We are very excited to have been part of a special week in Athens County -- formally known as the 2016 Athens County Earth Week Extravaganza and informally known as #EarthWeekFest -- where various sustainability efforts showcased their amazing work in this place many call home. We're proud to say Athens County is rich in activity and spirit.

Our portion of the festivities included the 2016 Clean Energy Expo and EV Ride and Drive event, both a first of their kind in Athens County, Ohio. We want to thank all of the organizations, groups, and talented individuals who took our idea of a county-wide celebration to make this a reality. We hope to continue this trend, year after year.

UpGrade Athens County is hosted the first ever Clean Energy Expo with the City of Athens on Saturday, April 23rd from 3-7 PM at the Athens Community Center
In This Newsletter:   
-  GEO Call for Solar Tour: June 3-5
- EV Cruisers: Fast Charge Coming!
News from the World of Energy 
- Solar Workshop Coming!
- Energy Bike coming to Libraries 


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Stay Energized,
Sarah Conley-Ballew
UpGrade Athens County Director
Green Energy Ohio seeks tour sites and guides for June 3-5 |  Ohio Solar Tour
GEO needs sites for this FREE statewide event featuring self-guided, guided or open house tours in all corners of the state and highlights homes, businesses, and public places that are using green technologies such as solar, wind, biomass, green design, energy efficiency and more.  Each Tour is made possible through hundreds of volunteers that present their hands-on experiences with clean energy technologies to thousands of Tour go-ers. 

The 2016 Tour will take place  June 3-5 .  Sign up your site now to share your story!  

2016 GEO Tour Site Owners
Want to sign up to be a site on this year's Tour? New GEO Site Owners should register on the New Site Form at:  http://bit.ly/1JekGe2

Site Owners that participated in the 2015 GEO Tour should receive an email from GEO to revise previous site information on Find My Sites at:  http://bit.ly/1NmhLFm

If site owners need more information or have trouble with the online forms, contact GEO at
tour@greenenergyohio.org or call the GEO Office at 614.985.6131.


EV Cruisers: Thanks for coming to the EV Ride and Drive!

 
A snapshot of the EV Ride and Drive event on April 23, 2016

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UPDATE: The EV Cruisers Club meets Monday, May 16th at 5:30 PM --   ACEnet Building C 

THE FINAL LOGO IS HERE!

 
Can't make it? Virtually join our meeting from your web browser (no downloads required) at join.me/upgradeathenscounty on meeting day at 5:30 PM. 

Using our Join. Me account, these meetings will also be recorded for EV Cruisers members.

To be added to the email list, contact with "EV Cruisers Membership" in the subject line: mathew.roberts@upgradeathens.com

 
Visit our page to learn more:

CONTACTS

Mathew Roberts, Info and Outreach Director, 
UpGrade Athens County 
   mathew.roberts@upgradeathens.com              |   740-707-0131
 
For more information on the EV Loan Program or to start your application please contact:
Ohio University Credit Union
 memberservices@oucu.org                                       |   740-597-2800

News from UpGrade Athens County and the World of Energy 
 Athens has sunny reputation for solar energy
"The Village Bakery, a business on East State Street, served as a site to highlight and discuss the importance of solar energy and its potential benefits. Five speakers gave presentations advocating for solar energy in Ohio, with an emphasis on Athens.Sam Gerard, campaign organizer for Environment Ohio, said that according to reports from the organization, "Athens really shines when it comes to solar power." He noted that this is in part due to the city's "forward-thinking programs and leaders like former Mayor Paul Wiehl." Sarah Conley-Ballew, director of Upgrade Athens County and one of the speakers, said that Athens County is known for its residential solar-energy efforts and has more solar panels per capita than any other county in Ohio." -- The Athens NEWS

 3 Solar Ovens That Give You the Power to Cook With the Sun 
  "From baking cookies to frying eggs, these pollution-free devices work wherever there is sunshine, regardless of how cold it is outside. With ample sunlight, most get into temperatures between 250-350 degrees Fahrenheit, with some top end varieties going nearly 600 degrees. Solar cookers come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges and you can even DIY. Here are instructions for solar box cookersparabolic cookers and panel cookers. And here's a kid-friendly version from NASA that basically requires a cardboard box, plastic wrap, aluminum foil and regular office supplies. -- EcoWatch

" Athens, Ohio will soon enjoy a more robust 'green' rental market thanks to the efforts of Empower Gas and Electric, contracted by the  Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council  to provide energy savings services to aggregated Athens County. Over the last year, the team at Empower has worked with local landlords, community groups, and other stakeholders to develop a streamlined and convenient rental energy efficiency package that is appealing to landlords and tenants alike.   L'Heureux Properties  is set to become the 'greenest' landlord in Athens by upgrading 24 of their rental properties through the Empower Rental Efficiency Program, with more to be upgraded next year as well. "  --  UpGrade Stories Blog

 "Nearly every human being on the planet consumes energy beyond the amount they derive from food, some more than others. In 2014, Americans, on average, consumed a total of 230 kilowatt-hours of energy per person per day.  "  -- Resilience 

 "But even now, after clean energy has been knocked down again and again in Ohio, the unstoppable market forces that are driving job creators across the country to turn away from uneconomic fossil sources toward low-cost renewable energy continue to prevail.
You can't stop progress, and in fact, Ohio should welcome it with open arms.
Ohio's opportunities for economic, public health and environmental gains in the coming year dwarf the roadblocks of the last two years. There is so much to gain if we could only shift away from rhetoric and toward practical, smartly-crafted clean energy policy.
" -- NRDC Expert Blog

 "First, many low-income families rent, which means they cannot control how much energy efficiency is built into a house. Rather, they rely on building energy codes to ensure a minimum standard of efficiency. And second, low-income housing advocates know that energy bills are the highest and most unpredictable cost of maintaining and paying for a home.    "
  -- Alliance To Save Energy Blog

Be sure to "like" our Facebook page to help us earn community education points with the Georgetown University Energy Prize and catch more engaging news from the world of energy!    

Solar Workshop Series In Full-Swing This May | REGISTER SOON!
Use your solar generator to...
  • run your furnace fan and thermostat - giving you whole-house gas heat even when there is no electricity
  • connect to your refrigerator and/or freezer to keep your food from spoiling.
  • plug in a power strip and power lights, your computer, your television or whatever you wish to stay just a bit more comfortable during an extended outage
  • or use the generator for camping (even at sites that prohibit generators, as this one makes no noise and does not burn fossil fuels)
If you search online, you will find them ranging in price from $600 (for small units) to several thousand dollars for larger units.  We will teach you how to make your own generator for a fraction of the cost (from as low as $250).



This workshop is a slimmed down version of our complete 5-day course that leads to ETA certification in PV. As such, if you take this course and then later decide to pursue the full certification course, we will apply the registration fee of this class to the certification class if and when you sign up (so we will deduct the $100 fee from the longer class registration fee)."

Energy Bike Tour Coming to Athens! A Special Thanks to NOPEC
UpGrade Athens County will be working with the Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council to bring the interactive "Energy Bike" to Athens from April 4- May 11. 

Contact us if you would like this bike at your event . The bike is designed to reach K-12 children about how much physical energy is needed to power everyday, household products, making the case for energy conservation.




Email Sarah Conley-Ballew, Executive Director for more details:
Raise Your Energy IQ!
What is UpGrade Athens County/ UpGrade Ohio?
 
UpGrade Athens County, now a project of UpGrade Ohio, was formed to guide the development of a comprehensive energy strategy that is affordable, efficient, sustainable, and coordinated for and by Athens County residents. In collaboration with regional partners, UGO is setting objectives for energy conservation and supporting communities to achieve regional energy sustainability. 

UpGrade Ohio has broad support and a strong mandate to implement state-wide energy reform.  Through our primary work in Athens County, we are also competing in the  Georgetown University Energy Prize   competition. If we win, that means $5 million for our community!
 
UpGrade Ohio works closely with the Southeast Ohio Public Energy Council.  SOPEC is a pro-consumer council of governments dedicated to bringing lower utility costs to families and businesses in Southeastern Ohio. For 2016, SOPEC has negotiated affordable energy for aggregation customers through contracts with Empower Gas and Electric and AEP Energy

For more information about SOPEC, c ontact SOPEC Director at   sopec.energy@gmail.com
  
Our Vision
Working collaboratively, SOPEC and UpGrade Ohio will transform the energy economy in Southeast Ohio by engaging citizens in energy awareness, resulting in citizen action that reduces energy consumption, increases energy efficiency, spurs technological innovation, and improves long -term economic and environmental sustainability for the region.
  
Project Areas
UpGrade Ohio (UGO) projects are led by working committees and volunteers who have developed  strategies to engage citizens in the following project areas:
  • Better Buildings
  • Rental Efficiency Initiative
  • Energy Education Fund
  • Energy Advocate services
  • EV Loan Program & Auto Club
  • UpGrade Ohio General Education
  • Solar Education Workshop Series
  • LED Bulb Distribution Campaign
UGO working committees are comprised of civic leaders, non-profit organizers, businesses, community members and volunteers. Meetings are public, informative, and engaging for all who participate.

Interested in learning more? Email Sarah to get involved!
 
 
Need Energy Advice?
 
Call the Energy Advocate!
Learn more about energy savings opportunities for your home or business. Ask questions about energy efficiency, conservation, building upgrades and more. Follow the Energy Advocate on Facebook !

Contact Teny Bannick, Energy Advocate at 
740.541.4338 
Rising to the Energy Challenge..
 
UpGrade Athens County is a semi-finalist in the Georgetown University Energy Prize! 

It's a two-year competition that challenges communities to reduce their energy consumption through innovation and community engagement. The winning community receives a $5 million prize! 

UpGrade Athens County designed a comprehensive strategy to address energy use with the support of more than 20 collaborating agencies, organizations, businesses, and community members. Over the next two years, we will carefully measure our progress kilowatt by kilowatt.  
  
The momentum is strong for an energy revolution - 
join us and transform the future of Athens County!
Spread the word, get involved, and remember
Every Kilowatt Counts!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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