Civic engagement, Consciousness, and Concern are the main components that will help drive us to be more aware of our energy usage in our communities. With Energy and Utilities being at the forefront of our society – there is a need for a commitment to being more involved in making our world a better place. From the heat that warms our offices to the solar panels that light homes across the world – Energy is vital to everyone’s everyday life.
With October being Energy Awareness Month, there is a special emphasis on advocacy and spreading knowledge about the source that is at the center of our world. Although the Energy Industry is the core of our Earth – there are some perspectives that help shape the dynamic of the renewable energy industry. Policy & Justice, Community Involvement and Communications & Awareness are pivotal sectors of this industry that help continue to drive efforts. Ahead of diving into the different constituents – it’s important to understand what renewable energy is and how it influences your life. Renewable energy is naturally replenishing energy sources that are inexhaustible. These sources include Biomass, Hydropower, Wind, Solar, and Geothermal. With the help of these resources – societies are able to light homes, produce gas for transportation and provide water. Some commonly used renewable energy sources include biomass (gasoline) and hydropower (electricity.) Now that there is a foundation of the importance of renewable energy sources – let’s take a closer look at the various commitments that help continue to drive the importance of this industry.
Policy and Justice is necessary within any sector of our society. However, it has not always been at the forefront of our minds when it comes to renewable energy or even climate change. However with more acknowledgement of the impact our ever changing world has influenced our environment – there is a need to be more involved in creating guidelines to better influence our world. “Change at scale requires government action” says Theodara Quarles, Founder & Ceo of Ecohealth Strategies. Theordara’s mission is to foster action by raising urgent awareness for environmental stewardship in the age of the existential threats of environmental pollution and the climate crisis. Ecohealth Strategies aims to create change at a local, state, and federal level by developing and implementing policy strategies for relevant stakeholders. With her background in Energy Efficiency and Climate & Environmental Justice – Theordara emphasizes the importance of civic engagement in your community. “Residents can work to hold elected officials accountable but also participate in budgetary discussions and allocations to ensure that political action is being taken to safeguard their homes, businesses, and communities.” Although it may seem time consuming to be involved in local government, others stress the importance of being conscious of our efforts.
Our consciousness is vital to understanding the importance of renewable energy. There has to be a commitment to learning the industry and how small changes can influence grand gestures.
But how can one gain this knowledge within their communities? Your utility company is a great source of information and can help with basic understanding of renewable energy and best practices. “Call your utility company.” says Chanda Rowan – Manager of Customer Engagement for Nicor Gas. In her role – she is responsible for Marketing & Communication efforts for Nicor Gas Energy that help with brand awareness initiatives. With more than 15 years of experience within the Utility industry – Chanda’s driving force is helping customers gain knowledge and change their lifestyle to make our environments and wallets more efficient. With campaigns, events, and other initiatives, Chanda has managed to help transform the lives of many by providing knowledge on how to be more energy efficient with the help of your local utility company. “Helping customers understand that they can save money at home by doing simple things. Not about just replacing one piece of equipment, but it’s really about your lifestyle”. Although information is always a good asset – concerned individuals are the ones who are also helping push the needle for renewable energy.
Being concerned about our environment can manifest within several different spaces but those who fully pursue careers to use their skills for the betterment of our society are key to helping push the needle. At the core – it’s important to CARE about our environment and be CONCERNED about our lives – that’s what activates change. Kelly Mulder speaks to us on the importance of growing with this industry and wanting to be at the forefront of change. With her experience at multiple firms within this space – She has now transitioned to CEO of Mulder Consulting that provides marketing efforts to utility companies. Although her work has roots within this space – she continues her work by being a part of committees within her local community to continue the work that is long from done. “But my goal has always been to do good in the world,” says Kelly. With her concern for the environment she has managed to help several companies and participate in multiple community engagements to help.
Thoughtful leaders like Chanda, Kelly & Theodora have been instrumental in creating a future for our society. With renewable energy being such a vital part of our everyday lives – we know that the commitment must continue to grow to help preserve the environment and work towards a more clean and sustainable future. Learning from thoughtful leaders is the first step to taking action. Although October is Energy Awareness Month – let’s take the commitment to make everyday a conscious choice to recognize the importance of energy, energy efficiency and creating a sustainable world as our agency is serving a the only African -American and women led agency in marketing and outreach in the Midwest for utlity and energy companies.
Sources
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources/
