Kilowatt Ours Blog

This morning I would like to say congratulations to Jennifer Barrie (my sister) for her steadfast and inspiring work taking Kilowatt Ours into schools and teaching students in Nashville and across Tennessee how to become energy conservation leaders.  The Kilowatt Ours Youth Initiative, designed and implemented by Jen over the past two years, just won the 2008 Governor’s Stewardship Award for Environmental Education.  This is a wonderful affirmation of hard work, dedication, AND the enthusiasm of young people helping our environment by saving energy in their homes, schools and communities.

Congratulations to Jen, and to all the teachers and thousands of students who are helping to change the world!

To download our award-winning schools curriculum, visit www.KilowattOurs.org/curriculum

To learn about the other Stewardship Award winners, visit www.tn.gov/environment/awards

I just learned that Kilowatt Ours won “Best Documentary Feature” at the 2007 South Dakota Film Festival in Aberdeen (September 21-23)!

This is a great honor, particularly since my dad Jim grew up on a homestead not far from Aberdeen, in Turton, South Dakota (population 65). We spent many summer vacations on the vast, flat, green pastures of this beautiful state, and I consider it one of my favorite special places.

Thank you South Dakota!

Today, I am saddened to learn about the untimely passing of my friend Jim Hager.  My memories of Jim revolve around our time working together to save America’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from politically-motivated oil drilling, and to advance more sensible solutions.  Jim and Jon joined me for a day in 2001 during a drive across Tennessee, comparing the fuel economy of an SUV and a more fuel efficient passenger car, while exploring our state in search of clean energy solutions.  Jim always made himself (and Jon) available for this cause, and others.  He displayed courage to use his talents to make a difference in the world.

Jim was an impassioned environmentalist, and a man of integrity.  I am honored to have had a chance to know him, and experience his wit, gentlemanly charm and boundless heart.

Thank you Jim!

I am inspired.

As I write my first blog post @ KilowattOurs.org, I am resting in the gorgeous Catskill Mountains of New York/Pennsylvania/New Jersey. I was invited to speak here by the Homestead School, an amazing Montessori program for grades pre-K through 6. A student group calling themselves the Green Power Alliance organized this event, “Your Coal Connection,” to raise money and awareness for the the effort to stop mountain top removal coal mining. Larry Gibson from Kayford Mountain, West Virginia is also here to speak. I am so inspired by these enthusiastic, motivated and caring kids and their passion for making a difference. They are a delight and I feel blessed to meet them and their parents. These students recently took a field trip to Larry’s mountain and one of the students wrote the short essay about it. These kids also handed some mountain top removal literature to former President Clinton during a recent campaign visit to their community. The kids urged Bill and Hillary to help the cause.

I believe the optimistic enthusiasm I feel here is the most powerful source of domestic, renewable energy our nation has to offer, and it is encouraging to see that we are now harnessing this power for good. Thank you Green Power Alliance!

For the locals that want to get started on saving energy, please contact Peter Vargo with Nu-Tech Energy Solutions, a regional energy consulting company that can help you cut your energy usage 30% or more in homes and commercial buildings. Peter can be reached at (570) 490 3928 or pete@tals-fishing.com. Peter serves a wide region including Eastern PA, southern NY state and most of New Jersey. Peter had a booth set up at the event here, and he carries a wealth of knowledge about energy solutions.

Another local group that attended the day-long event was the Catskill Mountain Keepers, an org doing great work to preserve the beautiful mountains in this region from energy development pressures. Check out their website at www.CatskillMountainKeeper.org.

Documentary photographer Mark Schmerling was also there with amazing photos of people and land affected by mountain top removal. Check out some of his photos at www.schmerlingdocumentary.com.

Thank you to Homestead School and Green Power Alliance for taking action, and most of all, for caring.