Thank you for your support in 2009 and throughout the past sixteen years. With your help, the Resource Action Programs family of community conservation programs has saved an overwhelming amount of energy and water while increasing residential resource efficiency and community awareness. Our programs have served more than 1.5 million households, and our growth has prompted relocation to a facility which will support our implementation needs more effectively.

We are pleased to announce that Resource Action Programs will be relocating to Sparks, Nevada beginning Tuesday, 12/01/09.  The new Sparks address will be:

Resource Action Programs
976 United Circle
Sparks, NV 89431

We can still be reached at 1-888-438-9473 or by fax at 1-800-544-8051.

All operations will cease in Modesto, California on Wednesday, 12/23/09.

In addition to our holiday wishes, we would like to thank you again for your support over the past 16 years! It has been a privilege and pleasure to work with you, and we look forward to serving you from our new state of the art facility in Nevada.

Sincerely,

Joseph Thrasher
Vice President
joseph@getwise.org

Learning kit a hit with Colorado and New Mexico kids and teachers

How many sixth graders know when and how to change the furnace filter at home? (And why it’s important?) Or how much water is used each time someone flushes the toilet? Or takes a shower?

And how much energy is required to heat that water to 120 degrees for a two-minute shower – both before and after the installation of a low-flow showerhead?

Now, thanks to the new “Living Wise” conservation learning effort from Xcel Energy’s School Education Kits program, students in New Mexico and Colorado are thinking about how they consume energy and other resources, and then doing something about it, said Crystal Manik, associate product portfolio manager in Marketing. The kits contain project descriptions and devices that kids take home to help their families save energy and money.

Manik worked with Marketing team members to provide nearly 6,000 of the learning kits to teachers and middle-school students in New Mexico in 2008, with plans to distribute more than 3,000 kits in the state this coming fall.

Additionally, 15,000 kits are being provided to Colorado students this spring and another 15,000 in 2010 as part of the company’s Demand Side Management Biennial Plan in that state. There are plans to file for a similar company program with Minnesota regulators as well, Manik said.

The Living Wise kits – accompanied by teacher guides and workbooks for students – feature a wealth of materials, including a digital water/air thermometer, a “furnace whistle” to signal if the filter needs changing, a low-flow showerhead, a kitchen faucet aerator, tablets to detect toilet leaks, two compact fluorescent lights, an energy-efficient night light, a variety of classroom and home educational materials, and a parent comment card for feedback.

“Students literally take what they’ve learned home and apply it to their daily lives,” Manik said. “Not only that, but they share their energy wisdom and devices with parents and siblings, and help the family manage energy use more knowledgeably.”

Manik sees the program as education and training for current and future energy consumers – something that kids will take with them into adulthood when they are householders – just as she did when a foresighted teacher in her rural South Dakota one-room schoolhouse taught Manik and her classmates about energy conservation.

“My early conservation lessons definitely stuck with me, and resonate with me today, which is one reason why I’m excited to be involved in this program,” Manik said. “It’s important to educate future energy users.”

Product developers Ralph Dickinson and Anne Kraft worked to develop the kits, which are assembled and distributed with the help of a third-party vendor, who also targets the appropriate classrooms within Xcel Energy’s service area.

“The comments from New Mexico students, teachers and parents have been extremely positive so far,” Manik said about the program, which was launched in that state last fall.

A sample letter from a sixth-grade teacher in Dexter, N.M., “pretty much says it all,” Manik said.

“Dear Xcel Energy: The Dexter Middle School sixth-grade students and I would like to extend a great big thank you to your company. My students were so excited to take their Living Wise kits home to use that they couldn’t wait until Friday, so I passed them out early…

“The Living Wise program has been an exceptional one for my students, who are mostly low-income…These sixth graders learned and applied many of the good habits that are reiterated time and again in the student guide and workbook…

“I anticipate that they will continue to find ways to conserve our precious resources by changing bad habits into good ones,” she continued. “They came back to school with stories about what their parents said and did while they installed items in the kit.”

Another teacher from Roswell, N.M., wrote: “I am writing to express my gratitude and appreciation for the wonderful program you have made available to us. My fifth-grade students were especially excited to receive and install their Living Wise kits. It was fantastic to see their enthusiasm and excitement about working with their families to make a difference.”

Manik summed up the benefits: “Living Wise is an educational program that has a direct impact on energy efficiency and conservation. It helps build energy awareness in children and can affect customers at all income levels and ages. It’s truly an investment in the future, with a payoff that benefits everyone.”

To download the complete article,  click here.

“Picture about 20,000 pounds of trash, including a stack of 200 or more tires, and 5,000 new trees planted. Then imagine the thousands of volunteer whose hard work achieved those results.”

That is exactly what Port of Houston Authority (PHA) and it’s volunteers have been doing to reach out, and make the community around the port cleaner, more environmentally friendly place. Initiatives coordinated through the PHA range from Rivers, Lakes, Bays ‘N’ Bayous Trash Bash, to our very own WaterWise program.

To download the complete article about Port Houston Authority,  click here.

Resource Action Programs was one of more than a dozen agencies featured at the Texas Water Conservation Day held at the state capitol in Austin. The event showcased water conservation education efforts in the state of Texas.

“It was a great opportunity for legislators, their aides, and natural resource committee staff members to see some of the water conservation education programs currently on-going within the state,” said Carmon McCain, High Plains Underground Water Conservation District’s Information/Education Supervisor.

To download the complete article about the Texas Water Conservation Day event click here.

The conference is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and is held biannually to address national training needs of staff, trainers and individuals who contribute to the advancement of Weatherization Assistance Program. The Weatherization Assistance Program has delivered energy efficiency services to over 6.2 million low-income households nationally.

The 2009 National Weatherization Training Conference is being held at the Indiana Convention Center and the Marriott Downtown Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 20-23, 2009. Resource Action Programs will be presenting information on the ground-breaking Easy Savings program which offers a sponsoring utilities, state and community agencies the option of bringing energy assistance to a large number of households in short amount of time.

For more information on Easy Savings or one of the other programs offered by Resource Action Programs, visit us at the show in booth 222, online at www.ResourceActionPrograms.org or give us a call at 1-888-438-9473.

Resource Action Programs was featured in articles the Modesto Bee and the Sacramento Bee wrote up about the YES! Youth energy Summit held at the California State Capitol for Earth Day. Check out the article below.

Rows of vendors lining the south lawn of the state Capitol on Wednesday were prepared to extol the merits of solar power, but the sun did most of the talking.

Amid record-setting heat, a couple of hundred downtown workers trolled the booths in search of energy-saving tips, deals and know-how. The Capitol Earth Day Celebration was one of several held around the region Wednesday, and one of hundreds staged around the world. Another Sacramento event is planned Sunday at Southside Park.

“We have a lot of sun. I don’t know if there should be any commercial site where there isn’t solar,” said Jae Caro Del Castillo, a North Natomas resident who called himself an early solar adapter.

Solar panels installed at his former home paid for themselves two or three times over, Caro Del Castillo said. And when he sold the home, the solar array was a big selling point.

The event – which also honored teens from across the state for their solar projects – was populated by utility companies, eco-friendly redecoraters, green contractors, and makers of low-flow water systems.

Still, products capturing the sun were the stars.

The California Energy Commission chose the day to kick off a green makeover contest. Participants who visit www.gosolarcalifornia.org and take a short quiz can register to win an home renovation aimed at reducing energy consumption and the home’s overall impact on the environment.

In 2006, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation kicking off the Million Solar Roofs Initiative and setting a goal of adding 3,000 megawatts of electricity to the state’s power grid through solar installations at homes and businesses by 2017.

To date, 441 megawatts have been added, said Adam Gottlieb, spokesman for the California Energy Commission.

Kristen Smith was on hand to demonstrate ways to cut water use. With the push of a button, two shower heads began filling two large, clear plastic pipes. Within seconds it was obvious that the traditional shower head was using much more water than the low-flow model.

“You don’t have to trade water pressure for efficiency,” said Smith, an educator with Resource Action Programs.

At a separate Earth Day event, a group of 27 area residents and business leaders boarded a natural gas-powered Regional Transit bus for a “Green Bus Tour” of projects aimed at diminishing impact on the environment. The Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce organized the tour. Patricia Fong Kushida, chamber president, said her group wants to help bring green jobs to the region.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson was there to kick off the event but didn’t board the bus.

The tour started with a candid discussion of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. They have promise, said Daniel Gehringer of the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. But, standing next to SMUD’s fuel-cell Mercedes-Benz at Cal Expo, he added that price, range and reliability issues still need to be resolved before they are ready for the mass market.

The tour also stopped at the Port of West Sacramento, LEED-certified restaurant Hot Italian in Sacramento and the California Lighting Technology Center in Davis.

Resource Action Programs is a major sponsor for this year’s Youth Energy Summit (YES). We will be attending the show in Sacramento this Wednesday, April 22 - Earth Day - in support of conservation education for youth, as well as to support Lodi Electric Utility, Roseville Electric and Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

More than 60 schools have participated in the Youth Energy Summit and the students will be presenting their community service projects showing what they have learned. The projects will be judged by a panel from the California Energy Commission and the top five teams will be awarded scholarships.

If you live locally or in the area, come check it out!  The summit is being held at the California State Capitol, 1400 Tenth Street, Sacramento, CA. And while your there, come stop by and say hi. We will be doing a demo illustrating the water saved by using a high efficiency showerhead.

For more information on the Youth Energy Summit, click here.

South Jersey Gas armed 733 area sixth-graders with boxes filled with fluorescent light bulbs, high-efficiency showerheads and kitchen-sink aerators last year and asked them to help their families conserve energy.

The result is that each household saved an average of 6,646 gallons of water, 22 therms of heat energy and 391 kilowatt hours of electricity, and increased their knowledge of energy efficiency by 26 percent, according to recent findings by South Jersey Gas.

The program, called LivingWise, was part of South Jersey Gas’ Conservation Incentive Program, which was approved by the Board of Public Utilities and implemented in 2006.

“Through the (Conservation Incentive Program), South Jersey Gas has eliminated the link between utility profits and the quantity of natural gas it sells,” Bruce Grossman, manager of Energy Programs, South Jersey Gas said via e-mail. “South Jersey Gas’ profits are now tied to the number of customers it serves and how efficiently it serves them, allowing the company to focus on encouraging conservation and energy efficiency among its customers.”

South Jersey Gas selected sixth-grade classes from five school districts to take part in the program, including Folsom School, Alder Avenue Middle School in Egg Harbor Township and Indian Avenue School in Bridgeton.

“South Jersey Gas wanted to introduce the practice of energy efficiency and energy conservation to the next generation,” Grossman said. “By implementing good energy practices through an educational environment, it’s easy to translate those practices into the home.”

As part of the program, students worked with their parents to measure the existing devices in their homes, installed the high-efficiency devices and completed a home audit report.

The students were also given identical surveys prior to the program and again after they completed it, which showed that the average student’s subject knowledge improved by 26 percent.

The results were unanimous.

“Everyone was very enthusiastic about the results, because there evidently was quite a bit of savings,” Raybould said.

The program was such a success that South Jersey Gas is already planning another.

Grossman said the company plans to implement it by the spring.

“I hope we can take part again,” Raybould said. “It’s something that the students, and their families, can definitely benefit from.”

Turlock, Ca - The Turlock Irrigation District (TID) is launching a conservation program that will reach 1,632 sixth grade students in it’s service area by providing Energy Wise Kit’s which are currently being delivered to 41 classrooms in South Modesto, Keyes, Ceres, Turlock, Hilmar, Hughson, Patterson and La Grange. The Program will give students the tools necessary to educate their families about energy efficiency and benefiting the entire community.

This Program teaches students and their families how to save natural resources while becoming energy efficient through a hands-on approach. During class, students and teachers discuss the significance of natural resources, what part they play in the production of energy, and why it is important to become energy efficient. The Program includes carefully designed lesson plans that meet California teaching standards. At the end of the day, each student receives the Energy Wise Resource Action Kit, containing three compact fluorescent lamps, a nightlight and tools for monitoring usage at home. The students take the kits home to share and install the products with their families, and in doing so help reduce residential energy use.

This Program not only reduces energy consumption, but also teaches students valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. The students will concentrate on learning how to become energy efficient, what it means and why it’s important. Next, students and their families will get to see how easy conservation can be, how much money can be saved by installing the high efficiency products provided in the Program, and by learning specific techniques to assist in savings as well.

The immediate goal will be a savings of over 350,000 kWh of electricity per year – which according to the Environmental Protection Agency is enough energy to power 35 homes for one year!

The TID Energy Wise Program is more than just an educational program. The true intent is to create lasting partnerships between schools and the community, while generating enduring attitude changes about energy conservation.

For more information about the program contact Trisha Hall from Turlock Irrigation District at 209-883-8213 or tahall@tid.org.

The program teaches students and their families how to save natural resources while becoming energy and water efficient through a hands-on approach. Through carefully designed lesson plans that meet state teaching standards, students and teachers discuss the significance of natural resources, what part they play in the our everyday lives and why it is important to become energy efficient. At the end of the day, each child receives the LivingWise Efficiency in a Box Kit, containing a high-efficiency showerhead, a kitchen sink aerator, a compact fluorescent lamp, a night light, a Filtertone™ alarm and tools for monitoring energy and water usage at home. The children take the kits home to share and install the products with their families and in doing so help reduce residential energy and water waste.

Not only does the program help reduce residential waste, but also teaches students valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. The students will concentrate on learning how to become energy and water efficient, why it’s important, and what it means. Next, students and their families will get to see how easy being energy and water efficient can be, how much money can be saved by installing the high efficiency products provided in the program and by learning specific techniques to assist in savings as well.

The immediate goal will be a savings of over 470,000 kWh of electricity per year, 67,000 therms of gas per year and 14,400,000 gallons of water per year – that’s enough electricity to provide for 43 homes, natural gas for 89 homes and water for 114 homes per year.

Mississippi Power’s LivingWise Efficiency in a Box program is more than just an educational program. The true intent is to create lasting partnerships between schools and the community while generating enduring attitude changes about water and energy conservation.