Since February, Cub Scouts from West Haven have been making a conscious effort to reduce their energy consumption by partaking in the 2016 Energy Savings Challenge. This was a joint effort between West Haven Cub Scout Packs 288 and 369, as well as The United Illuminating Company (UI) as part of the Energize Connecticut initiative. The challenge taught the scouts how to properly track their energy usage.
On Feb. 12, the Scouts and representatives from UI met at the Energize Connecticut Center in North Haven to launch the Energy Savings Challenge. The scouts were led on educational tours of The Center, and were able to use the hands-on learning tools to begin their adventure into energy conservation.
The challenge continued through April, and performing simple tasks such as turning off lights and shutting down video games systems each night collectively saved the scouts 5,175 kilowatt-hours (kWh) or $932. This is equivalent to the carbon emissions a car would create driving 8,000 miles or using 400 gallons of gas. To put this in perspective, the scouts would have to drive from the Energize Connecticut Center to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California nearly three times to equal the amount of energy they saved.
“I could not be more proud of the environmental impact these scouts were able to make in such a brief period of time,” Said Ryan DeJonghe, den leader, Pack 288. “The camaraderie between these two packs as they strived to become more energy conscious, and better the surrounding community, is the epitome of scouting.”
The Energy Savings Challenge culminated April 29 with a party to honor the achievements of each scout. Every participant received an Energize Connecticut energy efficient patch. The West Haven Cub Scouts intend to continue this initiative in the coming years and The United Illuminating Company plans to expand the challenge into surrounding towns.
“It was inspiring to watch these boys harness a new passion for energy conservation,” said Sheri Borelli, Clean Energy Communities program manager, The United Illuminating Company. “Everyone involved made a concerted effort to apply what they learned at the Energize Connecticut Center, and each scout has now made an important first step on the path to living a more energy efficient lifestyle.”
For more information on the Energize Connecticut initiative, or the Energize Connecticut Center, please visit energizect.com.
About Energize Connecticut:
Energize Connecticut helps you save money and use clean energy. It is an initiative of the Energy Efficiency Fund, the Connecticut Green Bank, the State, and your local electric and gas utilities, with funding from a charge on customer energy bills. Information on energy-saving programs can be found at energizect.com or by calling 1-877-WISE-USE.
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