Don’t live high on a windy hill or on a sunny plain, but want to support renewable energy? You can — at little or no cost.
1. Encourage your local governments (county and town boards, city council, school board) to install renewable energy systems. For instance, Lakeshore Technical College, near Sheboygan, WI, installed a mid-sized wind turbine that serves its campus. Alternatively, a local body could subscribe to utility sponsored programs that add power to the grid from wind, solar, or biomass (organic materials). Your local leaders could follow the lead of Governor James Doyle. He endorsed a proposal to commit the State of Wisconsin to purchase at least 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2010.
2. Sign up for renewable power from your local utility for your home, farm or business. Most Wisconsin utilities and municipalities offer their customers renewable energy service programs. The renewable power will add a few dollars to your electricity bill each month, but hardly enough to notice in an energy efficient home or business.
3. Join an organization that promotes renewable energy and energy efficiency.
4. If you already have a renewable energy installation, invite school classes and other groups to visit and learn about renewable energy.
5. Use small solar-powered appliances. Built-in solar panels power nearly anything. Here are just a few examples: outdoor accent lights, battery chargers, radios, flashlights, computers, water pumps for decorative fountains and swimming pools, lawn mowers, security lights, and fans.
6. Encourage managers at your local swimming pool, health club, high school, and YMCA to install a solar hot water heating system. For instance, Solar Mining, a company in De Pere, Wisconsin, will install a system with no up-front costs to the site owner and guarantees reduced water heating bills.
7. Urge your church or house of worship to be a renewable energy model for others to follow. The Wisconsin Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign, also a group you could join, helps congregations of all faiths understand and act on the connection between faith and clean energy.
8. Learn more about renewable energy by taking a workshop or attending an energy fair. The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) holds a wide variety of classes for beginners and professionals all across the state. Several of the Wisconsin technical colleges also offer courses. In addition, each June the MREA hosts the Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Fair, the largest and longest running event of its kind in the world.
9. Ask your schools to include renewable energy education information in their classes. Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/keep) helps teachers learn about renewable energy and gives them lesson plans, materials, and ideas for educate their students.
10. Get information or answers to your questions from Focus on Energy, the single most complete source for information, technical assistance, and financial incentives in Wisconsin. You can contact Focus on Energy at focusonenergy.com or 800.762.7077.
No matter where you work or live, there are many ways you can promote a healthy renewable energy economy in Wisconsin.
–Ed Blume, RENEW Wisconsin
