Press Release: Four Local Schools Kick Off Redwood Neighborhood Energy Challenge

PRESS RELEASE
September 27, 2012
Eureka, CA

Four Local Schools Kick Off Redwood Neighborhood Energy Challenge

Four Humboldt County schools are recruiting homes in the community to be part of their team for the Redwood Neighborhood Energy Challenge.  The schools, Cuddeback Elementary in Carlotta, Fortuna Middle School, Laurel Tree Charter School in Arcata and Morris Elementary in McKinleyville, will kick off the Energy Challenge with a potluck for their team during the first week of October.

Community members living in the vicinity of the schools are encouraged to bring a dish and attend the potlucks.  Attendees can learn about taking the Energy Challenge and sign up to participate while sharing good food and music.  The Redwood Coast Energy Authority will then work with those participants to save energy in their homes.  The team with the greatest savings, averaged over all the participants, wins a large cash award towards an energy project at their school.

According to Brenda Sutter, energy champion and teacher at Laurel Tree Charter School, "This is an amazing opportunity for our school, our school community, and the larger community.  This partnership between the schools, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, and PG&E will increase energy efficiency and conservation in our community, and provide a major upgrade for a local school.   It both saves money for the community and gives money to the schools."

The potluck dates and times are:

•    Laurel Tree Charter School on Oct 1, at 5:30 pm with the Bret Harte Breakers
•    Morris Elementary on Tuesday, Oct 2 at 5:00 pm
•    Cuddeback Elementary on Oct 2 at 6:00 pm with the band, Dogbone
•    Fortuna Middle School on Oct 3 at 5:30 pm. 

The tofu shop has donated appetizers for the events.  All events are open to the public interested in the Energy Challenge.

The Redwood Neighborhood Energy Challenge is funded by a Pacific Gas and Electric Company Innovator Pilot Grant and is administered by the Redwood Coast Energy Authority.  Prize money is awarded by the PG&E Foundation.

For more information go to challenge.redwoodenergy.org or call Patricia Terry at 707-269-1700.

The Redwood Coast Energy Authority is a local government Joint Powers Association representing the County of Humboldt, the Cities of Arcata, Blue Lake, Eureka, Ferndale, Fortuna, Trinidad and Rio Dell, and the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District.  The Energy Authority's purpose is to develop and implement sustainable energy initiatives that reduce energy demand, increase energy efficiency, and advance the use of clean, efficient, and renewable resources available in the region.

The PG&E Corporation Foundation was incorporated in California in 2000 as a private foundation funded solely by PG&E Corporation. Over more than ten years, the Foundation has provided $49.3 million in grants to charitable nonprofit organizations primarily in PG&E’s footprint in Northern and Central California, entirely through shareholder funds.