Service

O CONSUMERS


U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE* OFFICE OF COMMUJN ATION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20250


NO. 126


JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1975



USED APPLIANCES


Can Give A Lot Of Use. A used ap-i~4ao"lay be just the ticket -
for a recreation room, a vacation home, when the family budget is J ."
limited, or when an unexpected need arises. There is a certain
risk involved when you buy used appliances. They can range from
nearly new to almost junk. But a good shopper--of either a used
or a new appliance--will plan and shop carefully for equipment that \
will fill a need, fit the available space, and be within the budget.
Some practical pointers on buying used appliances have been n- i
compiled into a little booklet by a housing specialist of USDA's
Extension Service. The seven-page booklet tells where to look for
used appliances, suggests some questions to ask the seller, lists
some things to watch for, and defines terms used in connection with /,' =l I
used appliances--"As is," "Rebuilt," "Freight Damaged," etc. Part _L
of the booklet gives buying tips on specific appliances such as "
refrigerators, ranges, freezers, washers, and dryers. Copies of" .* Z-
"Buying A Used Appliance" (PA-1102) are available for 30 cents each 1 -
from Consumer Information, Pueblo, Colorado 81009.


CONSERVING ENERGY

Saves Resources--Yours and Nature's. Energy consumption has doubled 1
in the last 15 years; in the past 30 years more energy has been
consumed than in all previous human history. If you have paid a gas-
oline, fuel oil or electric bill recently, you know that consumption -*
is not the only thing about energy that has risen. A new USDA slide ,
set makes the point that conserving energy is everyone's business _
and conservation begins at home. "Energy: Use It Wisely Around The --'
Home," gives some practical tips on how to save energy and reduce '-
costs in and around the house. Some of the tips are obvious--turn do.,
thermostat; some are not so obvious--you may not have thought about ",
locating the hot water heater near the area where the hottest water is ', i\
needed or that a second hot water heater might improve the efficiency
of your hot water system. The 69-frame slide set can be purchased for
$18.50 from Photography Division, Office of Communication, U.S. Depart-
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. A flimstrip version is
available for $11.50 from Photo Lab, Inc., 3825 Georgia Avenue N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20011. Prices include a cassette with soundtrack and
two copies of an illustrated narrative guide.




U'II.ER SIT CIF FLORICA
II I I I tI IIIII I lllllllllI I II II
RESEARCHERS IN SHEEPS' CLOTHING 3 126208740 1252

Improve On The Nature Of Wool. Science may not have removed all the scratch from
wool, but scientists of USDA's Agricultural Research Service have produced wool
fabrics with other highly desirable features--wools with comfortable two-way stretch
and wool that is flameproof. A new chemical treatment, applied at any time after
fibers are woven, gives wool and wool-blend fabrics the stretch properties that have
made synthetic double-knits so popular. The process is economical and can easily be
integrated into today's manufacturing techniques. Additional benefits of the
stretchable wools include slightly better wrinkle recovery and more resistance to
abrasions than untreated fabrics. The second research-development, the flameproofing
treatment, is also economical and easily applied--during the regular dyeing process.
The treated fabrics, upon ignition in laboratory tests, completely extinguish them-
selves. The treatment, which can be applied to wool, wool-blended fabric and nylon,
has little or no effect on fabric softness so clothing,-blankets and carpets should
be every bit as comfortable to the touch as untreated-fabrics. The flameproofing
treatment appears to make wools more moth resistant.


YOUTH PROJECT LOANS

Giving Credit To Young People. A high school student in Vermont operates his own
trash removal business; a 12-year-old Mississippi boy is raising five head of cattle
which he will fatten for market and for profit; a 15-year-old girl sells leather-
craft goods through her own business establishment, a roadside stand near her Kansas
home. These young people are in business for themselves thanks to the Youth Project
Loan Program. The federal credit program, operated by USDA's Farmers Home Adminis-
tration (FmHA), helps young people establish and operate business enterprises, giving
them opportunity to learn financial responsibility--and earn a profit--through
practical experience. Since its inception in September 1973, the program has made
loans totaling more than $17 million to some 5500 young people, mostly for farm
related enterprises. Participants in the program must be under 21 years old, live
in the open country or in towns of less than 10,000 population, and be unable to
obtain financing from other sources. Only projects of modest size can be financed
and the project must be a part of an organized and supervised program. Too, the
business project must be planned to produce sufficient income to repay the loan.
Details on the loan program may be obtained from the Farmers Home Administration
county supervisor, usually located in the county seat, or from Farmers Home Adminis-
tration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.


PLEASE SEND THE LABEL

For Changes. Be sure to send along the address label from SERVICE if you are moving,
changing your name, or otherwise altering your mailing address. Having the label
enables us to make the proper changes more quickly and accurately.



SERVICE is a monthly newsletter of consumer interest. It is designed for those who
report to the individual consumer rather than for mass distribution. For informa-
tion about items in this issue, write: Lillie Vincent, Editor of SERVICE, Office
of Communication, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250. Tele-
phone (202) 447-5437.

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