Celebrate Earth Day 2014

Celebrate Earth Day 2014 by hosting your own Hands On Workshop with Clean Energy Durham this April.  Here’s how easy it is:

1. Pick a date in April to host your workshop.
2. Contact Clean Energy Durham and reserve your Elite Pete® for that day.
3. Invite your neighbors and friends over to your house for a workshop.
4. Have a great time with your neighbors and friends learning about easy, affordable (some are even free!) ways to save energy around your house.

It’s just that easy!  During the workshop, you and your neighbors will learn easy-to-do activities  as well as find out how simple changes in behavior can save you lots of energy and money in your home.  Everyone there will learn and do at least three energy-saving activities that they can then repeat in their own home. 

Read our other blogs posts or check out our website to get an idea of what happens in our Hands On Workshops.  To schedule your own workshop, contact Ann at 919-323-3244 or info@cleanenergydurham.org.

New Elite Petes in Lee County!

Our first Lee County graduating class!

Elite Petes® continue to spread throughout North Carolina! Our most recent graduating class is in Lee County, thanks to a grant from the EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice. The Elite Petes were trained how to run the Pete Street® Basic Energy Education and Hands On workshops. Their mad skills with rope caulk and outlet insulators are matched only by their enthusiasm for wanting to tell their neighbors how easy it is to save money (by saving energy) in their homes.

We look forward to having Kate Rumely, Patt Likes, Ruby Andrews, and Crystal Escobar helping their Lee County communities get more energy efficient! If you are interested in hosting a workshop in Sanford or want to become an Elite Pete yourself, please contact Patt Likes at Brick Capital Community Development Corporation, phone number (919) 775-2300 or at pattlks@live.com
.

Other North Carolina Pete Street communities include the city of Asheville and Buncombe County, Towns of Chapel Hill & Carrboro, Halifax County, Greensboro, Siler City, Warren County, Wilson County and of course, Durham!

New Elite Petes right here in Durham!

Thanks to a generous grant from Durham County, we recently trained eight new Elite Petes® to run Hands On Workshops throughout Durham.  Staff members from Housing for New Hope, Urban Ministries of Durham, and Genesis Home spent two days with us learning how to teach no-cost and low-cost activities to help people save energy and therefore money in their homes.  These fabulous staff members plan to incorporate Clean Energy Durham’s two cornerstone workshops, the Basic Energy Education workshop and the Hands On Workshop, into their programs, helping their residents to save money when they transition into their own homes.

One of our new Elite Petes said that the “training was fun and easy to learn. I’m looking forward to teaching people what I learned.”

The Elite Petes learned how to effectively run workshops as well as receiving practical experience by actually doing the activities.  They are all looking forward to going out into their communities to teach what they learned.  We are proud of them and are looking forward to seeing what they will accomplish.

Turn out the lights!

Check out the fabulous video that Green Opportunities, our wonderful Pete Street® partner, in Asheville, NC made.

Bike Month in Durham

May is Bike Month in Durham, which is the perfect time to get outside, enjoy the spring weather and save energy! Check out the exciting events taking place around the city throughout the month:

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!

ACEEE Research Backs the Foundation of Clean Energy Durham’s Mission

I recently came across an article posted on the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) website, which outlined a research study that discussed how the cultural “norms” of living in the South was relevant to the ways people use energy.

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

Bus Buddy Coffee Stops Continue

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

Clean Energy Durham’s Pete Street™ Launch in the News

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

Get $450 in Duke Energy Smart $aver Rebates

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

Join Us for Bus Buddy ‘Coffee Stops’

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