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Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

AmeriCorps team aids in energy challenge

An AmeriCorps team is trying to help Monroe County win $5 million by reducing energy consumption in Bloomington homes and businesses.

The National Civilian Community Corps team, named Oak 6 Team, has been in Bloomington since late September.

They’ve been teaching Bloomington residents ways to use less energy in their homes and getting the word out about the Monroe County Energy Challenge.

The challenge is part of a larger energy efficiency competition organized by Georgetown University, which began in 2013. Semifinalist cities compete for two years to reduce gas and electricity usage, and the winner will receive $5 million in 2017.

“It’s a big undertaking,” said Jacqueline Bauer, Bloomington’s sustainability coordinator. “(The team has) been critical in some of the key activities.”

The AmeriCorps NCCC team has 10 members.

Based in the North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa, they have been working on various projects in different cities throughout the year.

NCCC members serve full-time for 10-month engagements in which they address needs “related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, and urban and rural development,” according to a press release.

Tieshia Brown, the team’s media representative, said this is their last project. This year she has worked on nine different projects in states including Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa and Minnesota.

In Bloomington, the team has gone beyond tabling and handing out flyers. Its volunteers also visit homes and advise people about small changes they can make to reduce utility bills. Residents can sign up for these assessments online. Bauer said the team has visited a little more than 100 homes.

“It’s a combination of discussion and action,” she said.

Brown said the team will help teach people how to save energy. He said even small changes can make a big difference when it comes to paying bills.

People are sometimes surprised about certain tips, Brown said. For example, the dust and dirt that gathers on refrigerator coils make it difficult for the appliances to “breathe,” so cleaning them will lessen the amount of energy the fridge uses to keep its 
contents cool.

Mike Jetter, the team’s leader, said other tips include turning thermostats up in summer and down in winter, insulating electrical outlets doors so air can’t 
escape.

He said many of those seeking home assessments are already energy-conscious, but the team said they hope to reach a wider audience.

“We want to get people who don’t really know a lot about energy saving to sign up for assessments,” 
Jetter said.

The assessments are available to homeowners and renters alike. Bauer said she wants to make tenants aware of their energy usage and to provide an incentive for landlords to make changes in their houses — just switching out old appliances for more energy-efficient ones or adding insulation to houses will waste less 
energy.

“I think there’s a really great argument that we are wasting a huge amount of energy,” Bauer said. “Wait until the first snowfall of the winter, and you’ll see the snow melt on roofs ... there’s a lot of older homes that have no upstairs insulation.”

The Monroe County Energy Challenge’s overarching goal is to reduce the amount of energy homes are using by 10 percent by the end of 2016.

Bauer said reducing energy consumption lessens utility bills and helps relieve pressure from the city’s infrastructure. Paying less for utilities allows people to put their saved money into the local economy. Residents will be altogether more comfortable in their homes.

“It’s a tremendous benefit for the community,” she said. “So much of this is easy.”

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