STUDENT VOLUNTEERS HELP SWITCH ON CONSERVATION

Walking from door to door, light bulbs in hand, student volunteers swap out front porch lights for Denver homeowners while they talk to them about all the simple ways basic living alterations can benefit the environment.

The Porch Bulb Project had students canvassing the North Denver neighborhoods Jan. 17 as part of Groundwork Denver’s Take Charge! Project where student volunteers take their knowledge of energy conservation and act upon it.

The project aims to prove that making an environmental difference is as easy as replacing an incandescent front porch light bulb for a compact florescent bulb. This simple change, at no cost to the homeowner, saves energy and prevents the release of CO2 emissions, Take Charge! Project Manager Stephanie Fry said.

Although it only began two months ago, the program already has about 100 student volunteers.

“[Take Charge!] has really taken off,” Fry said. “It’s like a mouth to a fire hose.”

Groundwork Denver was founded in October 2002. The organization engages the community in several different projects, from tree planting to community revitalization projects to youth employment projects.

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, teams of two volunteers were able to reach on average 30 to 50 homes. With 100 volunteers, there were 50 teams who were able to reach between 1,500 and 2,500 homes.

Take Charge! spends 10 weeks in a single neighborhood. Communities in Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Denver and Durango have received the energy efficient, CFL light bulbs. Census maps are referenced so low-income communities are selected to take part in the project, Fry said.

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GO GREEN RADIO INTERVIEW

"In the fall of 2010, Groundwork Denver (www.groundworkdenver.org) initiated "Take Charge: Student Energy Education and Action", through which high school and college students around the state will become Student Energy Ambassadors to educate their own communities about energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Over the next two years, twenty-four communities throughout the entire State of Colorado will institute the Take Charge! If you are interested in bringing a similar program to your area, tune in as Stephanie Fry and Julie Connor discuss what it takes to get it up and running!"

Credit: Voice of America

STUDENTS TURN ON TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY

High school students traveled the East Side on Saturday, switching out porch lights and educating residents about energy efficiency.

Groundwork Colorado hosted Pueblo's first Porch Bulb Community Outreach Event as part of the Take Charge program funded by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. As many as 40 students from Districts 60 and 70 high schools participated, earning community service credit required by school programs.

As part of Saturday’s event, students first learned about energy efficiency at a morning presentation by Stephanie Fry, program manager for Take Charge. “Just little behavioral changes can make a big difference,” Fry said. “It’s the easiest most cost-efficient thing we can do,” she said, referring to switching to compact fluorescent bulbs.

Black Hills Energy supplied the bulbs, snacks and pizzas for lunch.

Many of the students who participated are involved in Key Club or Upward Bound programs, which require a certain amount of community service hours.

Emily Haver, 18, a senior at South High School, said she is highly involved in Key Club and proud that her club was asked to participate.

Janie Yarberry, 17, a junior at East High School, said that as an Upward Bound student with Pueblo Community College, she is required to choose community service projects to volunteer with every month and Porch Bulb Community Outreach was only one of the many she has chosen.

After a brief training session, students were sent with clipboards, informational brochures and energy-efficient light bulbs on routes along 8th Street to 13th Street of Pueblo’s East Side. They gave brochures on energy efficiency and recycling to residents and offered to switch out homeowners’ porch lights with a compact 13-watt fluorescent bulb, equivalent to a regular 60-watt fluorescent bulb.

Employees of Black Hills Energy and adult volunteers assisted students with questions and concerns of the home owners.

Black Hills Energy offers compact fluorescent bulbs with an attached mail-in rebate at most major retail stores, such as Walmart, Home Depot, and Sam’s Club, said Dan Smith, director of Economic Development and Customer Relations for Black Hills Energy.

Although this is the first Porch Bulb event for Pueblo, the Take Charge program has successfully held this event in parts of Denver and the surrounding communities. Groundwork has now expanded their efforts to all of Colorado, thanks to receiving a grant as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

To learn more about Groundwork visit their website: GroundworkDenver.org.

Credit: Brittney Whatley - Pueblo Chieftan

JULIE ON KGNU

"High school and college students will be energy use ambassadors with the Student Energy and Education Action program. It is a statewide effort to inspire energy efficiency and get students thinking about green jobs and careers. Program director Julie Connor chats with host Nikki Kayser."

Credit: KGNU

STEPHANIE ON KGNU

Stephanie Fry, Take Charge! program coordinator, talked about the project on KGNU on January 6, 2011.

Credit: KGNU