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Sustainability from page 21 Conservation’s Governor’s both in the United States and abroad.
Environmental Stewardship Awards. Information can be found in the New York
community events was to foster an These awards recognize excellence in Times, the British Broadcasting Company,
understanding that the homeowner or various environmental fields including: FireCities.com, GreenTechMedia.com,
renter can improve the energy efficiency energy, recycling, environmental and numerous others. The EPB has also
in their own homes by making simple education, and sustainability. Tyler welcomed at least 18 outside groups
no-cost decisions. These no-cost Jeffrey, Director of External Affairs and 163 individuals to learn how to
decisions include actions like adjusting at TDEC’s Chattanooga field office, replicate these advances in electric and
the thermostat when no one is home and understands how important recognition communications networking.
turning off lights when no one is in the of these programs is to Chattanooga.
room. She explains how these awards help Empower Chattanooga’s model
spur participation around the country, of success can also be applied to
The Executive Director of Greenspaces, “The PEER certification for the EPB communities across the United States and
Michael Walton, is dedicated to SmartGrid in Chattanooga, has set internationally. Spreading this knowledge
spreading the knowledge of sustainability the bar high in achieving sustainable via workshops or electronically can make
and energy management throughout electricity and being an innovative leader a huge difference in someone’s electric bill
Chattanooga. In regards to what in technology and the utility industry… month to month.
Empower means to Chattanoogans, The Empower Chattanooga initiative
he said, “We found that by building a through Greenspaces is a program The City of Chattanooga is
program based on listening and deep that could be easy to mirror in other making strides in the areas of energy
engagement, we have been able to communities or cities by initiating management and conservation. The
produce a series of extremely effective conversations with your local power/ combined efforts of the Electric Power
community events and educational utility district and seeing if there is an Board and Empower Chattanooga mean
workshops with high rates of opportunity for local organizations sustainability has been incorporated into
participation… By comparing before and or partnerships to team together and their day-to-day operations. They are
after utility data, we have seen that the educate the public on easy ways they can spreading the idea that electricity can
average attendee has saved $400 over a ensure they are saving energy in their be managed, and real dollar savings are
year or less since attending a workshop.” own homes.” possible with no-cost, low-cost solutions.
This model that they are working on in
The EPB and Empower won their The EPB’s Smartgrid technology has Chattanooga can be applied to other
respective categories in the Tennessee been well documented in publications cities around the United States and the
Department of Environment and world.
22 TPW January/February 2017
