August: Evan Endres

PENN FUTURE
Sustainability Community Fellow

In addition to the month to month operation and campaign communication I continue to develop new plans and create partnerships for that add value to the Black and Gold City Goes Green campaign.
This month’s partnership was most notably an alliance with Duquesne Light and their Watt Choices program in support of our Neighborhood Blitz pilot program. They have agreed to provide some energy saving devices that we can distribute door to door. This has a mutual benefit of provide us with opportunity for measurable carbon reduction and provides Duquesne Light with an opportunity for mandated peak load reductions. If the pilot Blitz is successful this could be a sustainable and scalable relationship.

August’s action was all about eating locally and choosing organic foods. In observance of this we arranged a week of tabling at City Parks Farmers Markets. We did a daily give-away of market cash to be used at the markets. This was successful in attracting attention to the campaign and getting some registrants and Community Partners.

I have also begun to explore and develop a new community partner’s competition. “Killing Vampires” will give Community Partner’s the ability to empower their constituents to identify and “Kill” vampires. Of course, I’m talking about electricity Vampires, devices that draw energy when not turned. We are in the planning stages of this event and currently gathering resources.

The SCA Hazelwood Volunteer Day was a great success. My own contribution was a bit muted by the end as I found myself a bit busier in August with B&G functions. I would like to praise my fellow Green Cities Fellows who took leadership of this event and ensured its success. It was too much fun to be counted as a “work” day.