The Award recognizes ELPC’s work to promote smart growth and energy efficiency, in particular our years of leadership and advocacy to establish Energy Efficient Building Codes for residential and commercial buildings in Illinois.

 A U.S. Department of Energy study estimated that Illinois’ Residential Energy Efficient Building Code will result in at least 15% savings annually on utility bills and will average homeowner more than $240 per year.

We agree with the USDA’s recent study showing that actions to reduce greenhouse gas pollution can produce long-term gains for farmers. It’s time for strong energy and climate legislation that will boost farm income and reduce the risk of global warming.

The costs of inaction are high—farmers and agricultural industries are particularly vulnerable to changes in temperature, rainfall patterns and pests that will result from unchecked climate change. Federal climate solutions and clean energy legislation can help farmers and foresters tap into growing markets in carbon offsets, renewable energy generation, advanced biofuels and energy efficiency savings.

The USDA study, among others, shows that minimal short-term costs to farmers will soon be outpaced by significant long-term gains in income, job creation, and other rural development opportunities.

With a strong climate bill, including new investments in farm-based energy and conservation, the agricultural community can help lead efforts to protect and improve our health and environment while fueling our clean energy economy.

Call from individuals may be the best way to influence this important vote. Call your legislators today and ask them to vote  yes on the the Waxman-Markey climate and energy bill.

The backdrop to the event was a training class on building insulation, part of the weatherization job training program at the Indianapolis Community Action Association (INCAA). Energy efficiency funding in the federal economic stimulus has grown the training program at INCAA and created opportunities for unemployed workers in Indianapolis.

Read ELPC’s press release.

Leading environmental organizations have filed a brief calling for the Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) to reject the energy efficiency and renewable energy plan filed by Consumers Energy. The groups argue the plan costs consumers too much and the energy efficiency plan does not do enough to reduce customers’ bills.

The brief argues that Consumers prices renewable energy far too high, placing an unreasonable burden on ratepayers. The environmental coalition emphasizes that Consumers’ renewable energy plan asks ratepayers to pay 60% more for renewable energy than neighboring Detroit Edison has proposed in its plan ($174/MWh versus $108 per MWh).

The coalition of groups that include the Michigan Environmental Council, Ecology Center, the Environmental Law & Policy Center and the Natural Resources Defense Council have been active participants in the PSC review of the plan during the last 60 days.  Read the coalition press release.

Efficiency

Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to meet our growing energy needs. Taking advantage of energy efficiency will lower consumers’ energy bills, reduce pollution and put hundreds of thousands of people to work performing energy audits, retrofitting older buildings, manufacturing energy efficient building materials and more. ELPC is part of the national Campaign for an Energy Efficient America that is pushing for nationwide energy efficiency standard- you can learn more at www.energyefficiencyworks.org  

Renewables

Generating electricity from renewable sources like wind, sunlight, plants, moving water and the earth’s heat will greatly reduce global warming pollution while increasing our energy independence creating new jobs and income, especially in rural America. Investing in clean energy will diversify our energy supply and create a sustainable way to move our country forward.

ELPC is working on state and local policies that encourage renewable energy development and is part of the coalition advocating for federal clean energy legislation. You can learn more at www.renewableenergyworks.org.

Working Together

In combination, energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas cap-and-trade will greatly reduce global warming pollution, grow the clean energy economy and stabilize consumer energy prices. Click here to read an analysis of how the three components work together.

What can I Do?

Transitioning to a clean energy economy will take political courage. Contact your elected officials and ask them to support that national Energy Efficiency and Renewable Electricity standards.

The campaign supports an EERS that would require utilities to reduce electricity demand by 15 percent and natural gas demand by 10 percent by 2020. This EERS is included in both House and Senate versions (H.R. 889 and S. 548) of the Save American Energy Act, introduced by Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) and Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY).

Energy efficiency initiatives that reward consumers and businesses for reducing electricity and gas usage could result in utility bill savings of $168.6 billion and create 220,000 jobs, according to a report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

Learn more at the campaign website www.energyefficiencyworks.org

 Read coverage from Energy and Environment Daily

“Energy, environmental, employment, economic and national-security goals are converging. President Barack Obama and Congress are moving toward realigning our nation to accelerate clean-energy development to create new jobs and achieve significant greenhouse-gas pollution reductions. Clean-energy development is a win-win-win for job creation, economic growth and better environmental quality.”

Read the full OpEd.