The Shoreview Sierra Club Green Community has been active at the grassroots level for a number of years, connecting the community to environmental resources, reducing fossil fuel reliance, expanding recycling options, and promoting renewable energy. Recently, the group went door-to-door in the Shoreview community explaining and distributing applications for Xcel Energy’s WindSource program. Club member Terry Brunmeier explained with pride that the group had been able to track significant increase in the number of communities signed on to WindSource in the immediate months following their effort.
Metro CERT and the Shoreview Green Community recently supported an energy contest called “Beat Betty” at SummerHouse, a senior living facility in Shoreview. On March 23, CERTs recognized those residents that had made the greatest energy savings during the month of February. Resident Natalie Holle took the top prize, as she was able to save 25% on her monthly gas bill. Natalie gave all of the credit to her son’s excellent job shrinkwrapping her patio door, which she believes was the major source of heat loss in her unit. She joked, “I gave my son the prize because he spent the time and money on shrinkwrapping.”
Key to the success of the SummerHouse workshop was the cooperation of the property manager Bill Callen. When asked what had changed in SummerHouse between February 2008 and 2009, he provided a laundry list of energy efficiency measures that he had undertaken to cut costs and support the residents interested in energy conservation. Bill now keeps a stash of flourescent bulbs and other efficiency tools available on demand for his tenants. “I would certainly recommend the steps taken at SummerHouse to any other senior living facility,” Bill said.
Read the Metro CERT case study on SummerHouse:
Enthusiasm and Cooperation Pay Off: Saving Energy at SummerHouse
For more information visit the Shoreview Green Community website, or email Susan Rengstorf at srengstorf@comcast.net.
