Sign up today before it’s too late!

-          Use as much of our $500,000 interest rate buy-down money in Thurston County before it expires.

-          Get as many local businesses as possible to sign up (at no cost) for a potential $20,000 cash grant to each business that does solar and/or efficiency upgrades.

Both of these great incentives will be expiring by the end of spring, so it’s imperative you get into the pipeline today if you want to have a chance at accessing the incentives. 

You can download the two following flyers to learn more about the programs that are avaliable.

3% Financing for Solar PV

Fairchild Record Search Case Study

Email Josh Cummings, Small Business and Government Relations Manager josh@thurstonenergy.org or call Thurston Energyif you’re interested in a site evaluation: 360.754.6320

We have several items on the list in the following categories:

Heating & Air Conditioning

Fireplaces & Woodstoves

Weatherizing Your Home

Weather heating

In the Kitchen

In the Laundry Room

Lighting Your Home

Other Energy Savers

Download a printable PDF to post on your bulletin board or refrigerator to help you remember ways you can save energy every day!

And feel free to share this list with your friends or family – and help them get on the pathway to savings!

Sign up today before it’s too late!

Sign up today before it’s too late!

Before we lost track by the end of the evening, more than 200 people had signed in at the event. 

During the afternoon session, “Local Energy for Local Business”, all the tables in the room were occupied, and my anxiety about whether or not anyone would show up was permanently dispelled.  Jessica Jensen narrowly escaped the confines of her garage, since she eventually got the power going again to her electric garage opener, and arrived on time.  She and Jane Kasynski, Bob Benck and Renee Ries all told their unique stories of how their businesses have successfully saved energy, saved money, used deep sustainability principles and/or deployed renewable energy.  

We took the time to pass the hand-held microphone around the room from sponsor table to sponsor table, and I was once again amazed at just how many great opportunities we in Olympia and Thurston County have to reduce energy use, reduce solid waste, save water, build green buildings, get low-interest financing and even grants.  Marylin Ball-Brown from Generations Credit Union stole the show by serenading us with “Getting to know you … getting to know all about you” in her trained Operatic voice.

Soon we took a break, stretched our legs, ate bagel sandwiches, pizza and smoked salmon and eagerly anticipated both the band, and the opening of the beer and wine which were compliments of Fish Tale Brewing.  We visited the sponsored tables, and took a closer look at the drawings and words that Claire had captured throughout the afternoon.

I just have to pause and say that so many people put in a lot of time and effort to make this event come together.  Starting with our staff here at Thurston Energy and at Buy Local South Sound, but especially the volunteers who showed up and carried things and put things together on the day of the event, and the sponsors who donated money and their time and materials to provide resources and opportunities to those who attended …  I thank you.

The local energy really began to amp up in the room after five o’clock, as the band played, the drinks flowed, and gangs of happy kids began running circles around the rooms and forming kid-piles in the main lobby as the ornate and beautiful fish statues of the Olympia Center looked on in stunned silence.  More and more people kept arriving, and before we knew it, we were ordering more pizza because we’d practically run out of food.

I had the real pleasure of speaking on the microphone for a few minutes to a completely full room, packed with program partners, sponsors, contractors, and most importantly CUSTOMERS who had made Thurston Energy a success these past two years.  We’ve worked with more than 600 homeowners and 100 businesses since we got started, and many of them cared enough about what we’ve done that they came out on a Monday night to celebrate with us.  It was a humbling and joyful experience for me.

As usual, I got a kick out of Brent Foster.  As one of our primary energy auditors, he has spent time in our customers’ homes, teaching them about how to save energy and money in their houses.  He told me that over and over, folks came up to him, whose homes he had audited.  Some of the times he had to say “I’ll remember you … just please tell me about your home … after all, when I come, I’m looking at your home, not at you!”

I was thrilled at the diversity of people who came to our event.  From homeowners to business owners, from senior citizens to toddlers in their parent’s arms, from businessmen in suits to guys in tie-died shirts with dreadlocks, from WA State Senator Karen Fraser to a few people who appeared to have wandered in off the street for a warm place to eat some food and listen to the band … we had it all.  It struck me as living proof that our community can unite around sustainability issues like saving energy and saving money, and supporting our local economy.

By the end of the night, when the band had broken down their equipment and everything was packed up, and everyone had gone home, I was famished and only a little bit tired.  It was Marie Poland’s birthday, and her friends invited me to come with them for a drink and some (more) cake.  What I really needed was food (too busy to eat sooner!), and I came along.  When we went inside the club, it was like a gift from above … another group had catered a party and there were platters of barbeque and a generous host. 

Eating barbeque and sitting at a table at the end of the night, I felt like all was well with the world.  I’m excited about what we’ve accomplished, and I’m enthusiastic about all the opportunities to move forward.  Thank you all for making this effort a success … and we’re just getting started!

We have a great evening planned, with activities for everyone!

What: Local Energy Celebration

When: Monday, January 30, 4:30 – 8:00 pm

Where: The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St NW, Olympia WA 98501

Why: To celebrate your success reducing energy (and have a rocking time!)

•  Meet local organizations who are leading the way in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects
• Local and organic food from Bagel Brothers, Bearded Lady, Anne’s Pesto, Old School Pizza and more •Beverages from Batdorf & Bronson and Fish Brewing Co.
• Kid’s activities provided by Hands On Children’s Museum and Wind Up Here
• Live music by Artesian Underground (pop and classic rock)
• See ideas drawn into living pictures by graphic artist Claire Bronson
• Gather tons of resources from our 20 resource tables set up by Sponsors to save energy and save money on local goods, in your home, or in your business

RSVP today!

We are looking forward to seeing you on Monday evening. www.localenergynow.org/event/register

Two local groups are celebrating their customers’ recent success and presenting opportunities for more progress in this new year:  Sustainable South Sound’s Buy Local Program; and Thurston Energy, a joint program of the Thurston Economic Development Council and the Thurston Climate Action Team.

So what’s in it for you?

Save Energy and Save Money

Thurston Energy empowers people to use energy efficiency and renewable energy to save energy and save money in their homes and in their businesses.  The Buy Local Savings book has over $3,500 worth of coupons to local stores so that you can save money while supporting our local economy.  Dive in to these two concepts, and live a more sustainable life.

Learn How Others Have Done It

More than 600 homeowners and 100 businesses have worked with Thurston Energy, and around 4,000 people have gotten Buy Local Savings Books.  In the afternoon, the “Local Energy for Local Business” session will feature four local businesses that have taken successful steps to reduce their energy usage, save money on operating costs, use renewable energy, and offer their customers local discounts to build their businesses.  Hear and learn how they did it, and move your business along on the pathway to savings.

See Ideas Drawn into Living Pictures

Throughout the day, Claire Bronson, a graphic artist, will be drawing pictures and diagrams that capture concepts as living pictures.  If you are a visual person, or if you enjoy watching artists at work, this process of Graphic Recording will take the day to a whole new level.  Claire will also work with guests one-on-one during the evening to draw their thoughts, experiences and desires related to Local Energy.

Gather Tons of Resources

There will be nearly 20 resource tables set up by Sponsors that cover the gamut of ways that you can further save energy and save money on local goods, in your home, or in your business.  Sign-up for Thurston Energy’s HomePLUS energy evaluation services (with low price offers that will disappear soon).  Sign-up for a business energy walk-through from Thurston Energy or get assistance from the EDC Business Resource Center.  Get your 2012 Buy Local Savings Book.  Get information about saving water, reducing solid waste, composting food waste, and using transit.  Talk to contractors who can do efficiency projects for you, and folks who can install solar power for electricity or hot water generation.  Talk to local credit unions about financing new projects or buying more fuel efficient (or electric!) cars.  Everything you need to save energy and save money will be in one place!

The Afternoon is Affordable … the Evening is Free!

The afternoon business session starts at 1:30 and is only $30 to learn from local experts.  The evening celebration starts at 4:30 is free to friends of Thurston Energy and the Buy Local Program.

Celebrate Our Community’s Success

Get ready for a fun-filled evening.  By 4:30 we’ll be switching to the “Local Energy Celebration”.  Thurston Energy and Buy Local South Sound both know that the credit for their success belongs to the customers that have taken action to save energy and save money and build our local economy.  So come join that celebration!

Sample Lots of Great Local Foods and Drinks

There will be lots of great things to eat and drink.  Eat bagels from Bagel Brothers, pizza from Old School Pizza, smoked salmon from Sea-atco, fresh bread, pesto from Anne’s Pesto, fruit and veggies, cupcakes from the Bearded Lady and many other yummy things.  Enjoy wine and beer from Fish Brewing Company.

Bring the Family for Fun Kids’ Activities and Live Music

This will be a family-friendly event.  The Hands-On Children’s Museum is bringing a craft project for kids to learn about energy in a fun and interactive way.  Games from Wind Up Here will be on hand for older kids to play.  And throughout the evening, a local band will play rock and blues favorites.

Bring Friends and Colleagues and Meet New Ones

So come out to the Local Energy Convergence and bring your friends that might want to save energy, save money, and have a fun evening.  It will be a great time of celebrating recent accomplishments, looking forward to more great work in the future, and just plain enjoying the evening!

Hot Spots on roofs are places where the snow has inexplicably melted away, even if there was not extra sun shining on it or a seagull landed there and swept the snow off with its wings.  Hot Spots are caused by places beneath the roof that are missing insulation.  More heat rises up through that portion of the roof and melts the snow away.  Cool huh!  I mean … Hot, right?

Ice Dams are frozen chunks of ice formed along a roof’s gutters.  These Ice Dams give birth to icicles; those crazy frozen stalactites that your kids will want to break off and hit their brothers with.  Ice Dams are caused by several different things, but essentially what’s happening is that water is melting higher up the roof (at the interface of the roof and snow) and running down the roof until it gets to a colder spot near the gutters, where it refreezes.  And if you let them stay there, they can eventually melt and drain water directly down INTO your walls, which is really not good.

Hot Spots and Ice Dams (not to be confused with Ice Spots and “Hot Dams!” which are actually on the roads during this ridiculous winter weather!) are not very good things to have.  If your house has them you should … wait for it … contact Thurston Energy for a HomePLUS Energy Evaluation!  We can help you determine the cause, and hire a contractor to fix your roof.  And do it soon – because our low, low $195 price is only guaranteed through January 31, 2012.

In the meantime, you might want to remove those Ice Dams yourself before they get too treacherous.  For a complete Master’s Thesis on ways to remove Ice Dams including using panty hose – I am not making this up, as my hero Dave Barry likes to write – follow this link from a guy in Minneapolis.  He sort of settles on chipping them off with an ice pick.  I’m thinking it would be fun to whack them with a shovel.  Or at least whacking the icicles down so I can hit my brother with them.