Saving energy together: emissions inventory informs Energy Smart challenge

​Here in Missoula, this winter sure seemed long, wet and cold – good news for mountain snowpack. But as a new homeowner, this winter was rough on my budget. There’s nothing like getting a $200 energy bill in the mail to get you thinking seriously about saving energy! When we moved in to our house last fall, we had tried a few basic tricks to reduce energy use: replacing old incandescent light bulbs with LEDs; installing programmable thermostats so our heat was only on when we needed it; putting on storm windows to reduce heat loss. Even so, this winter was a wakeup call. I know I’m not alone: many of us want to shrink our carbon footprint - and our bills! But we don't always know how to take the next step.

At our April Monthly Meetup last Thursday, the conversation was all about energy efficiency and conservation – and the particular challenges and opportunities around energy use in our community. To put things in context, we were excited to share the results of our first community-wide greenhouse gas emissions inventory, hot off the press last week! The inventory is a complete account of all the emissions sources within the Missoula urban development boundary – and gives us a baseline from which to measure progress towards long- and short-term climate mitigation goals. (Check out the full report here and an article about it in the Missoula Current here!)

As the pie chart shows, residential energy use makes up nearly a quarter of our community’s emissions. Not only is this a big slice of the pie, but it’s an area where everyone can get involved. Our individual efforts make a real impact when they are part of a collective movement. That’s why we’re challenging Missoula to be Energy Smart and reduce our use 10% by 2018!

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Turning electronics off at a power strip reduces vampire energy. Great job, Hailey!

We know that cutting energy use isn’t always simple or straightforward. If you’re a homeowner, you may not be sure what energy investments make the most economic sense. If you’re a renter, your options for improving energy efficiency may be limited – or you may not even see your energy bill each month. But, we also know there is a lot each of us can do to make a real difference, especially when we pool our efforts.

We hope you’ll take us up on our Energy Smart challenge and commit to doing your part to save energy! Here at Climate Smart, we don’t have a silver bullet for how best to track and reduce our energy use, but we’re not going to let perfection get in the way of progress. We’re ready to help Missoula start saving energy - here’s what you can do TODAY to join us:

• Sign up on our website to get on the Energy Smart mailing list. You’ll receive energy saving tips and resources, and you’ll be in the know about incentives and prizes for being Energy Smart!
• We’re developing an interactive community map – where you can learn more about local energy efficiency and clean energy projects, including crowd-sourced Energy Stories from Missoulians. Think you might have an Energy Story to share? We’d love to put you on the map! Tell us more.
• Check out our Energy Smart web page and start saving energy today.

I’ll leave you with a few of the great energy-saving ideas that came out of our meetup - this is the kind of creative thinking we love to see. Have more ideas? Want to help make these happen? Let us know!

• Collaboration between real estate agencies and energy audit/weatherization contractors to offer energy efficiency upgrades as part of new home purchase
• Training community volunteers to do basic home energy audits
• An adult learning course on energy efficiency
• Engaging property management companies on energy saving measures

Thanks to everyone who joined us for another great gathering last week! Mark your calendars for the next Monthly Meetup on local food and agriculture – Thursday, May 4th, 5-7pm at Imagine Nation! 

-Abby