Archive E-Conservation Success Stories

June 2008

Cherokee Reservation Cooperative Extension

Cherokee Youth Council: Go Green Team

The Cherokee Youth Council is a grant funded program that is housed in the Cherokee Reservation Cooperative Extension office.  The 4-H department is the main advisor for this program.

The Cherokee Youth Council provides an atmosphere for youth to voice their opinion on issues that matter to them. Using traditional values to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.  

 The Cherokee Youth Council created earth friendly kits for all 10 of the community clubs on the Qualla Boundary.  The kits included biodegradable products used frequently by the club such as cups, bowls, utensils, 100% recycled products, and compact florescent bulbs.  The Youth provided each club with a recycling receptacle and educated the members on how and where to recycle. 

The Youth recognize the importance of raising awareness among community members as it relates to making changes that can positively affect our earth.  [View Photos]

Lenior County

Energy conservation is becoming more than just a hot topic today. As energy costs continue to rise and as our landfills are glutted with recyclable waste, it is important that consumers have consistent research-based messages that address the many ways that they can be proactive in consuming less energy and be better stewards of their environment. A weekly newspaper column, placed in the Real Estate section of in our local daily, is teaching readers a wide array of topics relating to best practices in energy conservation and waste management. “Home Solutions”, is reaching more than 13,000 readers each week, The column focuses on a different aspect of energy conservation or “home solution” that is environmentally friendly and cost effective for the consumer/homeowner.

MAY 2008

Ashe County

Ashe county commissioners commissioned an energy committee to reduced energy usage in county buildings. The committe is made up of county department heads and county employees. First memo states the reduction of computer usage. [See memo]

Northampton County

An interdisciplinary approach was the key to Northampton Counties delivery method to 4th grade students.  Heather Odom, Livestock Agent, and Verlene Stephenson , Family and Consumer Science Agent developed and delivered a program entitled “Energy Conservation at Home” to 15 fourth graders at Northeast Academy. 

Through hands on learning, students learned how to test their home for air leaks, which can cause uncomfortable conditions for family members, contribute to green house gas emissions, and increase utility costs for moms and dads.   Afterwards students were challenged to go home, and with an adults help, perform their own walk through audit.  The students were given two weeks to return with their audit results.  Students found a total of 161 total light fixtures in their homes, with only 17 having compact fluorescent bulbs.  Seven of the students found drafts coming around the doorframe. To wrap up the study, students developed posters to show ways they could help their parents retrofit their home to save energy, increase comfort, increase resource dollars, and reduce carbon emissions.  [see pic] [see pic]

Tyrrell County

A 4-H'er who participated in an energy conservation workshop wanted to share the information with her local 4-H club, with an emphasis on compact fluorescent bulbs.  As a result, 9 youth and 2 group leaders learned what they could personally do to save energy, and they were given a compact fluorescent bulb to exchange with an incandescent one in their homes.  For each bulb a $30 savings accrues on electric costs over the life of the bulb, the cfl's last up to 10 times as long as an incandescent,  plus each cfl saves 450 pounds of greenhouse emissions.  A potential savings of $330 in energy costs and 4,950 pounds of greenhouse gases were saved as a result of this program.  Value of kids learning how to be green and sharing that information with their parents and siblings - priceless.[See Picture]

MARCH 2008

Lincoln county

Lincoln County Cooperative Extension works with city and county government and local vendor machine companies to request lights be turned off of vending machines found in local governmental buildings.  In return an attractive sign is put on the machine stating,” ABC Vending and Lincoln Country are saving $100 annually by turning this machine’s light off.  The machine is still on.” The sign includes Extension’s logo and contact information.  Seven machine’s lights are now off ($700 in government savings),and another machine vendor will be turning off lights in 35 machines in the next few weeks ($3,500 potential savings). [Click here to see Picture]

APRIL 2008

Onslow County

Go Green is the theme of the National Library Week.  The Onslow County Public Library is collaborating withOnslow County Center of the North Cooperative Extension Service, Keep Onslow Beautiful and Jones_Onslow EMC to help educate the public about how they can save energy and the environment by making a few changes in and around their home.

Two local dealerships will be on hand prior to a public event at the public library to educate participants about hybrid cars.  They will actually have cars on hand for people to see.  Cooperative Extension will be on hand to answer questions and to help with giving out items like energy kits and Jones-Onslow will give out items to help around the home.

The Cooperative Extension Service will have displays in all four branches of the library to educate their patrons on what they can do to "Go Green".

A joint billboard has been placed on a very busy highway in Jacksonville, the hub of the county, showing the collaborative effort, to educate the community on a direction that all should take. [Click here to view Go Green Billboard]