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Conserving Energy in Your Town

POWER TOOLS - Spreading the Word about Saving Energy

 

Local environmental commissions and green teams can play a key role through grassroots initiatives to inform and motivate residents and business owners about saving money by saving energy.

ANJEC has developed a Power Tools Community Resource Kit, which includes:

• case histories of two New Jersey communities, Summit and Hopewell Township, that used very different approaches to get residents and businesses interested in saving energy;
  • Hopewell Township EQ Challenge
  • Summit's Energy Ambassador Program
• ideas, techniques, resources and sample materials you can use locally to raise awareness, provide useful information and promote energy consumption.
  • Resources for Selling Energy Conservation
  
  These tools will help commissions and other local volunteers educate and inspire people to save energy, save money and save the planet from climate-changing impacts of greenhouse gases caused by nonrenewable power generation. Many people are not aware of the compelling reasons to save energy, or the host of financial incentives available to help pay for energy-smart changes.

Introduction

Many towns across New Jersey have been working to save energy and reduce the carbon footprint of municipal operations through energy audits, energy-efficient building improvements and installation of renewable energy generating technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines. But all local and state government operations combined represent only a tiny fraction of the state's total energy consumption. The great majority of energy use is by individuals and commercial enterprises.

In 2005, people in their homes consumed 46 percent of the total energy used in the State excluding transportation. Another 41 percent of energy expenditures that year were by non-industrial businesses--from the coffee shop on Main Street to the corporate headquarters building on the edge of town. Clearly, every person's actions can make a difference.

That's why local outreach efforts are so important. Environmental commissions and green teams can play an important role in educating residents and businesses in communities about the importance of energy conservation and how to achieve it.

When it comes to opening minds and changing behaviors, people are more likely to listen to people they know, local volunteers whose only agenda is the welfare of their community and their planet.

Hopewell Township EQ Challenge
Summit's Energy Ambassador Program
Resources for Selling Energy Conservaton