by Pete Iengo, Office Manager and Energy Guru
Trees Water & People works to protect people and the planet on every level: internationally, nationally, and locally. After all, we are sprouted locally and growing globally! As the team’s Office and Facility Manager, I have the privilege of spearheading our carbon reduction efforts here at 633 Remington St., and as a result have developed the TWP Office Energy Challenge.
January was a great month for energy use reduction at the office. Our goal was 10%, but we overshot that by 25%, for a total energy reduction of 35%! For the second month in a row we have also beat any single month since we started keeping track in 2006. I am excited that we have been able to beat our goals during the first months of the challenge; doing so has helped us establish a solid baseline moving forward. I have found that making habitual change easy and creating awareness around electricity usage have been the two largest contributors to our success thus far. You too can shape your energy future by exploring and using these simple concepts!
Before you know it we will be moving into the warmer months here in Fort Collins. With that, electricity use will inevitably rise as air-conditioning comes into play. This is an unavoidable “cost of business”; this place really gets hot!
Our building’s temperature is particularly challenging to regulate. People are spread throughout the entire space and across three floors, so the temperature in the basement can be quite different than on the top floor. We will continue to get creative, and find ways to keep use down that do not compromise our business model. Have any suggestions? Let us know!
Understanding where our usage can be before we turn the AC on ultimately prepares us to keep use at a minimum as the seasons change…bring on the heat Colorado!
Even if you don’t work at TWP, you can still be part of TWP’s Office Energy Challenge! A growing number of supporters are matching our efforts, going “ton for ton” with us; for every ton of carbon we keep from burning up in the smoke stacks, you can match our efforts through our carbon offset program! For details, contact pete@treeswaterpeople.org .
Sustainable Development, Sustainable Livelihoods 