PUEBLO TAKES CHARGE! AGAIN!

On Saturday, January 28, 2012 volunteers from Black Hills Energy (BHE) partnered with Groundwork Colorado, Pueblo City Schools, Pueblo Community College, the Pueblo Workforce Center, and the City of Pueblo Volunteer Center to reach out to Pueblo residents regarding low-to no-cost energy efficiency services.  Over 40 high school and college Student Energy Ambassadors, partnering with adult volunteers, canvassed the Bessemer neighborhood to change out front porch lights with compact fluorescent bulbs, discuss energy efficiency measures, and sign up residents for energy efficiency programs. The volunteers called on about 500 homes. This was the third time that the Energy Services Department has taken a lead role in this event.

Energy efficiency and renewable energy resources for Pueblo, Colorado:

·     Black Hills Energy http://www.blackhillsenergy.com/services/energyefficiency/

·     NeighborWorks http://hstrial-neighborworksofp.intuitwebsites.com/Free-Services.html

·     Pueblo County Weatherization http://county.pueblo.org/government/county/department/housing-and-human-services/weatherization

·    Pueblo Department of Health and Human Services http://county.pueblo.org/government/county/pueblo-city-county-health-department

Green jobs resources for Pueblo, Colorado:

·  The Pueblo Workforce Center http://www.puebloworkforcecenter.com/

·  Pueblo Community College http://www.pueblocc.edu/

·  The SESP Green Jobs Info website http://www.greencareersco.com/

Local organizations, clubs, and schools focused on community service and/or energy:

·   Pueblo Community College Upward Bound http://www.pueblocc.edu/StudentServices/StudentSupport/UpwardBound/

·   Centennial High School http://centennial.pueblocityschools.us/

·   Health Academy http://healthacademy.pueblocityschools.us/

Pueblo City encourages broad sustainability, from promoting renewable energy to improving city design in order to facilitate walking and biking.  The city partners with the Pueblo County Sustainability Team, which has been working on a county-wide sustainability plan.  The city works closely with the Pueblo City-County Health Department and Pueblo Active Community Environment (PACE) in order to make the city more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.  The city is also undergoing a full energy audit of public facilities.  Based on this audit, it will work to reduce energy consumption throughout the city.  It plans to start by installing solar panels on a fire station.  Finally, the City has been adding water-wise western landscaping to most of its public projects, which will reduce water demands in the desert west.

Pueblo is creating a Strategic Sustainability Plan (STRATEGY), designed to reduce energy demand by both the public sphere and the community at-large.  The planning process is ongoing, and officials are seeking citizen input. Visit the website for project updates and event improvements: http://county.pueblo.org/government/sustainability.

TAKE CHARGE! IN PUEBLO THIS SEPTEMBER

Groundwork Denver’s Take Charge! program is coming to Pueblo on Saturday, September 24, 2011 for a day of service. We’ll be partnering with Colorado State University at Pueblo’s Upward Bound program to expand awareness of energy conservation resources like home energy assessments, which can help folks save money and live greener. To make the kind of impact we want, we’ll need 100 students to join us, and that means we need you! Email TakeCharge@GroundworkColorado.org if you want to get involved!

Upward Bound is a program that helps prepare high school students for college. The organization helps young people to develop the skills and motivation necessary to succeed in higher education. Participants receive tutoring in literature, composition, foreign languages, mathematics and science. Participants also get involved with cultural events, obtain assistance with college preparation, financial aid, scholarships and career development. Pueblo’s Upward Bould program helps almost 100 students annually. There are currently more than 650 programs in operation throughout the United States.

Visit the Upward Bound website at http://www.colostate-pueblo.edu/studentservices/Pages/UpwardBound.aspx.

Links to local energy conservation and green jobs resources:
Pueblo County Weatherization Program
Black Hills Energy
Pueblo Workforce Center
Pueblo Community College

PUEBLO

We had a great community outreach day in Pueblo, sponsored by Black Hills Energy! The results for Pueblo are:
• Number of Student Ambassadors: 39
• Number of Other Students Reached: 233
• Number of Adults Reached: 502
• Number of households that have signed up for the Energy Assessment Reporting: 69

Other information:
• Installed over 200 porch bulbs
• Reduced CO2 emissions by 12.18 tons
• Worked with South High School, Central High School, Health Academy, CSU-Pueblo and Pueblo Community College Upward Bound Program students

We will be conducting another Pueblo canvass on September 17, 2011. We hope you’ll be able to join us then!

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