Energizethedifference's Blog

Meeting Communities Where They Are

energizethedifference — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:44:08 +0000

Energy Service Corps has a diverse team of students and young professionals working hard to educate communities on energy efficiency. How do we go about doing that? The methods are just as diverse as our team members. Since most people are extremely busy we have to give them the information where they are. Recently we have reached out to schools in Piscataway, Bridgewater, and Trenton. We’ve done workshops at public libraries. Some of our members are active in online communities where they have posted information. We were able to distribute information at a concern hall in New Jersey amd light bulb distributions at local churches. Reading this blog is a great example of how you, the reader, get information. In an effort to bring information to as many people as possible we often have to find creative and innovative ways to get the facts about energy efficiency out. Recently, three of our team members gave high school students the opportunity to have a go at the work of an Energy Service Corps member. Students were encouraged to think outside the box; a crucial skill in today’s work force. Students were given paper and markers and asked to design tattoos, t-shirts, posters, flyers, a graffiti wall, or write a rap, song, or poem. The members that facilitated the group were blown away each time a student stepped up to present their ideas. Students stretched the limits and let their own style talk about the importance of energy efficiency. One of our team members taught a group of four students how to do an energy assessment. Dave Byrnes took the students on a walk of their school and pointed out ways that their school could become more energy efficient. We left knowing that long after our AmeriCorps term of service is over; there are students who will be able to fill our shoes and do so creatively.

Educating on Energy!

energizethedifference — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:33:08 +0000

Kerin Eyler, a summer service member, spent her third week with Energy Service Corps discussing the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and its impact and energy efficiency to fourth and fifth graders at Martin Luther King School in Piscataway, NJ. The lesson described what Energy Service Corps does as well as the ways we use oil and how we can save more. An interactive activity encouraged participants to contemplate how the oil spill could impact their lives and energy use. Students quickly realized the sky was the limit in terms of impact and even more enthusiastically began to brainstorm ways they could help the situation. Some of the ways to conserve energy that students brought up were to ride bikes and turn off lights. Students also watched a video clip discussing an organization’s collection of hair and fur to make oil spill hair mats. The presentation also posed several obstacles such as “How can I ride my bike, when my friend lives across a major highway?” While the question was directed at Ms. Eyler, other students in the class were quick to offer safe solutions to questions. The principal felt the lesson was so effective and helpful at building enthusiasm because it “tapped into the students’ frame of reference.” If you are interested in having this lesson presented at your school, camp, or agency contact the Energy Service Corps Director, Sarah Mitnick at sarahm@njpirgstudents.org or 732-249-4108.

Alternatives

energizethedifference — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:20:53 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/EepyBird

Check out these websites:

“We have reached a point of time where “searching” has been changed to “Googling” in the Internet lingo. Google, though not an econ-friendly search engine, was one of the first to introduce a green search engine called Blackle, an energy saving search engine, the background of which is made black, so that it can save monitor power at homes and offices. Green Maven is another green search engine that lists relevant eco-friendly sites upon keyword entry, while Ecocho, by Yahoo!, grows two trees on 1000 searches. Searchgreener incorporates the dark background based on the amount of power consumed to display white or lighter colors on the screen than black or dark screens; it also donates all of the profits to purchasing carbon offsets. “

Awareness Campaign – Maxwell’s – Hoboken NJ

energizethedifference — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:13:01 +0000

We decided to conduct an awareness campaign, hitting up Maxwell’s in Hoboken as our first location to distribute fliers and energy pledges.

After talking to the manager about our intentions – educating the community – he let us into the concert hall so that we could hand out the fliers and collect energy pledges.

The fliers consist of two main sections: 1. What is the energy crisis? and What Can you do to help?

Under “What can you do to help?” – the solution set list refers mainly to small scale efforts that American homeowners can use to increase their energy efficiency, thereby decreasing their bill. The last bullet point mentions wind and solar energy and alternative resources.

The hope is that we can slowly introduce energy efficiency into American homes by handing our fliers and educating the public. When people see the fiscal benefits of conserving (a lower monthly bill), then they would be more inclined to one day purchase solar panels for their house, or even just support companies that made such products.

Here is a sample of our flier.

North Carolina Trip May 16th – 21st

energizethedifference — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:01:16 +0000

A group of 20 AmeriCorps members and volunteers from various New Jersey
colleges ventured to Ashville, North Carolina from May 16-20 to weatherize
old homes. An enthusiastic group of present and recent college
students=small changes to energize the difference..

So first of all, why NC you ask?

Asheville, NC was hard hit due to the recession. Along with Community
Action Opportunities from Asheville, we sought to help people who could
not afford to weatherize their old homes. It was our mission to facilitate
4 apartment units to optimal efficiency with the hearts and hands that we
had. Still you ask, why NC? Whether we are weatherizing in New Jersey or
10 hours away, energy which is wasted is energy that can be saved. When
one takes a step back and looks are the larger picture through prospective
eyes, every single person’s impact (negative or positive), affects
everybody else, eventually.

Work Work Work

Everyday from about 9:00AM to 4:00PM we weatherized homes. People crawled
through tight attic spaces balancing on beams and scrap wood in order to
seal up cracks and holes which were abundant in old homes. Cracks and
holes were found in the attic, the main living floors, as well as the
basements. These energy wasters allow heat or air conditioning to escape
homes, thus the use of more energy to reach the desired temperatures. We
had to find them ALL.

Work/Play

The definition of “work” was quite different on this trip. Because
everyone believed in this cause, it was easy to find willing hands. People
rotated jobs for personal enlightenment–to be able to better assess and
fix homes to make them more energy efficient. Every night, we debriefed
the day in order to organize our thoughts and suggestions. We debriefed
our lives to better understand each other.

Some Play

Asheville provided an interesting array of clothing, music and art stores
which we all seemed to fancy. After devouring delicious pizza from the
Mellow Mushroom we browsed through bookstores and bought trinkets from
kind shops. This artificial beauty captured us as much as the natural
beauty we were surrounded by. The beautiful Appalachians’ luscious,
charismatic greenery could be seen for miles and miles.

Overall, we spent a great deal of hours weatherizing homes and just getting to know one another with a gorgeous nature-y backdrop.

Ah the simple life.

awareness campaign

energizethedifference — Sat, 15 May 2010 18:33:00 +0000

Today the two of us girls brainstormed on how we can immerse the notion of energy efficiency within the culture today.

Well what is culture today influenced by? what is it positively influenced by rather?-because the media is a part of the culture with a negative hold on us. but back to the 2nd question..

MUSIC.

so we’re asking different venues that hold concerts if we can set up a table there.we would hand out small pamphlets detailing what the energy crisis is and how we can help (soon to be posted up here).

essentially we’re conducting an awareness campaign.

Tomorrow morning we are off to Asheville, NC to do some weatherizations of the impoverished area and learn some tricks of this energy efficiency trade.

till next time.

peace&onelove.