Bike Commute Coffee Club
Every Friday at 7:45 AM
Loaf Bakery, 111 W. Parrish St.

Bike Month Kickoff Bike Ride
Saturday, May 4, 11 AM
Ride starts at the Bull City Play Streets Event, Main St./Elm St.
Sponsored by Durham BPAC, Bike Durham and ECGA

Cyclist’s Social
Tuesday, May 7, 5-7 PM
Sunset Grille, 5850 Fayetteville Rd. #101
(Milepost 5.75 on the American Tobacco Trail)
Sponsored by Durham BPAC and Bike Durham

Kidical Mass
Saturday, May 11, 10 AM-12 PM
Northgate Park Picnic Shelter
Pre-registration at: http://durhamkidicalmass2013-biketoschool.eventbrite.com

Seven Stars Cycles Shop Sponsored Second Sunday Spin
Sunday, May 12, 10 AM
A 20-mile self-supported group ride, leaving from Seven Stars Cycles at 309 E. Chapel Hill St.

Cyclist’s Social
Monday, May 13, 5-7 PM
Bull McCabe’s, 427 W. Main St., in the Five Points area of historic downtown Durham
Sponsored by Durham BPAC and Bike Durham

“Free Bike Inspection Day”
Wednesday, May 15
Free inspections at Durham Cycles, Tip-Top Cycles, Seven Stars Cycles, REI (Durham, Raleigh and Cary), and The Bicycle Chain (Durham, Carrboro and Chapel Hill

Breakfast Social
Thursday, May 16, 7-9 AM
Ninth Street Bakery, 136 E. Chapel Hill St.
Cyclists enjoy free food and giveaways
Sponsored by Durham BPAC and Bike Durham

Bull City Tipping Point Bike Ride
Sunday, May 19, 2 PM
Ride starts at CCB Plaza, ends at Cocoa Cinnamon
For more information: http://www.facebook.com/bullcitytippingpoint

Durham BPAC Meeting
Tuesday, May 21, 7-9 PM
City Hall
Join Durham BPAC’s meeting and help brainstorm bicycle and pedestrian solutions for Durham – please bring your best ideas and we will give you coffee and pastries in return!

“Donate a Bike”
Wednesday, May 22 – For kids’ bikes: Downtown YMCA, 6-8 PM
Thursday, May 23 – For adult bikes: Bike Co-op, 7-10 PM
For more information: http://www.bikewalkdurham.org/

Bike to Star Trek Movie
Friday, May 24, 19:00 hours, Earth Eastern Standard Time
Meet at CCB Plaza
For more information: http://www.facebook.com/events/152544091579141/?ref=2

Remember to check the Clean Energy Durham Facebook page throughout the month of May for event updates!

As a student who has been interning with Clean Energy Durham for a little less than two months now, I have definitely come to see that the manner in which everyday energy savings practices are taught certainly has an effect on how people react to this knowledge, and it was interesting to look at how Southern “identity” affects energy efficiency practices in certain communities. Clean Energy Durham believes that neighbors can be one the ones to step up in a community and help neighbors learn the best ways to not only save energy, but save money, in their homes. Moreover, the neighbor-to-neighbor approach, which is prevalent in the Southern cultural norm of being friendly and welcoming to one’s neighbors, leads to a stronger community, and a network of households that continually helps each other in the process. Clean Energy Durham is continuing to move its neighborhood energy savings program, Pete Street™, across the nation, and it is through this Southern ideal that neighbors should help neighbors that the United States will see more energy savings on a community level.

To take a look at the ACEEE report, go to: http://aceee.org/research-report/b131

-Laura

We are continuing our Coffee Stops along the Bull City Connector.  If you are in the East Durham area stop by for a cup of coffee and some transit info THIS Wed. 2/20 – @ E. Main St. at Elizabeth St.  Enjoy a FREE “Cup of Joe” (compliments of Blend Café) while learning the best route to keep money in your pockets from a Personal Transportation Advisor. All current or future pedestrians, bike riders, bus riders, carpoolers, vanpoolers, and telecommuters are WELCOME!

When: Wed, February 20, 7am – 9am
Where: East Main Street & Elizabeth Street bus stop

-DeDreana

Check out press coverage about Clean Energy Durham’s Pete Street™ Program, “a high-impact program that blends energy efficiency initiatives with neighbor-to-neighbor community development to help state residents reduce their energy consumption – and save money.”

-Tom

Duke Energy provides up to $450 in rebates to North Carolina customers through their Smart $aver® Incentive Program who insulate and seal their homes using a contractor on the participating contractor list.  Visit Duke Energy’s website or call 866-785-6209 for more information.

Air sealing with foam in attic.

Air sealing is one of the most cost-effective energy efficiency improvements you can to your home—decreasing energy costs and improving comfort!

Attic Insulation & Air Sealing $250
Duct Sealing $100
Duct Insulation $75

Check out these other Smart $aver® Incentive Programs.

-Tom

This month Clean Energy Durham we will be holding coffee stops along the Bull City Connector route. The 1^st will be Wed. 1/16/13 from 7am-9am in front of Ninth Street Bakery, 136 E. Chapel Hill St., Downtown Durham. Please join us and invite others to join us for a free cup of coffee and answers to transit-related questions.  Check out the flyer for more information.

The Bus Buddy Program is a neighbor to neighbor transit education resource in different neighborhoods. With Bus Buddies in various neighborhoods volunteering their time to speak to their neighbors and friends about transit services and developing a transit network.

DeDreana

Now that the New Year is well under way, why not take a moment to think about making some real changes to your energy habits this year.  Consider attending a 1-hr Basic Energy Eduction Workshop or a 90-minute Hands-On Workshop to learn do-it-yourself projects to save energy and money.  Contact us for more information about workshops in Durham, NC; Wilson, NC; Siler City, NC; or Warren County, NC at info@cleanenergydurham.org.

Winter bike commutes can be fun, even magical! Let our pros show you their tips and tricks in this FREE Workshop by the Durham Bicycle Coalition!

Bike Commuting in Winter – Not Just for the Hardcore
Saturday, December 15th, 3:00 – 4:15 pm at the Durham Bike Co-op, 715 S. Washington St. (Entrance in the Back of the Building)
FREE, Open to the Public

Experienced bike commuters will offer tips on gear, safety, maintenance, and more to help you enjoy your bike commute in winter. Meet other commuters and ask the questions that will help keep you rolling year-round! Questions? Email Casey. Thank you to the Durham Bike Co-op for hosting this event!

Stay for a fun, free social bike ride after the workshop! The Holiday Lights Bike Ride starts at 5:00 pm from the Co-Op – some sort of bike light recommended, but no big worry if you don’t have one – there will be safety in numbers! Read more and visit the workshop Facebook link.

More than 135 volunteers and other Durham residents came together for an afternoon of recognition, energy quizzes and games, fabulous Durham delectables, bike blender smoothies and prizes to celebrate five years of Clean Energy Durham volunteers.

In five years, over 300 volunteers have taught their neighbors and shared hands-on energy savings knowledge to over 2,000 homes in neighborhoods throughout Durham.  While Clean Energy Durham designed the model, it is the terrific, community-minded, caring people of Durham who made this happen and continue to do so.

-Judy Kincaid, Executive Director

At the event, which was held at at BuildSense, a downtown Durham certified green design, construction, and renovation firm, awards and gifts were given to twelve volunteers for their special contributions:

• BILL TRIPLETT was awarded the ENERGY MENTOR AWARD
• DIANA PERONIS was awarded the SUPER SUPER TRAINER AWARD
• KAREN ANDERSON was awarded the ALMOST FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER AWARD
• CATHY STARKWEATHER was awarded the CREATIVE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER award
• MELVIN WHITLEY was awarded the LEADERSHIP MENTOR award
• NINNA GAGNON was awarded the BICYCLE MENTOR award
• IRIS FISHER was awarded the NEIGHBORHOOD LEADER’S LEADER award
• MARK MUNDAY was awarded the SUPER SUPPORTER AWARD
• MATT GREENWOLFE, JOY GREENWOLFE, JIM GUDAITIS and ED COX were awarded the CLEAN ENERGY DURHAM FOUNDATION award for creating and being a member of the original group that eventually grew into Clean Energy Durham.

Tribute was also paid to Judy Kincaid, acknowledging her long-standing contributions to Durham and to helping Durham residents achieve energy savings.  She is retiring at the end of 2012.

Sponsors of the event included the following:  Mark Munday; BuildSense; The Herald Sun; Durham Catering; Judy Whisnant, Attorney At Law; Chuck and Jean Wilson; B & J Custom Printers; Common Ground Green Building Center; Craig and Patti Morrison; Steve Schewel and Lao Rubert; Reyn Bowman; Mike Freemark and Anne Slifkin; Clear Vue Glass; Jenny Warburg; Green Horizon; Southern Energy Management; and Rep. Paul Luebke and Carol Gallione.

See our media coverage on WUNC 91.5