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.