College students join together to reduce pollution
Loren McFalls
Issue date: 5/8/09 Section: News
Each time a Pennsylvania resident turns on a light switch, an electric current is streamed from a fossil fuel-burning power plant, which pours carbon and other pollutants into the atmosphere.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania is responsible for 1 percent of the world's total global warming pollution. Students from nearly 400 universities and colleges across the state have the opportunity to change this trend through the PowerMinders organization.
Bob Fiori, a member of the PowerMinders Advisory Board, said PowerMinders has students participating from Temple, Drexel, University of Pennsylvania, Cabrini, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, West Chester State University and Penn State.
College students in the PowerMinders program are known as ambassadors. The students identify where energy can be saved in the homes of their family and friends through free energy assessments.
The PowerMinders Web site points out that college students who join PowerMinders are offered exposure to energy-related companies, public relations and press in their home communities, and important resume-building skills such as sales, teamwork and self-motivation.
Fiori said the program can be a huge success because ambassadors are able to reach out in their own communities.
"Each student's base of relatives and neighbors is a very quick way to get energy education and energy efficiency work done in millions of homes. College students have special relationships with their relatives and communities," Fiori said. "We aren't just getting the energy efficiency message across to homeowners…we are preparing the next generation of green industry leaders."
According to his Web site, President Barack Obama plans to expand AmeriCorps and create a clean energy division. Fiori said PowerMinders could potentially become a national model for the clean energy corps outlined in Obama's Americorps expansion plan.
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania is responsible for 1 percent of the world's total global warming pollution. Students from nearly 400 universities and colleges across the state have the opportunity to change this trend through the PowerMinders organization.
Bob Fiori, a member of the PowerMinders Advisory Board, said PowerMinders has students participating from Temple, Drexel, University of Pennsylvania, Cabrini, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, West Chester State University and Penn State.
College students in the PowerMinders program are known as ambassadors. The students identify where energy can be saved in the homes of their family and friends through free energy assessments.
The PowerMinders Web site points out that college students who join PowerMinders are offered exposure to energy-related companies, public relations and press in their home communities, and important resume-building skills such as sales, teamwork and self-motivation.
Fiori said the program can be a huge success because ambassadors are able to reach out in their own communities.
"Each student's base of relatives and neighbors is a very quick way to get energy education and energy efficiency work done in millions of homes. College students have special relationships with their relatives and communities," Fiori said. "We aren't just getting the energy efficiency message across to homeowners…we are preparing the next generation of green industry leaders."
According to his Web site, President Barack Obama plans to expand AmeriCorps and create a clean energy division. Fiori said PowerMinders could potentially become a national model for the clean energy corps outlined in Obama's Americorps expansion plan.
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