Patrick Hewlett, ERS The fact that our reality has transformed tremendously since the infection of COVID-19 is nothing new, and like many other industries, the world of energy efficiency is not the same as it was pre-pandemic. Much of this change has been brought upon by the shift of work and social lifestyles to remote, … Read more
Alex Schultz, ERS With fall comes cooler weather, apple cider, and Halloween décor: 151.95 million Americans plan to carve a pumpkin this year. Jack-o-lanterns provide a festive look to any front door, but they also represent a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions as they decompose. Talk about spooky! When a pumpkin ends up in … Read more
Kelly O’Connell, ERS Halloween is the time for scary movies, spooky decorations, and horror-inspired costumes. Although many celebrations are going to look a little different this year, we want to share some ideas for costumes that are actually scary and spread climate change awareness simultaneously! What’s better than nonconfrontationally sharing information through a creative costume? … Read more
energyefficiencyday.org, 10/7/2020. Working from home, teaching children from your kitchen table, enrolling for classes online, and/or streaming more entertainment? COVID-19 means residential energy usage is higher than normal. Homes that are less efficient may lead to particularly high spikes in monthly bills. Energy audits that reveal the areas where energy is escaping are more important … Read more
coloradodaily.com, 10/6/2020. Jack’s Solar Garden LLC, a solar energy company, celebrated the opening of its five-acre, 1.2-megawatt solar panel and agriculture farm Friday near Longmont. Art, music and conversations about renewable energy occurred underneath the farm’s 8-foot-tall panels. The family-owned and operated company has been working on this project for several years. It’s owned by … Read more
aceee.org, 10/01/2020. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) moved one step closer today to blocking a future administration from cutting the amount of natural gas wasted by furnaces and water heaters. Two of the biggest energy needs in most buildings are heating the air and heating the water. According to DOE, they together account for 62% … Read more
greentechmedia.com, 9/30/2020 Google on Monday pledged that by 2030 it will run its entire business on carbon-free energy — every hour of every day of the year. The promise commits the tech giant to an even more aggressive program of sourcing clean energy and enabling the infrastructure to make it available even when the sun isn’t shining and the … Read more
washingtonpost.com, 9/25/20. California, the world’s fifth-largest economy and the state that created U.S. car culture, will stop selling gasoline-powered automobiles within 15 years, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Wednesday. Facing a record-breaking wildfire season as well as years of heat waves and droughts exacerbated by climate change, the Golden State is seeking to accelerate the … Read more
transportdive.com, 9/14/20. Dive Brief: The California Energy Commission has awarded almost $116 million to expand hydrogen refueling systems in the state. Among the proposed recipients was Shell’s Equilon Enterprises, also known as Shell Hydrogen, which could get nearly $41 million. Shell Hydrogen is proposing to add fueling at 48 existing Shell retail stations and to upgrade … Read more
Taylor Patterson, ERS Down to Earth, a new Netflix docu-series, follows actor Zac Efron around the world as he explores sustainable practices, resource conservation methods, and energy efficiency solutions. Zac’s quest to “gain new perspectives on old problems” follows him through eight episodes, each taking place in a different country and focusing on a unique … Read more