This blog is intended to report on and facilitate efforts by smart pebbles to self-organize to create an avalanche by emphasizing grass-roots local action to coordinate and cooperate with state and federal level action rather than rely on state and federal action.
For example, using LED holiday lighting rather than incandescent holiday lighting is win-win scenario, however persuading people and communities to make that change often requires making direct local contact. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (LED lighting is even better) and cool (light colored) roofing materials are additional examples.
My intention is to initiate conversations with the various units of local government that operate in my immediate region in the western suburbs of Chicago and to encourage others to initiate such conversations with their own local governments. There is more . . .
For example, I recently contacted my local school district after learning that the roofs on numerous local schools are in need of replacement. I wrote to encourage the District to use light colored roofing materials and in response received a gracious reply explaining how washed river rock offered a viable accommodation of light roof concerns.
http://www.eco-structure.com/docs/archives%202008/eco_june08/eco_june08_coolroofing.pdf
On the subject to LED holiday lights, I intend to contact local communities and Chamber of Commerce groups concerning their holiday lights community recognition programs for the 2010 holiday season. It is too late to expect transitions to LED lighting in 2009, however in 2010 I can encourage special awards for all LED displays and by 2011 begin to discourage recognition programs that do not use LED lighting.
Spring 2009 offers a unique opportunity in Illinois due to the consolidated municipal elections that are held state wide to elect Village boards, School boards, Mayors and so on. I intend to contact candidates in as many nearby communities as possible to encourage those candidates to incorporate energy smart policies into their platforms for local government and to seek coverage by local media concerning the question being asked and the answers given by these various candidates.
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