Hi Folks!
Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon is
entering an exciting stage!
- Your school will be receiving FREE Energy Misers from the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
- Environmental
Resources Management (ERM) is starting
the school visits in the coming weeks
of your schools.
- The new website is ready to be
personalized by your team
- How to receive your mini grants
- A “Webinar” is going to be held
so you and your teams can meet us.
- Additional Funding
Energy
Misers
The MPCA is donating an Energy Miser
to each participating school in the Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon program.
Every school will receive one energy miser to install at a soda or vending
machine. ERM will be brining the energy misers with them on their school visits
along with instructions for easy installation. The energy misers can reduce
electricity consumption by 40%! Check
out this link to find out more information
http://www.usatech.com/energy_management/energy_vm.php
To find
testimonials click here. http://www.austinenergy.com/Energy%20Efficiency/Programs/Energy%20Miser/index.htm
The only
requirement to receive the energy miser is a school must agree to use it.
Environmental
Resources Management (ERM)
ERM will be starting their school
visits in the coming weeks! We will be hosting a Webinar on February 18th,
which will contain more information about the overall project and what to
expect when ERM visits your school. ERM will help the school climate change
teams identify low cost-no cost carbon reduction solutions. In order to maximize ERM’s visit they will
be asking for a web-based questionnaire to be filled out prior to their visit. An email will be sent to your identified
school climate change team leader with questionnaire log in information.
During the
visit, ERM would like to encourage your energy team to come along for the
assessment to become more familiar with your schools energy usage. Your
operations manager should definitely be there!
The audit will be a great learning opportunity for students and
administration alike.
ERM will be
contacting you in the next few weeks to set up a date to come for the school
visit. The school visit will be a great
way for your school to learn about ways to save money by conserving energy and
understand how your school’s operation impacts the environment.
Website
Every
school should have received an introductory email about the Minnesota Schools
Cutting Carbon Website new website at http://www.schoolscuttingcarbon.org/
The website
has some great features; please take the time to look at the site and update
your schools page. Note: Timely updating and active usage of your school’s
webpage will be a component of how schools are judged during the competitive
$20,000 grant cycle in fall 2009.
If you have
not received your website introduction email, please let me know and I can help
you get started.
Webinar
ERM and Minnesota
Schools Cutting Carbon will be hosting a webinar February 18th. We
are offering the webinar at 9:00, 11:30, and 4:15. The webinar is expected to last approximately
45 minutes.
The webinar
will be an opportunity for the schools to meet the Minnesota Schools Cutting
Carbon staff and ERM. The webinar will
go over the details of the program, what to expect when ERM comes for the school
visit, and what your schools needs to do to prepare for the visit.
To connect to the webinar there are 2 options
1) connect through a computer with an internet connection and speakers or 2)
connect through a computer with an internet connection and use a phone for
audio. Headphones can also be used if you are the only person from your school
joining the webinar. ERM will be sending
out an email with the details of how to attend the webinar to your school
climate change team leader next week.
Mini-grants
The $500 mini-grants
from the MPCA are ready to be rolled out!
We will be posting an application as well as a “how to apply “document
on the website on February 15. The application is basic information needed by
the MPCA to be able to send the money to your school. Once the application has
been filled out and received by the MPCA, a check will be sent to your school.
A special account will be created for your school climate change team to access
the money for the project/item that you choose.
A more
detailed explanation will come with the application. Applications should be
done electronically and submitted over email to the MPCA. An email will be sent out when the application
is ready, or you can check the website periodically!
Events
February 10-11
The Third
Clean Energy Resource Teams Conference
at the St. Cloud Civic
Center
CERTs
2009: Harnessing Resources & Teamwork for Minnesota’s Energy Future
will bring together over 500 Minnesotans who are blazing the paths to a clean
energy future by working on energy efficiency and clean energy projects in
their communities, thus accelerating our learning process together.
Learn at in depth workshops
such Creating a
There are schools across the state, at all levels that are working to save
energy and produce clean energy, issues that are especially important with our
current climate crisis and fuel costs. In this workshop we will learn from
schools who are working on innovative projects, with major results. We will
break into small groups to find out what administrators, operators, teachers,
and students can do to be a part of the action. Finally, we will provide
schools with a chance to connect with service-providers that can help them plan
and implement their projects.
Breakout sessions will
include sessions on what schools in MN are doing to lead the way in energy
efficiency and creating a clean energy school. Several schools will be
presenting what has worked for their school.
http://www.cleanenergyresourceteams.org/events/conference
Additional
Funding
Community
POWER Grants
“Today we
are announcing the new round of Community POWER grants
available in 2009. These are grants available for environmental projects
to schools, organizations and congregations for up to $12,000. We
encourage you to share the short or long version of the announcement
below with others in your network, in your e-newsletters, or as an email
blast. Letters of Interest are due on March 16th.”
For more
information check out:
http://www.rethinkrecycling.com/grants/guidelines-timelines
