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Cool Choices Presenting at Emerging Technologies Summit 2017
Kathy Kuntz, Executive Director at Cool Choices, is speaking at the Emerging Technologies Summit in Ontario, California on April 19-21, 2017. The Emerging Technologies Summit brings together energy efficiency thought leaders to “ideate and debate the intersection of utility programs, technology, market drivers, customer engagement, policy and implementation in order to impact the advancement and adoption of emerging technologies.”
Beyond the Game: Lisa Rides Her Bike To Work
We are proud that Cool Choices alumi take their commitment to maintaining sustainable actions seriously. We appreciate people like Lisa, who share their post-game sustainable actions with us to help inspire others. Lisa took part in the Cool Choices program in 2014 with Unitarian Universalist Church West. Here is her sustainability story.
Miron Construction: Earth Day 2017 Sustainability Program
In early 2011, Cool Choices collaborated with a team of Miron Construction Co., Inc. employees to develop and field our very first employee engagement program—a sustainability program that promoted environmentally conscious practices in building design. This first program showcased Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) categories such as energy and water efficiency, and it helped shape future Cool Choices partnerships. Since kicking off our program with Miron Construction in 2011, Cool Choices has partnered with dozens of entities, and engaged individuals and businesses across the country, including businesses right in Miron’s own backyard.
Beyond the Game: Ann’s Sustainability Story
To highlight the cool things our alums do after taking part in the Cool Choices online sustainability game, we love to share stories from past participants. Our alumni always impress us by taking sustainable practices to the next level.
This month we were inspired by Ann’s story about her innovative sustainable ideas at home.
What green activities have you been up to since taking part in the Cool Choices program?
I save and reuse the inside bags from cereal boxes when empty. I then use them as wax paper or to double bag items in the freezer.
Ann took part in the Cool Choices online sustainability game in 2013 with UW Extension. Inspired by Ann’s sustainability story? Remember, you can make a difference too!
Simple, Daily Sustainable Actions Make a Difference
Cool choices employees take simple daily actions in there lives to ‘walk the walk’ in sustainability. Check out these ideas to learn sustainable actions simple enough for you to do too!
If Americans switched from disposable water bottles to reusable ones we could save over 17 million barrels of oil each year (not including the oil used for transportation!). That’s the equivalent of taking 1.3 million cars off the road for a year! Kellen’s idea to keep reusable water bottles on hand at home, at work and in the car will keep you from finding yourself in a situation where you need to buy a disposable water bottle.
Beyond the Game: Scott’s Sustainability Story
Past players of the Cool Choices game-based sustainability program continue to make green choices in their everyday lives even after the program ends. We are always impressed to learn how participating in Cool Choices impacts individuals and their decisions to take further sustainable actions. This month we were inspired by Scott’s story!
What green activities have you been up to since taking part in the Cool Choices program?
I requested and received a Nest thermostat as a Christmas gift. Setup was fairly easy (they have a guide to help you determine which wires go where). I think the biggest benefit to the Nest is its ability to sense when you are away and throttle back the HVAC accordingly. While I had a programmable thermostat before with set temperatures for various times of day, I never would remember to manually change it if we were going to be out of the house for an extended period of time. The Nest now knows to do this automatically. Another benefit is being able to run the fan for ventilation without having to add heat or turning on the A/C.
What tips do you have for others trying to be sustainable?
The Nest thermostat is easy to buy and install. The main drawback is the price — but it helped to have a rebate a Black Friday deal to bring down the final price.
Scott took part in the 2015 City Wide Cool Choices game in Madison, WI.
Cool Choices Tip: Turn Off the Water When You Brush Your Teeth
You can save up to 8 gallons of water a day by turning off the tap while you brush your teeth.
Think of all the water we could save if our entire family turned off the tap while brushing our teeth! Cool Choices provides simple tips to become more sustainable in your everyday life.
For more water saving tips check out these links:
2016 Year End Wrap Up
Only change is constant.
Humans have acknowledged this since Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, in 500 BC. And yet we’re still surprised and discombobulated by the unexpected.
We’ve been talking a lot about change since the US Presidential election. After a year of important international progress on climate action, the US seems poised to pivot back into inaction, at least at the federal government level.
When friends ask me if Trump’s election means the end to our work at Cool Choices I am clear: “Definitely not!” I explain that the entities we work with see bottom-line benefits in sustainability. Saving resources reduces operating costs, which increases profitability. Customers prefer companies that demonstrate good stewardship and increasingly shareholders do too, because it mitigates risk. Being sustainable also helps companies recruit and retain top talent, an issue that will affect more and more industries in the coming decade. While the international agreements are critical, I explain, much of the current action—at least in the US—is spurred by self-interest.
When friends ask me if Trump’s election means the end to our work at Cool Choices I am clear: “Definitely not!”
It makes sense to minimize wasted resources regardless of who is president. And companies will continue to compete for customers and skilled employees too. As a result, leading entities will continue to look for ways to engage their employees around corporate sustainability initiatives and Cool Choices will continue to offer fun, social and easy strategies that make sustainability the new normal.
Cool Choices was privileged to work with a variety of leading companies in 2016 and we look forward to more amazing partnerships in 2017.
Employee Highlights 2016
Cool Choices employees feel fortunate that we are able to interact with such amazing companies in their sustainability efforts. As an organization uses the Cool Choices online sustainability game, we are encouraged and moved by the competition and passion that is displayed by individuals in the game. We chose some of our favorite moments from 2016 programs that we’d like to highlight!
Competition Heats Up as 200+ Franklin Energy Employees Make Cool Choices
Employees at Franklin Energy are in week 5 of their 6-week game-based sustainability program and we’re impressed by Franklin Energy employees’ commitment to sustainability. Competing as teams, they’ve taken more than 3,700 sustainable actions to earn points and win prizes.
The vast majority of Franklin participants, for example, were able to claim points for making the cool choice to “replace 85% of household incandescent bulbs with LEDs.” Other sustainable actions in the Cool Choices program include carpooling, eating meatless meals, using the stairs instead of the elevator and many more.
“I’m not surprised that Franklin staff are fast accumulating points for their cool choices,” said Kathy Kuntz, executive director of Cool Choices. “Franklin Energy has been a consistent advocate for energy efficiency for more than two decades and it’s clear that Franklin staff walk that talk. It will be interesting to see—after the game—how Franklin’s savings compare to other entities.”
Participants in Cool Choices can claim points for both new actions and the behaviors participants were already doing before the game. After every program ends Cool Choices staff provide a summary of estimated program impacts that delineates new savings separate from savings associated with existing actions.
“We have a highly engaged team at Franklin,” said Dan Tarrence, Executive Vice President “and it’s been fun to see folks competing around sustainability. Cool Choices really makes being green fun and social.”
The Cool Choices team sends our encouragement to Franklin Energy employees as their sustainable actions continue to add up in the final stretch of their game.
