By: Jenn Hatch | 01/16/2012

"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals." MLK

Across the state- from Davis all the way to San Diego- students went out into the community to serve their community in celebration of MLK.

With seven different events across the state, 55 volunteers went door-to-door, bringing energy education to 312 householdsto help them save energy, the environment and money all at the same time!

A couple highlights from the day were working with Riverside City Councilor to hold an energy education table for kids at a town sustainability fair; having volunteers from UCLA and SMC team up to do energy surveys in Venice Beach, and team Santa Barbara, who had 18 volunteers completed almost 100 surveys!

By: Jenn Lavelle | 11/08/2011

On November 5, student volunteers at UC Merced hit the streets to educate local residents about energy conservation. They were able to educate almost 100 local residents about how to save energy, save the environment, and save money, all at the same time.

Throughout the day, 72 volunteers got involved in going door-to-door conducting basic home energy surveys, asking questions and helping residents identify energy efficiencies in their home.

Some of the easiest methods that were identified include turning down the heat a few degrees, changing old incandescent lightbulbs to more efficient CFLs, unplugging electronics or using a powerstrip, and insulating the hot water heater with an insulating blanket. By implementing these simple changes we recommend at the door, people can expect to see real energy savings. For instance, residents can expect to save $55 throughout the 10,000 hour lifespan of each CFL lightbulb in use!

The Merced Sun-Star featured a story about how UC Merced students involved with Energy Service Corps spread the 'green' word in the community.

2 student volunteers talk with a local resident about his energy use and find a few simple things he can do to reduce his bills.

 

Merced students are trained and ready to start talking with residents about saving energy!

By: Jenn Engstrom | 9/11/11

On September 11th, 56 volunteers with CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps remembered the tragic event by giving back to their community in a Day of Service.   Students from CU Boulder, CU Denver, CU Colorado Springs, and Colorado State University helped 164 people in their respective communities save energy, save the environment, and save money all at the same time. 

Throughout the day, volunteers went door-to-door conducting basic energy surveys, asking homeowners and renters questions that helped identify energy inefficiencies in their homes, like the temperature at which they set their heating and cooling system and whether they use CFL light bulbs. Volunteers then provided people with simple tips on how they can reduce energy, like turning down their hot water heater and unplugging appliances when not in use.  By making these simple and easy to implement changes that we suggest at the door, people can save quite a bit on their energy bill. For example, for every degree a family turns down their heat in the winter, they can save 1% on their energy bill.

On top of providing homeowners and renters with these useful energy-saving tips, volunteers went a step further and signed people up for a free home energy upgrade.  Through these upgrades, Energy Service Corps helps people save even more by going into their home and sealing up cracks around windows and doors, insulating hot water pipes, and doing other small repairs around the house.  Such repairs can help people save up to 15% on their energy bill.    

Denver

In Denver, 20 volunteers from CU Denver conducted 60 surveys and gave homeowners both simple tips to save energy and free CFL light bulbs.  CU Regent Michael Carrigan spoke to the volunteers before they headed out to the neighborhood and highlighted how inspiring it was that students were commemorating the day by making a difference in the community.

_{CU Denver students and Regent Carrigan showing off CFL light bulbs they handed out.}

Fort Collins

In Fort Collins, 11 CSU students road their bikes to Old Town to conduct 48 basic energy surveys. When Campus Organizer Terra Smith spoke with one woman, Gail, about sealing the cracks around her windows and doors, she said she’s been wanting to but didn’t know how. Terra recommended caulking and weatherstripping and Gail was very excited and appreciative of the tip.  Along with helping people like Gail, the volunteers also signed up 12 people for future energy upgrades.

_{CSU Campus Organizer training volunteers on how to conduct energy surveys.}

Boulder

In Boulder, 10 CU students worked to educate residents of The Hill.  They conducted 25 surveys in primarily student housing, where first time renters are often struggling to pay for school and rent.  They not only gave students tips on easy-to-implement, no cost, energy efficiency changes, but are also partnering with the CU Boulder Environmental Center to provide student with free weatherization.  

_{CU Boulder students before heading out to educate The Hill.}

Colorado Springs

In Colorado Springs, 15 volunteer from UCCS conducted 31 basic energy surveys in the Acacia neighborhood near campus.  They spoke with several men and women in active military service who expressed they were grateful for our commemorative work on 9/11 and eager to see how our suggested changes would impact their energy bill.    

CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps will continue to educate the community on how they can save energy this year by conducting another 2,000 basic energy surveys and 250 upgrades, as well as educating 10,000 of kids on energy conservation through fun lessons in the classroom.

By: Kelly Rickman | 06/12/2011

In May, more than 50 AmeriCorps members and volunteers with WISPIRG's Energy Service Corps spent a week visiting classrooms in Western, Southern, and Central Wisconsin.  Through fun, engaging lessons like Energy Charades and Energy Detectives, Energy Service Corps members taught nearly 2,000 children what energy is, where it comes from, and why it's important to conserve it!  

By: Kelly Rickman | 06/12/2011

In May, WISPIRG’s Energy Service Corps launched the ‘Power to the People’ campaign– arming homeowners, business owners, and community members with the information they need to save money, reduce their energy consumption and solve our energy problems.  Energy Service Corps members are conducting thousands of FREE energy efficiency upgrades across the state of Wisconsin! 

During an energy upgrade, trained volunteers will visit houses, apartments, or businesses to help people take simple steps to reduce their energy use right away.  They’ll make it easy for people to make the biggest impact possible on their energy use—and their energy bills, by helping them understand more about home improvement projects  and the local, state, and federal energy incentives and assistance programs  available for these projects. 

Energy Service Corps volunteers visited Community Advocates, a multi-site community service agency in Milwaukee to formally launch the campaign and teach staff, residents, community members, and children about energy efficiency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energy Service Corps members and staff at Community Advocates 

An AmeriCorps member shows children where the air leaks in the window are.

WISPIRG's Energy Service Corps members are already headed out to farmer's markets, neighborhoods, and churches across Wisconsin to talk about the 'Power to the People' campaign and to sign thousands of Wisconsin residents up for FREE home energy efficiency assessments.  Want to get in on the fun?  Click on 'Get Involved' at the top of the page to find out more! 

 

By: Jenn Hatch | 05/04/2011

Serve as an AmeriCorps member on your campus!

By: Jenn Engstrom | 4/14/11

While most college students went south for Spring Break, over thirty college students with CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps went to Durango, Colorado to promote energy conservation and make a tangible difference in people’s lives and the environment.

^{_{CoPIRG's Energy Service Corps volunteers outside the Durangp Public Library.}}

Volunteers from CU Boulder, CU Colorado Springs, the University of Northern Colorado, and the Auraria campus in Denver educated over 750 K-12 youth through fun lessons on energy and the environment and performed over 40 basic energy assessments and upgrades in homes, apartments, and churches.

“We wanted to spend our spring break somewhere fun and be able to help people at the same time,” said Maggie Witt, UNC K-12 Education Coordinator. “We picked Durango because it’s extremely mountainous and faces steep energy bills in the winter, it’s far enough away from UNC that we can’t help when classes are in session, and it’s beautiful place to spend spring break.”

Pre-12 Education

_{^{CU Denver campus organizer Kim Stevens and CU Boulder student Helen Katich help kids at New Horizons preschool make “Turn the lights off” covers for their light switches at home.}}

Over a two week period Energy Service Corps volunteers presented in 36 classrooms and educated over 750 K-12 youth. They went to every school in the Durango school district except one and provided engaging, hands-on educational presentations for students of all ages that focus on the value of conserving energy and promote environmental stewardship.  Through fun, interactive games like Energy Jeopardy, volunteers left students with concrete ways that they can save energy at home and at school – from turning off electronics to switching to CFL light bulbs.  The presentations received great reviews from teachers and officials in the school district. 

Ashley Hillmer, 6^th grade science teacher at Escalante Middle School said the presentations in her class were fantastic.  “Volunteers were prepared and prompt.  Their lesson plan was phenomenal."

^{_{From left to right: CU Boulder student Helen Katich and CU Denver student Matt Ferrell with Needham Elementary 1st graders, UCCS student Alison Smith leading a discussion with Durango High School students.}}

Manna Soup Kitchen

_{^{CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps volunteers with Libby Culver of the Durango School District, Deacon Lou Kiene of the 1st Presbyterian Church, Warren Smith and Sarah Comerford of the Manna Soup Kitchen, and Mayor Michael Renden outside the Manna Soup Kitchen.}}

On Thursday, March 24^th, Energy Service Corps performed a basic energy assessment and upgrade to the Manna Soup Kitchen in Durango.  Throughout the week, a group of Energy Service Corps volunteers were in the soup kitchen by 5am every morning to make breakfast for the Durango community. They formed such a great relationship with the soup kitchen employees and patrons that they decided to organize a community energy assessment and basic energy upgrade to the building.  Students were joined by Mayor Renden, Libby Culver, Community Partnerships coordinator for the Durango School District, and Sarah Comerford and Warren Smith of the Manna Soup Kitchen, and Deacon Lou Kiene of the 1^st Presbyterian Church to seal cracks in the soup kitchen windows and install weatherstripping in the drafty door.The soup kitchen was so pleased with the hard work of Energy Service Corps volunteers that they threw a spaghetti dinner in their honor.

^{_{From left to right: CU Boulder student Rachel Bronk and Metro State student Drew Carrick apply weatherstripping to the front door at Manna Soup Kitchen; Bronk and UCCS student Kristen Hayden making breakfast at Manna.  Botton: After dinner at the Manna Soup Kitchen.}}

Check us out in the Durango Herald before week 1 and at the end of week 2.

By: Kelly Rickman | 03/22/2011

Over spring break this year, student volunteers and AmeriCorps members  from WISPIRG’s Energy Service Corps taught over 2,000 children about energy and the environment.    During the week of March 14, the group took a tour of Wisconsin, visiting schools and after-school programs in Madison, Green Bay, Milwaukee and Racine.  Children were able to participate in hands-on lessons about energy, including games of Electric Charades, and a simulation game to explore global consumption of energy resources, energy conservation, and sustainability.

A second group will travel to Oshkosh, Stevens Point, Eau Claire and La Crosse during the week of March 21.  That group anticipates working with 1,100 children over the course of the week.  WISPIRG Energy Service Corps members Angela Koenig and Emily Merkel were featured on The Sunrise Show on WEAU News in Eau Claire to discuss one of the educational presentations they're planning.

By: Sarah Mitnick | 03/16/11

This year, 30 college students decided to spend their spring break making a difference in their communities.  Students from Rutgers University, Monmouth University and Stockton College spent three days traveling around the state educating community members about energy efficiency and weatherizing community buildings.

The trip began in West Long Branch where Energy Service Corps hosted a workshop at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation.  The workshop included information about the programs, tax incentives and rebates that are available as well as a demonstration of how to use weatherization supplies and a discussion on how to be an environmental leader in your community.  Student volunteers then weatherized the older parts of the building by caulking windows and installing weatherstripping on the doors.

 

Volunteers educate the community in West Long Branch

 

On the second day, they travelled to Highland Park to help out the First Reformed Church.  They started the day by helping to install insulation in the attic of the church.  Afterwards they weatherized the rest of the building with caulk and weatherstripping.  The day ended with a workshop at the church where community members could learn about how to reduce energy and save money.

Volunteers pose before installing the insulation in the attic

 

On the final day, Energy Service Corps travelled to the Newark YMCA.  After hosting a workshop at the YMCA, volunteers weatherized parts of the YMCA building, include the apartments  that house low-income members of the community.

Volunteer Webster Gray educates people about weatherization supplies in Newark

 

Over the trip, the volunteers not only had a lot of fun but they were able to make a big difference in the community by helping people save energy and money.

By: Martin Figueroa | 03/09/2011

The Energy Service Corps at UC Merced, Andréa Joyce, an instructor of Earth System Sciences, Engineering Professor Elliot Campbell, UC Merced faculty and other community leaders were joined by 50 UC Merced students to weatherize the Merced Elks Lodge March 8.

Energy Service Corps interns, volunteers, UC Merced students and the Merced community weatherized the 75-year-old lodge in downtown Merced. The lodge is an historical building that has served the needs of their members through events, activities and programs.

Because the building is old, weatherization will make the building energy-efficient and reduce energy consumption by 30 percent, according to a news release.

Weatherization is the process of converting old incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, caulking and weather-stripping windows, installing power strips and educating staff on energy-saving tips.

 

Last year, the Energy Service Corps weatherized the Merced Rescue Mission. Some 60 volunteers made the building energy-efficient. By making those changes, the mission was able to save an average of 30 percent on its energy bill and contribute to the sustainability of the entire Merced community, the news release said.

 

Some of the energy conservation measures the students use include sealing leaks and drafts around windows and doors and upgrading incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs.

Said Joyce: "Fifteen percent of the heating and cooling costs of a building can be lost through air leaks around windows and doors. We hope our project can help reduce the heating and cooling costs for this building. This is an extraordinary opportunity for students to apply classroom concepts of environmental sustainability to real world situations in a ‘hands-on’ fashion."

 

Joyce is an instructor at UC Merced for Environmental Engineering 10 - Environment in Crisis. The course includes energy resources and energy conservation. The students come from a variety of majors and bring various perspectives to the class, from politics and planning to conservation and engineering, according to the news release.

Read more : http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2011/03/08/1802440/uc-merced-students-faculty-and.html#ixzz1GLJaZ3IV

 

By: Sarah Mitnick | 02/10/11

On February 10, 2011 NJPIRG's Energy Service Corps, The City of Newark and Brick City SERVES celebrated "25 Days of Service."  Over the 25 days volunteers and partners weatherized 100 homes in Newark in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As temperatures drop and heating bills rise, many families struggle to pay their monthly utility bills, and many more suffer through cold nights in their drafty homes.  Throughout "25 Days of Service," volunteers from college campuses, high schools, and the community put in hard work to seal cracks around windows & doors, change old light bulbs to CFLs, and give residents tips on how to save even more energy.

The 25 Days culminated in a press conference to celebrate the success of the project and the weatherization of 103 homes.  Speakers included Mayor Cory Booker, Deputy Mayor Margarita Muniz, Chief Services Officer Nichelle Holder, Energy Service Corps member Webster Gray, Assistant Chancellor Diane Hill and Councilman Donald Payne, Jr.  Mayor Booker presented all partners with a Proclamation to thank them for their work.

Campus Organizer Lyndsey Scofield and Rutgers Student Webster Gray with Mayor Cory Booker

Rutgers Newark NJPIRG student volunters with the Proclamation from Mayor Booker.

Minimum-time member and Rutgers student Webster Gray addresses the room

 

By: Jenn Engstrom | 1/21/10

UCCS Energy Service Corps was invited to speak at the Colorado Springs City "Green" Bag Lunch-n-Learn on Thursday.  The topic of the Lunch-n-Learn was "What to know about home energy audits." The panel included professional energy auditors, Colorado Springs Utilities energy conservation experts and our very own Kristen Hayden from CoPIRG's Energy Service Corps at UCCS.  Hayden fielded questions from home owners and renters about energy efficiency and gave tips on the simple things they could do at home to save energy and save money.  After the panel, many attendees signed up for Energy Service Corps free energy assessments. 

By: Jenn Engstrom | 1/18/10

Jim Laven and Drew Aslin of CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps at the Auraria campus in Denver partnered up with Groundwork Denver to distribute CFL light bulbs and other resources to homes in North Park Hill.  Ground Work Denver organized the event and invited local non-profits as well as 150 community members from the Denver area.  Programs like free recycling, free energy assessments and weatherization, along with offers for free street trees were brought to the doorsteps of home owners and renters throughout the area.  The event was a huge success. We estimate that around 40 people were signed up for free Energy Service Corps' energy assessments. 

By: Jenn Engstrom | 1/18/11

While most college students spent their winter break at home or in the mountains skiing, roughly 20 students from CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps spent their break educating K-12 students in classrooms across Colorado about energy conservation.Together CU Boulder, CU Colorado Springs, the Auraria Campus in Denver, CSU, and UNC educated over 1,260 Colorado youth.

"We wanted to spend our winter break helping our community," said Emily Genuardi, CU Boulder Education Week Coordinator.  "With more cold winter months and high electricity bills ahead of us, teaching our youth about how to save energy at home is a great way to give back."

_{Auraria students Evan Gathers and Matt Ferrell with the Denver Green School 2^nd graders.}

CoPIRG’s Energy Service Corps volunteers provided engaging, hands-on educational presentations for students of all ages that focus on the value of conserving energy and promote environmental stewardship.  The presentations also left students with concrete ways that they can save energy at home and at school – from turning off electronics and switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs to encouraging their parents to sign up for free Energy Service Corps energy assessments and home weatherization.

 "We chose this age range because it's never too early to start teaching people about energy conservation," said Lisa Ritland, CU Boulder's CoPIRG campus organizer. "It's hard to break habits as an adult, so starting the process when they're 6 is much more effective."

Highlights

Denver

Auraria students did a six-day presentation for 2^nd graders at the Denver Green School.  Over the course of a week the 2^nd graders played games, made arts and crafts, and learned a lot about saving energy.  On the last day they did an energy assessment of the classroom and all the students signed a pledge to reduce their energy at home by doing simple things like turning off the lights when they leave the room. 

_{Auraria student Jammie Hammons playing an energy version of “The Game of Life” with the Denver Green School 2^nd graders.}  

CU Boulder

CU Boulder did a school-wide assembly for 300 pre-8^th grade kids at the Boulder Country Day School, which was a huge success. They also taught an energetic group of kindergartners at Scribbles Academy, who were ferociously eager to learn, listen and participate with Energy Service Corps' team.  After a fun lesson about where energy comes from, the young students took to their seats to create "Please, Turn Off The Light" stickers for all the light switches in their homes.  Check out the Colorado Daily for more highlights.    

_{CU Boulder students performing a school-wide assembly at the Boulder Country Day School.}

_{CU Boulder students Emily Genuardi and Jamie O’Connell with Scribble’s Academy kindergartners.}

Colorado State

CSU students did three presentations during Education Week. First graders at Laurel Elementary in Fort Collins made colorful energy booklets where they matched objects with their sources of energy.  Fifth  graders at Harris Elementary battled it out in a game of jeopardy, nailing some tough 300 pt questions, and second graders at Swanson Elementary brainstormed all the ways they could save energy at home.

_{CSU students Jordan Bren and Brittany Shores and CSU campus organizer Brooke Bontz teaching Swanson Elementary 2^nd graders in Arvada about renewable and nonrenewable energy.}

The University of Northern Colorado

UNC spent a whole day at Brentwood Middle School in Greeley and taught five periods of 6^th grade science.  The students participated in an interactive role play in which they had to collectively come up with a solution to the problem of smog in their city.  With the encouragement of Energy Service Corps volunteers, they decided to turn the old coal-fired power plant in the city into a solar powered one.    

CU Colorado Springs

UCCS played “Energy Jeopardy” with 150 4^th and 5^th graders in Colorado Springs and left each of them with an energy conservation coloring book and box of crayons they got donated from the Energy Resource Center, a local weatherization group.

 

By: Sarah Mitnick | 01/18/2011

NJPIRG's Energy Service Corps celebrated MLK Day by organizing projects across the state.

 

In Trenton and Atlantic City, Energy Service Corps members and volunteers taught 1,487 children about energy and conservation. On Thursday, January 13, we taught at Grant Elementary and Franklin Elementary schools in Trenton.  We also hosted our annual Education Week Launch at Franklin Elementary School.  Tony Campbell, Dean of Students at Rider University and Chair of the NJ AmeriCorps Commission spoke to the AmeriCorps members and student volunteers about the importance of the work we do (see picture).  Rowena Madden, Executive Director of the NJ AmeriCorps, Marc Rogoff from the NJDEP and the Principal of Franklin Elementary also attended.  On Friday, January 14, we taught at Sovereign Ave, New York Ave and Texas Ave Schools in Atlantic City.  AmeriCorps members and student volunteers taught 2 different lessons.  One called "What is Energy?", educated 1st and 2nd graders about energy and how we use it.  3rd, 4th and 5th graders played the Carbon Dioxide Game, a lesson aimed at teaching them about greenhouse gases and how they can decrease their impact.

On Monday, January 17, ESC members at Monmouth University partnered with Linda Mass from Brookdale Community College  to complete an energy assessment and weatherization of the Ronald McDonald House. In two hours they completed an assessment of almost the entire house and did some simple weatherization (weatherstripping, caulking and switching light bulbs).  The manager of the Ronald McDonald House was very excited about the recommendations we provided and was hoping they'd be able to make some of these changes.

Also on Monday, January 17, ESC in Newark launched "25 Days of Service" a joint event with the City of Newark, Brick City Serves and La Casa de Don Pedro.  On the first day, we weatherized 19 homes. City Council President Donald Payne and West Ward Councilman Ronald Rice spoke, as well as Deputy Mayor Muniz, a representative from PSEG, Executive Director of La Casa Ray Ocasio, and Dean Stroye from Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration. Most of the volunteers have already signed up for another day and residents have already begun referring friends to get their homes weatherized.

By: Jenn Engstrom | 11/26/10

CoPIRG launched Energy Service Corps on October 23^rd with four simultaneous events across the state.  At the events 32 students from Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado, CU Colorado Springs, and the Auraria campus in Denver were joined by local leaders to help upgrade the energy efficiency of community buildings, distribute energy efficient light bulbs, and inform the community about the new program. Check out what we did in just one day!

Colorado Springs

In Colorado Springs, UCCS students were joined by Colorado Springs’ City Sustainability Coordinator Carrie McCausland and Colorado Springs Utilities Issues Manager Gail Conners to perform an energy assessment of the Pioneers Museum, which was originally build in 1903 as the El Paso County Courthouse. The students plan to turn their assessment into a proposal to the National Historical Society for basic energy efficiency upgrades. These upgrades are simple enough to keep the historic nature of the building but will still help the museum save money on their energy bill.  Check out UCCS students Justin Sundling and Kristen Hayden in the Colorado Springs Gazette and on NBC5.

Kristen Hayden speaks in front of the Pinoeers Museum.

Justin Sundling assessing the Pinoeers Museum.

Greeley

In Greeley, 14 students from UNC were joined by Chamber of Commerce President Sarah MacQuiddy and UNC Environmental Science Professor Richard Jurin to assess and weatherize the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, which was built in the early 1930s as a railroad depot.  The students weather-stripped doors and windows, insulated hot water pipes, exchanged old incandescent light bulbs for new CFLs, and installed water aerators in the bathroom sinks. UNC students Talile Desalegn and Nathan Butterfield were featured in the Greeley Tribune.

 

UNC students weather-stripping a window in the Greeley Chamber of Commerce.

Denver

Students from the Auraria campus performed an energy assessment and basic weatherization of the Denver Inner City Parish, which is a non-denominational, nonprofit organization that works to improve the quality of life for low-income residents of the Denver Metro Area.  The students were joined by Denver City Councilman Doug Linkhart, who helped them apply weather-stripping to high traffic doors and install energy efficient light bulbs. 

Auraria campus students with City Councilman Doug Linkhart and employees of the Denver Inner City Paris.

Evan Gathers and Jim Laven inspecting the Parish's hot water heater.

Fort Collins

In Fort Collins, seven students distributed energy efficient light bulbs in the Old Town Square. They also got 100 people to pledge to reduce their energy use at home and signed up several for free energy assessments and weatherization.

 

Fort Collins children enjoy Energy Service Corps stickers.

By: Sarah Lee | 11/10/10

Berkeley - Over 30 student volunteers surveyed and upgraded 17 Greek Houses on UC Berkeley's frat row.  The effort was part of a coalition between Energy Service Corps, Greening the Greeks, Student Government, and the UCB Sustainability Coalition.  The UC System Sustainability Director spoke, and 3 media outlets covered the event. Check out the article in CBS News.

Davis - The sustainability managers for UC Davis, the sustainability manager for the city of Davis, and a city council member joined 40 Energy Service Corps students to make energy efficient upgrades to 4 Greek Houses at UCD.  The effort was in coalition with ESC, UC Davis, Yolo Energy Watch, and Cool Davis.  The city newspaper was there to cover the event.

San Francisco - The Dean of Students and Student Government joined 55 City College Volunteers in surveying the outdated campus student union.

Santa Barbara - Student volunteers upgraded the local YMCA.  Southern California Gas Co. read about the event in the local campus newspaper and contacted us to create a partnership.  Check out the article. in the Daily Nexus of UCSB.

Pasadena - ESC students at Pasadena City College worked with the Pasadena Power and Water Department to weatherize all 3 of the public libraries.  Pasadena Power provided materials and support for the program, and are helping to set up educational presentations in local schools around energy efficiency.

Merced - 60 UC Merced ESC volunteers joined Mayor Pro Tempore Bill Blake in upgrading the local Rescue MIssion shelter.  Check out the article in the Merced Sun Star.

 

By: Sarah Williams | 11/10/2010

By: Faye Hopper | 11/10/2010

By: Katharina Brunner | 10/11/2010

150 kids in grades 2-8 at Burnet St School in Newark learned about energy efficiency. Kristine Vidaillet, Energy Service Corps volunteer at Newark coordinated a teaching day. The students were joined by Rodney Williams, Energy Manager for Newark Public Schools.

Interns Grisham Patel and Kristine Vidaillet with 4^th graders: 

Intern Tiffany Campbell with 3^rd graders:

By: Sarah Mitnick | 9/12/2010

In honor of the September 11th Day of Service, NJPIRG Energy Service Corps participated in service projects across the state.

Stockton
Students at Stockton College’s Energy Service Corps participated in a shrub planting in North Camden with the New Jersey Foundation and Concerned Citizens of North Camden. We started with an empty city lot that was used by many as a local garbage dump, and were able to turn it into a fresh and vibrant green space in the middle of urban Camden. We planted shrubs, small bushes, and flowers, and then made murals to brighten up the area even more. All the neighbors and local children came out to help us plant, paint, and they even grilled food for us. The children used to play in the abandoned garbage lot anyway, but now local children will finally have a decent place to come play and not be afraid of people dumping garbage there.

New Brunswick
Seven volunteers from Rutgers New Brunswick completed an energy assessment and weatherization of the New Brunswick Public Library on Friday, September 10th in conjunction with the September 11th Day of Service. The volunteers were able to point out the major energy wasters in the building. They also helped to immediate provide some relief by helping to seal up cracks and drafts in the building. This will help the library save money on utility bills and help save energy.

Monmouth County
In Matawan, students from Monmouth University’s Energy Service Corps partnered with Project Porchlight and Brookdale Community College's Circle K Club to educate residents on energy efficiency. They went door-to-door to distribute energy efficient light bulbs and tips for saving energy. Over 100 houses had light bulbs delivered to them and many residents were excited to receive them. It amazed people that making this one small change could create such a huge impact on their own lives and on the country as a whole.

Newark
Volunteers from Rutgers-Newark and NJIT came together on Saturday morning to clean up Riverbank Park in partnership with the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. The Park runs along the Passaic River, a very polluted local waterway. In just a few short hours, 11 volunteers were able to collect over 30 bags of trash.

By: Sarah Mitnick | 1/18/2010

NJPIRG's Energy Service Corps hosted their annual Education Week in honor of the service of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of service and education. This was our 10th annual Education Week, although the first for Energy Service Corps (the previous 9 were with our previous AmeriCorps program, NJPIRG Water Watch).

Energy Service Corps organizers, interns and student volunteers traveled to Newark, Trenton and Long Branch schools to teach kids in the 4-8th grade about energy and conservation. The theme of the week was "Come Together to Conserve Energy" and was all about encouraging children to conserve energy as well as become active participants in their communities and get involved.

On the first day in Newark, over 20 student volunteers helped teach 577 children at the Maple Ave and Abington Ave schools. Chelsea Albucher, the Sustainability Officer for the Mayor of Newark, came to the Maple Ave School to help teach children about global warming and energy use. In addition, Zaida Polanco from La Casa De Don Pedro, a community partner that works on weatherizing homes in Newark, taught a lesson with the Energy Service Corps volunteers.

Energy Service Corps also taught at 4 after-school programs in Newark. At Park Elementary School, Sam Galvez, the Parent Coordinator for the Newark Public Schools, told student volunteers that he appreciated their work and thought that the message of energy conservation is extremely important.

On the second day, Energy Service Corps taught 318 students at Mott Elementary, Franklin Elementary and Columbus Elementary schools in Trenton. They also hosted an event at the Columbus School to officially launch Education Week. Many people turned out to celebrate the service and efforts of Energy Service Corps. In attendance were Tony Campbell, Dean of Students at Rider University and Chair of the NJ Commission for National and Community Service, Donna Teel, Training Office for the Commission, Mark Valli, CEO of NJ After 3, Kyesha Hood, MLK Day Assistant, and Riva Thomas, Outreach Coordinator for the NJ Department of Human Services. During the program, a few people spoke about the importance of teaching children about energy. Doug O’Malley from Environment New Jersey, Colin Cherry, Aid to the Mayor of Trenton, and Superintendent Rodney Lofton all had positive things to say about the work being done this week. Also, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora presented a proclamation to the AmeriCorps members and other participants on behalf of himself, Senator Shirley K. Turner, and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman.  

On the final day, Energy Service Corps taught 428 children at the Gregory Elementary School and Amerigo A. Anastasia School in Long Branch and the Shark Rivers School in Neptune. Mark Rogoff from the NJ DEP attended and helped teach the children.

By the end of a long week of traveling around the state and sleeping in churches, Energy Service Corps had educated 1,323 students in the state of New Jersey about energy conservation.

AmeriCorps member and student intern Annabel Pollioni discusses energy use with a student at Maple Ave School in Newark.

Superintendent Rodney Lofton discusses the importance of teaching today's children about energy and conservation.

Assemblyman Reed Gusciora presents AmeriCorps member and Energy Service Corps organizer Heather Plante with a certificate of appreciation.

Donna Teel from the NJ Commission for National and Community Service and Kelly Nishikawa, AmeriCorps member and student intern, teach a class about global warming.

By: Sarah Mitnick | 3/17/2010

Last week, Energy Service Corps - a joint project of the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) and AmeriCorps - hosted "Energy Lost is at Your Cost," an Alternative Spring Break trip. The trip was an opportunity to bring together student volunteers, community members and local leaders around a series of local energy efficiency projects. During the week, student volunteers and community members performed 23 energy assessments and basic weatherizations in a three-day service tour of Atlantic City, Newark, and Trenton.

On Sunday in Atlantic City student volunteers performed assessments of 8 homes to educate community members on the simple things they can do to save energy and money in their homes. Volunteers also helped to immediately make a difference by sealing up drafts with weatherstripping and caulk, replacing light bulbs, and distributing power strips. We hosted our kick-off in Atlantic City at the Covenant House, which is a very large privately-funded agency that provides food, shelter, immediate crisis care, and an array of other important services to homeless, throwaway, and runaway kids. Brian Nelson, Director of the Covenant House, joined us to help make their buildings more energy efficient.

Our work in Atlantic City was on the NBC 40 local news and was highlighted in the Press of Atlantic City.  You can read the article at: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/article_a5f41e38-2fb8-11df-befb-001cc4c03286.html.

The following day, we traveled to Newark to educate more communities about energy efficiency. We performed six assessments and weatherizations in the city, including the Newark Vocational High School, where we weatherized six classrooms and the library. We then all gathered at the Boys & Girls Club where we were able to assess their building and help weatherize it.  Michelle Burgess, Director of Community Engagement at Newark Now, and Robert Sikora, Director of Education at the Greater Newark Conservancy, joined us to celebrate. Along with the 25 college students who participated that day, 6 high school students from the Vocational High School and 8 students from the Boys and Girls Club helped out.

The third and final day brought Energy Service Corps to Trenton. 28 volunteers performed assessments and weatherizations of 6 homes as well as the Habitat for Humanity building in East Trenton. Tanya Oznowich, Environmental Education Supervisor at the DEP, and Doug O’Malley, Field Director with Environment New Jersey, came out to speak to the volunteers about the importance of the work they are doing.

By: Sarah Mitnick | 5/26/2010

Last week 15 student volunteers from New Jersey PIRG’s Energy Service Corps traveled to Asheville, North Carolina to promote energy efficiency and weatherize homes. North Carolina, like many areas of the country, has been hit hard by the recession.

Students from Rutgers University, Monmouth University, and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey drove 11 hours to work with the local Community Action Opportunities Weatherization Services for three days. During our stay we weatherized 12 units, all homes of low-income people who have previously been homeless. During the week, we helped by installing weather stripping on doors, sealing cracks with caulk and spray foam, prepping attics for insulation, and other projects.

Our work in Asheville was highlighted on the Channel 13 news and the Asheville Citizen-Times.  Check out the article at http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20100524/NEWS/305240037/College-students-help-weatherize-homes.

Benjy and Jeff repair a door frame

The group celebrates a successful trip!

Leticia seals up a vent

Sandra puts weatherstripping on a window

The supply truck, courtesy of Community Action Opportunities