Today,
there are hundreds of programs designed to cut energy usage and emissions
around the world, from nationwide initiatives to local, grass-roots efforts.
The Internet has made it easier than ever to reach a wide range of people,
especially with the emergence of social media. Here are the top ten best
online energy initiatives.
1.
TEXASISHOT:
Texas
is a super-sized state with a super-sized energy problem, but one online
initiative is showing how Texans can reduce their big energy usage with a few
little steps. TexasIsHot.org was designed as one-stop shopping for Texas
residents concerned about energy. It’s not just a clever name either—Texas is
indeed very hot, and extra heat means extra electricity usage in the form of
air conditioning, not just in the summer, but whenever the thermometer starts
to sweat.
1) Texas provides simple ways
for residents to save energy, help protect the environment through conservation,
and save a lot of money to boot. The campaign claims it can save residents of
the state billions of dollars. The prospect of significant cash savings is one
of the driving messages behind the site and one that resonates with the people
who visit it, especially given current economic conditions.
2) Other reasons to visit
TexasIsHot beyond its cash-saving recommendations. Apart from tools like energy-saving tips and free household energy audits, the
website provides the latest energy news
for the state of Texas.
3) Used the social media: follow
@TexasIsHot on Twitter, like @TexasIsHot on Facebook
For example, when adverse
winter weather conditions hit Texas in late January/early February of 2011,
TexasIsHot tweeted up-to-the-minute updates regarding rolling blackouts and the
stability of the power grid. This is a good example of social media being used
to its fullest capacity. By providing useful content, they have been able to
attract followers and friends to their twitter and Facebook accounts and
readership to their blog, thereby opening many channels of communication to
narrow-cast their message. Their built-in audience isn’t enormous, but it is
focused and receptive. This increases the impact of their efforts, and
increases the likelihood of their message going viral.
2.
EARTH LAB:
Earth
lab is an established and well-respected online campaign for green energy and
living. The site’s main claim to fame is their personalized Carbon Calculator,
“a unique three-minute survey that generates a carbon footprint score (ECP
Score), which members can then save, work to reduce and track their success
over time, as a member creates their own personal green strategy.”
The first of its kind, the Carbon Calculator
generated buzz early on in the site’s campaign and continues to generate buzz.
Unlike locally oriented movements like TexasIsHot, Earthlab is globally
focused, and so is its carbon calculator. The first question on the survey:
Where on Earth do you live?
1) Earthlab utilizes social
media, but in a mostly perfunctory way. Their Facebook fans hover around the
500 mark, and their few wall posts are primarily fan-made.
2) Earthlab’s success stems
from another source: endorsements and partnerships.
3) By partnering with
celebrities like Mario Batali and Leonardo DiCaprio, and major environmental
organizations like The Green Daily, Earthlab has set up a cross-pollination of
fans and interest. The secret is tapping into existing audiences, making them
your audience, and then keeping them there with great tools and content.
3.
GREEN SCHOOLS INITIATIVE:
Some
environmental campaigns are focused locally, some globally. Green Schools
Initiative is a nation-wide online campaign, but with a laser focus on schools.
These efforts pack a one-two punch when it comes to conservation. First,
schools have a large environmental footprint. That’s just obvious—whenever you
get a lot of people together in a large building which needs to be temperature
controlled and lit, stocked with food each day, and provided with bus
transportation, you’re going to emit some carbon. Green Schools Initiative
helps combat this through great, school-oriented tips and recommendations.
1) Education: In many ways, our
schools are the perfect place to start working on our energy report card. Why?
Because they’re full of students! It’s important for kids to learn everything
they can about energy and the environment. As the next generations, knowledge
and perspective will be the tools they use to fight global climate change and
work toward an efficient, sustainable way of life.
2) The website provides
parents, teachers, and students with a versatile kit of environmental tools
including carbon calculators, informative videos, tip sheets, action plans and
more. The Green Schools Initiative is constantly adding new content, and covers
every aspect of school life. For example, schools are always having events and
holiday parties, so the Green Schools Initiative team put together an article
that lists ways to make those parties green.
3) They also employ a Facebook
group to get their message out. With a respectable 1,000 followers, they still
have a lot of work to do, but they are primed to add more
4) website: www.greenschools.net
4) website: www.greenschools.net
4.
CAMPAIGN FOR CLEAN AIR:
When
the American Lung Association’s 2008 State of the Air Report listed Charlotte-
Gastonia-Salisbury, North Carolina as the 12th worst ozone-polluted city in the
U.S., citizens of North Carolina took action. They created the Campaign for
Clean Air. The website is focused on the health dangers of air pollution and
lists the exact threats with specific information to back it up, along with
images of those affected. The site serves both as a wake up call and a resource
for those who want to make a difference.
1) In addition to simply
listing the health and economic dangers of dirty air, the site also makes
recommendations on how to promote cleaner air.
2) Finding ways to drive less,
making sure your vehicle is well maintained, and using fuel responsibly are all
listed as simple ways that average people can make a big impact.
3) The site also includes a
list of rebates and tax breaks that North Carolina citizens may be eligible
for, and compiles a database of useful links.
4) They’re using Facebook and
twitter to spread the gospel, too. On their Facebook page you’ll find links and
information about their recent and upcoming events as well as clean air-related
news.
5) What gives this online
campaign such great impact and urgency is the grass-roots force behind it,
started by ordinary, concerned citizens and packed with information and tools
that are indispensible to the same, the Campaign for Clean Air is making an
impact where it counts the most to people: in their own neighborhoods.
5. MY GULF ACTION:
After
the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, never-before seen attention was focused on
the Gulf and its environment. One positive effect of the spill was the
increased awareness of our dependence on fossil fuels and the impact that this
could have on the environment. MyGulfAction.com was founded to turn this energy
and attention into action. More than just reacting to the spill (stopping the
flow of oil, cleaning up the spill, saving animals affected by the damage,
etc.) the goal of My Gulf Action was to independently act to counterbalance it
through fuel and energy conservation.
1) The website encourages
smarter energy usage.
2) Members sign up and log
their energy savings.
4) The success of My Gulf
Action can be attributed to the leveraging of a national event.
5) Twitter and Facebook played
a role in acquiring membership, as anyone that was using twitter during the
Gulf spill can tell you it dominated the trending terms and hashtags for weeks.
6) Website: www.mygulfaction.com
6.
SWITCH CHALLENGE:
When
it comes to online environmental campaigns, the best recipe for success is to
keep it simple and to provide great tools. North Dakota’s “Switch Challenge”
does both. First, it keeps a narrow scope: home energy savings in North Dakota.
The website focuses on small changes North Dakotans can make to save some money
on their energy bill (though the tips are really applicable anywhere).
Switching to Energy Star appliances, for example, is touted as a great way to
reduce your energy bill.
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