Look for the Star: Energy Star products can save households about 30 percent on electric bills while curbing your emissions. The Instant Oatmeal Effect: Using the microwave to cook small meals uses less power than the oven.

It’s always a sad day when any paddler dies on the water, but the Idaho boating community and beyond are experiencing profound grief after the Sunday death of local legend Conrad Fourney.

National River Cleanup Week started the summer river cleanup season in style June 2-10, with nearly 100,000 volunteers and more than 200 tons of trash collected so far, with approximately two thirds of the scheduled cleanups completed. “You can’t find a more hands-on way to get people directly involved in protecting the rivers they love,” said Rebecca R. Wodder, president of American Rivers. “A cleaner river is a healthier one, and healthy rivers benefit all the communities through which they flow.”

The NHC has issued its final advisory on this system. Public Advisories from the Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov) will provide updates as long as the system remains a flood threat. Issued at 500 PM EDT WED AUG 27 2008

Issued at 1100 PM EDT WED AUG 27 2008

Issued at 0300 UTC THU AUG 28 2008