FAQ'S about the Lyons Green Heart Community Initiative

 

What is the Lyons Green Heart Community Initiative?

The Lyons Green Heart Community Initiative educates homeowners to take actions that reduce their environmental impact and improve their overall quality of life. Local neighborhood volunteers or Green Heart Institute staff will conduct in-home Eco Audits for community residents to analyze how their home is using energy, where they are spending money, and what their carbon footprint is. A customized plan is then created that helps homeowners find their best solutions for conserving energy, saving money and reducing emissions.
 
 
 

Every home will also be automatically enrolled in a mentorship and tracking program for twelve months. Participants will receive a monthly newsletter with additional tips about sustainability and they will also submit their current energy usage online each month so that they can track their improvements as they make changes. "Greener" ideas are offered in areas of transportation, home energy, food, and health/wellbeing. Everyone's results will be anonymously posted on a customized Lyons website where members of the community can monitor the groups' progress.

After three months of participation each of the 300 families will be eligible for a $300 Energy Conservation Incentive (ECI), which can be used on resources that will help them reduce their impact including, for example: compact fluorescent bulbs, weatherization materials, or a more energy efficient refrigerator.

Monthly education events for all residents will be held which will address such topics as alternative transportation, permaculture, renewable energy, voluntary simplicity, and more. We'll be seeking local experts to help facilitate these classes and developing partnerships with the schools, town administration, businesses, and community organizations to increase the effectiveness of the program and build a sustainable future for area residents.

 

What will the final outcome be?

Our objective is to promote sustainability and strengthen the Lyons community by building an inspired and connected network of educated neighbors who reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 25% or more. This lofty goal will be obtained through conservation, efficiency and renewable energy. This program will also enable Lyons residents to develop additional resources and skills that can assist the town in meeting its own long-term environmental goals.

 

How long will this all take?

Each home will be involved for twelve months and our entire Lyons Green Heart Community Initiative will be completed within three years. However, ongoing projects generated through the community's input will continue long after our program is complete.

 

Will there be opportunities for area residents to get involved?

Our Green Heart Community Initiatives are specifically designed to involve residents in all aspects of the process so that they have ownership of the project and can personalize the outcomes. We do this by training local volunteers, encouraging homeowners, offering educational programs, working with neighborhood experts, connecting people with area resources, and collaborating with community groups.
 
 

Whether people are just beginning to get curious about these ideas or have been living them for a lifetime there are opportunities to participate and help out. The real success and heart of a Community Initiative are the local folks who shape it and give it its life and momentum. The following volunteer opportunities exist at this time:


  • Lyons Green Heart Community Council: This is a group of people from the community who are passionate about these issues and interested in helping develop a long-term vision and strategy for sustainability in the greater Lyons area.
  • Eco Auditors: These individuals receive training that enables them to conduct Eco Audits for their neighbors and provide information that helps them save money and reduce their overall environmental impact.
  • Homeowner Participants: These folks receive a free Eco Audit from a community volunteer or Institute staff member, earn a $300 Energy Conservation Incentive, and become enrolled in an ongoing tracking and mentorship program.
  • General Volunteers: These are people who really want to help out but either don't feel they fit into one of the above categories or have more to offer than what's already listed. We'll be looking for help running our monthly educational events, getting the word out, creating flyers, and working on special projects throughout the year.

 

Over the next few years we'll be on the lookout for people who are motivated to start making changes and are willing to commit some time and energy to either volunteering and/or participating in the program. Interested individuals or organizations should contact Jennifer White, co-founder of the Green Heart Institute, Lyons resident, and Community Initiative project manager at (303) 747-6325 or by email.

 

What makes this program unique?

We have a holistic view of sustainability, which takes into consideration all of the various aspects of our lives that we're always trying to balance. A happy and healthy life (and community) requires more than just environmental sustainability; it also includes financial, emotional, social, spiritual and physical sustainability too. Our programs are designed to be fun and meaningful for people, as well as be effective. And we encourage people to be non-judgmental of themselves and others as they do this, and concentrate on positive action rather than focusing on the gloom and doom.
 
 
 

The measurement software that's been developed for the Eco Audit and online tracking program is also unique because it integrates a prior year's worth of real data with actual ongoing usage. The system keeps track of the changes people make and the effect those have on cost-savings and greenhouse gas emissions. Our educational programs are also geared towards helping people make sustainable behavior change that takes into consideration the "big picture" of their lives.

 

Still have questions? Contact Betsy Burton by email or at (303) 823-5839.