has been published in BMC Nutrition.

Airbnb has had a pretty good thing going for quite a while. Like Uber and other peer-to-peer connectors, it has made scads of money simply connecting people with other people -- namely, those with spare rooms and apartments and travelers looking for something cheaper or homier than a hotel room.

One problem with being successful, of course, is that you attract competitors large and small. There've been reports that other travel groups like Expedia and Priceline are looking to expand their share of the vacation rentals business, but perhaps the most ominous development involves Google, the ultimate disrupter.

A recent report by the travel site Skift finds Google running comparison shopping searches for peer-to-peer rentals in Europe, in popular destinations like Rome, Venice, and Frankfurt. The listings appear when you click "Accomodation Type." There didn't appear to be any listings from Airbnb, TripAdvisor, or other established peer-to-peer sites. 

Google has not commented on what it's doing, but Skift notes that Google has conducted similar public but unannounced tests prior to barging into other markets. 

Other players expanding

Add to that the formidable players Expedia and Priceline. Both may have been feeling a bit pinched lately by the growing popularity of peer-to-peer rentals, which now account for as much as one-fifth of the short-term rental market.

Expedia flexed its muscles in 2015 when it bought HomeAway, picking up about 1.4 million listings that it is now displaying on Expedia and Hotels.com. Priceline has added more than 600,000 listings, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. 

“It’s not so much that people have changed. I believe technology has enabled this type of rental property to be so much easier for people to find,” Priceline CEO Glenn Fogel told the Journal. 

Google aside, the vacation rentals business faces increasing pressure from cities and grass roots neighborhood groups who say the short-term rentals attract strangers in what are normally quiet neighborhoods and buildings. Cities from New York to California have passed ordinances and homeowners associations have imposed rules restricting the rentals.

One condominium association in Palm Springs, Calif., now imposes a $1,500 fine for any homeowner found to have rented a unit for less than a month. Fines for subsequent violations rise quickly. Residents had complained about noise and trash left by renters who blew into town to attend Coachella and the many other festivals staged in and around the desert resort city.

There are many people out there who wouldn’t mind dropping a couple of pounds, but a new study from the American Heart Association (AHA) may provide even more incentive to shed some excess weight.

Researchers have found that gaining even a little weight over time can lead to alterations in the structure and function of heart muscle, which increases the risk of heart failure. This is significant because heart failure falls under the umbrella of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

"Any weight gain may lead to detrimental changes in the heart above and beyond the effects of baseline weight so that prevention should focus on weight loss or if meaningful weight loss cannot be achieved -- the focus should be on weight stability," said senior author and cardiologist Dr. Ian Neeland. "Counseling to maintain weight stability, even in the absence of weight loss, may be an important preventive strategy among high-risk individuals."

Increased risk of heart failure

The researchers analyzed nearly 1,300 adults over a seven-year period who were initially free from heart disease and high-risk factors for heart disease. MRI scans of participants’ hearts and multiple body fat measurements were taken at the beginning of the study and at the end of the study.

Findings showed that consumers who gained weight during the time period were more likely to have subtle decreases in their hearts’ pumping ability. The researchers say that even as little as a 5% gain in weight led to a thickening and enlargement of the left ventricle, which is a well-established indicator of future heart failure.

These changes remained constant even after the researchers adjusted for other factors that could affect heart muscle performance and appearance, including high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and alcohol use. Interestingly, the results showed that a participant’s weight at the beginning of the study had no bearing on the impact of the changes, which suggests that even consumers of normal weight could be adversely affected by weight gain over time.

Weight management

The researchers admit that their study is smaller in size and say that their findings don’t necessarily mean that every person who gains weight will suffer from heart failure. However, they do caution consumers to take weight management seriously to prevent any negative changes to heart function.

“Our findings support the importance of weight management to prevent secular changes in adiposity, concentric remodeling, and eventual heart failure over time,” the authors write.

The full study has been published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The August 21 total eclipse of the sun is already a widely-anticipated celestial event, and interest will likely only increase in the next four weeks.

While the effects of the moon passing between the earth and the sun will be noticeable in most of the U.S., its full effects -- with daylight turning to nighttime -- will only be seen in a 70 mile wide strip that runs the entire length of the continent, from Oregon to South Carolina.

No doubt most people with a clear shot at the eclipse will want to observe it, but NASA is cautioning that it needs to be done safely. Looking directly at the sun with the moon's shadow cast across it can cause permanent eye damage.

Already, businesses are hawking special filtered glasses for viewing the eclipse, as well as hand-held viewers. However, NASA recommends investigating to make sure these products meet the following standards:

Standards

• The products should have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard
• The products should have the manufacturer’s name and address printed somewhere on the product
• The products should not be used if they are three years old or older, or have scratched or wrinkled lenses

NASA says consumers should not view the eclipse with homemade filters or ordinary sunglasses. Viewing products should also be purchased or obtained only from known, reputable souces.

Alex Young, associate director for science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, says the space agency isn't trying to be the eclipse safety police. But the public, he says, needs to be cautioned about the potential dangers.

“It’s important that individuals take the responsibility to check they have the proper solar eclipse viewing glasses. With the eclipse a month away today, it’s prudent to practice ahead of time,” Young said.

NASA says as many as 6,800 libraries across the U.S. are distributing safety-certified glasses. Many of these local institutions are working with scientists to hold viewing events and activities before and during the eclipse.

Viewing it from the sky

Southwest Airlines says it will give away viewing glasses to passengers flying on one of Southwest's flights on August 21 that the airline says will cross through the total eclipse path at the right time.

Southwest has identified the following flights on August 21 that will provide a bird's eye view of the eclipse:

• Southwest flight 1375 departing Seattle-Tacoma at 09:05am PDT for St. Louis
• Southwest flight 1368 departing Portland at 09:05am PDT for St. Louis
• Southwest flight 1577 departing Denver at 10:20am MDT for St. Louis
• Southwest flight 301departing Denver at 10:20am MDT for Nashville
• Southwest flight 1969 departing Denver at 09:50am MDT for Atlanta

In fact, those who plan to view the eclipse from the air are the only ones who pretty much have a guaranteed view. The only thing that could ruin nature's show is a cloudy, overcast day. At 30,000 feet, you'll probably be above any potential cloud cover.

The owners of Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas – frequented by American tourists – has reported a data breach involving the payment network serving the resort's food and beverage and retail businesses.

The company says credit and debit cards used to make purchases at those locations within the resort between November 1, 2016 and April 3, 2017 may have been compromised. Cards used to pay for room charges were not affected.

The company said it was alerted to a potential security issue by its credit card processor. It then hired third-party forensic experts who examined the payment network and confirmed the presence of malware.

Malware removed

“The Resort has confirmed that malware may have captured data from some credit and debit cards used at food and beverage and retail locations at the Resort,” the company said in a statement. “The Resort has removed the malware at issue to contain this incident and implemented additional procedures in an effort to prevent any further unauthorized access to customers' credit and debit card information.”

Because a different payment network was used to record credit and debit transactions for room reservations, those cards were not compromised. That includes food and beverage purchases that were charged to a guest's room and not paid for at the point of sale.

The forensic investigation is still underway but the company said what is known at the moment is the malware may have collected card numbers, expiration dates, and CVVs. The breach apparently did not involve customers' names or PIN numbers. It is also not known how many cards may have been compromised.

"The Resort takes the security of our customers' information extremely seriously, and we apologize for the inconvenience this incident may have caused our customers," said Howard Karawan, president and managing director of Atlantis, Paradise Island.

What to do

Guests who used a credit or debit card for purchases in bars, restaurants, and gift shops at Atlantis, Paradise Island between November 1, 2016 and April 3, 2017 should contact the card issuer and report it. The bank or credit card company should then issue a new card.

Because the breach may have exposed these consumers to fraud, the company notes they may contact all three credit reporting agencies and place a fraud alert on their file at no charge.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 5,215 model year 2017 Lincoln MKZs and Ford Edges & Fusions.

On vehicles with 2.0L gas engines and six-speed automatic transmissions, the torque converter weld studs may have been inadequately welded.

If the torque converter weld studs fail, the torque converter will not be connected to the engine flexplate and the vehicle will lose the ability to move, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Ford or Lincoln will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque converters, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 14, 2017.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S16.

The dog days of summer have descended over wide areas of the U.S., with a month and a half of blistering temperatures likely still head.

If you are fortunate enough to live in an air-conditioned home, you may notice that appliance is running nearly non-stop, running up quite an electric bill. There are a few simple, low-cost/no-cost things you can do to reduce the expense.

For one thing, a programmable thermostat will keep the house comfortable when you're there and let it heat up a bit when you're gone. That works best, however, if you have a regular schedule. But if no one is at home for eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, there's no reason to keep the temperature the same.

Be a fan of fans

Ceiling fans will also make a room feel more comfortable during hot weather. The fans don't lower the temperature, they simply increase the wind-chill. The air movement across your body has a cooling effect. However, when no one is at home, there's no reason to keep running the fans. It is only using electricity.

Unless it's just unbearably hot -- and in some places, it is -- consider turning off the air conditioner at night and raising windows, to take advantage of natural ventilation. The Department of Energy (DOE) says natural ventilation can create a "chimney effect" that will help keep a home cooler, naturally.

But natural ventilation isn't going to be an answer everywhere. It works best in climates with cool nights and regular breezes.

When you do operate your air conditioner, you'll save money if it runs at peak performance. DOE suggests regular maintenance by an HVAC to keep the equipment running efficiently. You can help, however, by simply changing the filter on a regular basis.

In older homes, it pays to inspect your ductwork, assuming there are places where it's exposed. As ducts age, leaks may develop around the joints. You can buy duct insulation for just a few dollars at Lowe's or Home Depot and install it yourself. Just wrap the insulation around the ducts and tape it in place with duct tape. A colleague did this recently and report a vast improvement in cool air reaching the home's top floor. 

'Vampire power'

Bankrate.com recently pointed out that consumers can run up their electric bill -- or at least make it higher than necessary -- by falling victim to "vampire power." That refers to devices that use electricity when they're plugged in, but not running.

You can recognize a "vampire power" appliance if it has a clock, or some kind of light that is on, even when the appliance is turned off. Unplugging these appliances when they aren't in use might only save a little, but every little bit helps. And depending on where you live, your electric company may have more specific advice.

“While several days of unusually hot weather can lead to a noticeable increase in your electric bill, an extended period of scorching summer sun can make some customers’ energy bills spike,” said Joseph Pietrzak, products and services manager at Duke Energy Florida. “We encourage customers to contact us now for advice and help with energy-saving changes so they don’t have to pay the high price of inefficiency during the dog days of summer.”

In the case of Duke Energy Florida, the utility offers free home energy checks to show customers how they can cut energy usage and reduce their bills.