POWERMINDERS ADDRESES STUDENTS AT PENN STATE ON ENERGY SAVING EFFORTS

PowerMinders will address 650 students and faculty from 10 colleges and universities on October 24th and 25th in State College, Pa. on how they can get involved in helping Pennsylvania residents save energy now and reduce the state’s carbon footprint.

Dedicated to uniting college students in energy efficiency efforts on behalf of Pennsylvania residents, PowerMinders has been working with other “green energy” organizations for the past year to prepare the way for Act 129, which mandates that the state’s major energy companies reduce their customers’ power demand and consumption by 3 percent by 2013.

“Organizations like Keystone Environmental Youth Coalition, Eco-Action, and 3E CoE, also will be here and it’s gong to be a fun weekend,” said Derek Luke of Penn State University's Eco-Action Club.
According to Quincey Xavier, PowerMinders’ newly appointed Director of Program Development, “PowerMinders does not take a lobbying role, but a 'what can be done now' role' in assisting the state’s power companies achieve their goals under Act 129.”

While the energy companies’ plans are being approved by the Public Utility Commission, PowerMinders continues enrolling students throughout the state to help in energy reduction efforts. They are now creating divisions of students that can give away bulbs in low income neighborhoods to more highly trained students who can perform more sophisticated tasks.

"While working toward specific goals and programs, our students are preparing themselves for green-related jobs in Pennsylvania”, said Bob Fiori PowerMinders founder. He noted that there are more than 580,000 undergrads in Pennsylvania and PowerMinders' goal is to engage several thousand students in helping residents save on their energy costs while reducing the state's carbon footprint.
By replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights, conducting in-home energy surveys and installing energy savings products that immediately impact energy consumption, PowerMinders will provide significant savings for Pennsylvania homeowners.

"Next month we launch our 'Give Energy Back to your High School Alma Mater' program, where we begin scheduling college students to visit their former high school in an assembly and give students the tools necessary to impact their family's energy usage immediately" Fiori said. "We believe the tools and presentation material we'll provide will have a big impact on high school students, and they'll listen intently to a recent graduate of their high school who is doing good things for their community."