This May, Energy Service Corps will travel to Asheville, NC, to help weatherize over 10 low income homes from May 17th-May 19th, 2010. Our group has decided to undertake this service trip because Western North Carolina is an area that has been hit particularly hard by the recession.  It is also an area where much of the housing is in severe need of energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades. 

Go to https://www.njpirgstudents.org/energy-service-corps/service-trip  to donate today!

Come join Energy Service Corps on Saturday April 10 from 9am-4pm for the 9th Annual Environmental Forum "Energy Conservation and Community Organization." The event will feature keynote speaker Paul Gallagher along with workshops, vendors, panels and more!  It will take place at Stockton's Alton Auditorium in Pomona, NJ.  It's sure to be a fun-filled day so make sure you are there!

Don't forget to RSVP at http://www.njpirgstudents.org/energy-service-corps/environmental-forum

This past week, Energy Service Corps, a joint project of the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) and AmeriCorps, hosted “Energy Lost is at Your Cost” an Alternative Spring Break trip. This trip was an opportunity to bring together student volunteers, community members and local leaders around a series of local energy efficiency projects.    During the week, student volunteers and community members performed 23 energy assessments and basic weatherizations in a three-day service tour of Atlantic City, Newark, and Trenton.

On Sunday, in Atlantic City, student volunteers performed assessments of 8 homes to educate community members on the simple things they can do to save energy and money in their homes.  Volunteers also helped to immediately make a difference by sealing up drafts with weatherstripping and caulk, as well as replace light bulbs and distribute power strips.  We hosted our kick-off in Atlantic City at the Covenant House, which is the largest privately-funded agency in the Americas that provides food, shelter, immediate crisis care, and an array of other important services to homeless, throwaway, and runaway kids.  Brian Nelson, Director of the Covenant House, joined us to help make their buildings more energy efficient.

Our work in Atlantic City was on the NBC 40 local news and was highlighted in the Press of Atlantic City.  You can read the article at: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic_city/article_a5f41e38-2fb8-11df-befb-001cc4c03286.html .

The following day, the student volunteers traveled to Newark to educate more communities about energy efficiency.  We performed 6 assessments and weatherizations in the city, including the Newark Vocational High School.  At the high school we weatherized 6 classrooms and the library.  All volunteers gathered at the Boys & Girls Club where we were able to assess their building and help weatherize it.  Michelle Burgess, Director of Community Engagement at Newark Now and Robert Sikora, Director of Education at the Greater Newark Conservancy joined us to celebrate.  Along with the 25 college students who participated that day, 6 High School Students from the Vocational High School and 8 students from the Boys and Girls Club helped out.

The third and final day brought Energy Service Corps to Trenton.  28 volunteers with Energy Service Corps performed assessments and weatherizations of 6 homes as well as the Habitat for Humanity building in East Trenton.  Tanya Oznowich, Environmental Education Supervisor at the DEP and Doug O’Malley, Field Director with Environment NJ came out to speak to the volunteers about the importance of the work they are doing.

Energy Service Corps has a lot more in store for the rest of the semester.  To find out how you can have your home assessed and weatherized, email me at sarahm@njpirgstudents.org

Take a look at some pictures from our weatherizations!

Volunteers with Energy Service Corps are making a difference. So far this semester over 40 volunteers at Rutgers New Brunswick have weatherized 6 homes.  By caulking windows and sealing up drafts, we not only make the homes warmer but we help save the homeowner money on their utilities bill.

Look at that huge gap in the door!

Volunteers installing weatherstripping.

No more gap in the door!  Now heat and energy will stay inside.

Cracks in the window frame letting energy escape.

Caulking the window to seal up the cracks

No more cracks in the window make for a warmer room

To find out how to have your home weatherized email Sarah at sarahm@njpirgstudents.org.

It's hard to believe it has been almost six months since students, staff, and guests came together for the launch of NJPIRG's Energy Service Corps.

Already, we have so much to be proud of.

To launch the program, students armed with caulk guns and weatherstripping weatherized three off-campus student homes in New Brunswick. And we haven't stopped - students at Rutgers, Princeton, Stockton, and Monmouth University are hard at work promoting energy efficiency on campus and in their communities.

We joined the National Day of Service in honor of September 11th, handing out energy efficient light bulbs and teaching students how to save energy in their dorms and community members how to save energy in their homes. In October we participated in Make a Difference Day, working with Project Porchlight to distribute over 480 light bulbs to community members and partnering with the Forsythe Wildlife Refuge and Galloway Township for the Annual Wildlife Refuge Cleanup.

We've educated over a thousand people through workshops, house parties, and door-to-door outreach, collecting 1,386 pledges from community members committing to do simple things in their homes to save money and energy. We also completed 10 energy assessments, identifying drafty windows and doors, old outdated appliances, and inefficient heating systems.

In addition, 936 students have participated in our K-12 education program, learning about energy and the environment. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we hosted Education Week and taught lessons to over 1,300 kids in Newark, Trenton and Long Branch. The theme of the week was energy conservation and how students can be involved in their communities. Assemblyman Gusciora presented us with a proclamation in appreciation of our service, on behalf of himself, Senator Turner, and Assemblywoman Coleman.

We've started another semester, and we have big plans for home energy assessments, educational lessons, and community partnerships.

To learn more about how you can get involved or to have an energy assessment of your home or business completed, email Sarah Mitnick at sarahm@njpirgstudents.org.

CHECK OUT EDUCATION WEEK IN THE NEWS!

The Times of Trenton Editorials - Energetic approach

The Atlanticville - L.B. students learn to conserve energy

Times of Trenton Regional News- Children discover it's easy being green

Last week NJPIRG’s Energy Service Corps hosted their annual Education Week in honor of the service of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of service and education. This was the 10^th Education Week, although the first for Energy Service Corps (the previous 9 were with Water Watch). Energy Service Corps organizers, interns and student volunteers traveled to Newark, Trenton and Long Branch schools to teach kids 4-8^th grade about energy and conservation. The theme of the week was “Come Together to Conserve Energy” and was all about encouraging children to conserve energy as well as become active participants in their communities and get involved.

On the first day in Newark, over 20 student volunteers helped teach 577 children at the Maple Ave and Abington Ave schools. Chelsea Albucher, the Sustainability Officer for the Mayor of Newark came to Maple Ave School to help teach children about global warming and energy use. Also Zaida Polanco from La Casa De Don Pedro, a community partner that works on weatherizing homes in Newark, taught a lesson with the Energy Service Corps volunteers. Energy Service Corps also taught at 4 afterschool programs in Newark. At Park Elementary School, Sam Galvez, the Parent Coordinator for the Newark Public Schools told student volunteers that he appreciated their work and thought that the message of energy conservation is extremely important.

_{AmeriCorps member and student intern, Annabel Pollioni discusses energy use with a student at Maple Ave School in Newark.}

On the second day, Energy Service Corps taught 318 students at Mott Elementary, Franklin Elementary and Columbus Elementary schools in Trenton. They also hosted their launch event at the Columbus School. Many people turned out to celebrate the service and efforts of Energy Service Corps. In attendance were Tony Campbell, Dean of Students at Rider University and Chair of the NJ Commission for National and Community Service, Donna Teel, Training Office for the Commission, Mark Valli, CEO of NJ After 3, Kyesha Hood, MLK Day Assistant and Riva Thomas, Outreach Coordinator for the NJ Department of Human Services. During the program, a few people spoke about the importance of teaching children about energy. Doug O’Malley from Environment New Jersey, Colin Cherry, Aid to the Mayor of Trenton, and Superintendent Rodney Lofton all had positive things to say about the work being done this week. Also, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, presented a proclamation to the Americorps members and other participants on behalf of himself, Sen. Shirley K. Turner, D-Mercer, and Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-Ewing.  

On the final day, Energy Service Corps taught 428 children at the Gregory Elementary School and Amerigo A. Anastasia School in Long Branch as well as the Shark Rivers School in Neptune, NJ. Mark Rogoff from the NJ DEP, attended and helped teach the children.

At the end of a long week of traveling around the state and sleeping in churches, Energy Service Corps educated 1.323 students in the state of New Jersey about energy conservation and getting involved.  

 Also check out:  http://www.nj.com/news/times/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-19/1263710727126320.xml&coll=5

Energy Service Corps has been up to a lot since the launch of the brand new program.  Organizers have been recruiting college students to increase energy efficiency in their local communities.

September 11, 2009

Energy Service Corps members, volunteers and students participated in the September 11, National Day of Service.

At the Richard Stockton College of NJ, Energy Service Corps partnered with Project Porchlight and delivered over 400 light bulbs to local communities.  They also got 65 people to sign the energy pledge.

Make a Difference Day

Students and volunteers from Rutgers Newark weatherized two homes for Make a Difference Day.  They attended the West Ward Collective to identify residents for their weatherization projects.  Although News 12 couldn't make it to the event, they expressed interest in featuring Newark's Energy Service Corps on the "Garden State Green" segment in the future.

Rutgers in New Brunswick worked with Project Porchlight and had over 30 volunteers show up to go door-to-door and deliver light bulbs to local residents.

Last Thursday, NJPIRG officially launched their new project, Energy Service Corps at a launch party with students, staff and guests. 

A joint project with AmeriCorps, Energy Service Corps is working to increase energy efficiency in local communities through education and outreach.  At the launch party last week, guest speakers including Rowena Madden, Executive Director of the NJ Commission for National and Community Service, and Matt Elliot, advocate for Environment New Jersey, spoke about the importance of working on energy issues.  Rowena encouraged all attendees to continue to be involved with service especially on such an important issue.  She stated that Energy Service Corps is the only project of it's kind in New Jersey so there's an opportunity to do really great things.  Matt Elliott spoke to everyone about how global warming and climate change are affecting New Jersey and how working with local residents to decrease their use of energy will actually help stop some of the devastating effects of global warming like rising sea level and air pollution.  A representative from Congressman Pallone's office was also there to read a letter that he wrote.  Everyone got to enjoy snacks and meet people involved with the project across the state.
   

The Energy Service Corps team with Executive Director Rowena Madden.

The following day, Energy Service Corps volunteers from Rutgers New Brunswick weatherized three off-campus students houses.  15 volunteers taught the residents how to caulk their windows, install weatherstripping and wrap hot water pipes in foam insulation just as the weather began to turn cold in New Jersey.  Teaching people how to do these simple things can help to save up to 30% on their utilities bills.

Read the articles below to find out more about the weatherization projects!

http://www.dailytargum.com/news/groups-weatherize-houses-to-save-energy-1.2025971

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009910160343