Envirowatts*

Renewable energy is available even if you don’t have your own renewable energy source like solar panels. Fifteen of Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives offer their owner-members the opportunity to support solar, wind, biomass, and hydro electric energy sources by simply participating in the envirowatts program.

The envirowatts program allows owner-members to buy renewable energy in $2.75 portions with no maximum. The program also allows you to choose which energy source you want to support, or you can buy portions of each. It’s up to you.

By using envirowatts, you can offset your carbon footprint by thousands of pounds each month. For example, just one $2.75 portion of wind-created energy purchased through envirowatts offsets nearly 5,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. That’s the equivalent of removing emissions from 253 gallons of gasoline or the greenhouse gas emissions from 5,595 miles per year driven by an average passenger vehicle.

Signing up for envirowatts is simple. Just go to envirowattsky.com and sign up. While you’re there, you can learn more about what Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are doing to offer owner-members sustainable, affordable energy, and what options they have for going green. You can learn more about renewable energy resources, where the power comes from and how it’s made.

By using the envirowatts program, you can offset your carbon footprint affordably each month. It’s quick and simple way to give back to the environment.

*Sponsored by Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

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Cooperative Solar Farm One*

Homeowners and business owners who have sustainability goals to lower their carbon footprint or want to save money on their monthly energy bills have been Investing in solar energy for years. Solar is a clean, affordable way to produce energy using only the power of the sun.

Putting a solar array on a home or business can be challenging or impossible for many. For renters, or those whose homes aren’t suitable for solar panels, it’s not an option. The maintenance of the solar panels and associated equipment may also discourage someone from going solar.

But Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives has another option for its members. A sixty-acre solar array, Cooperative Solar Farm One, located just east of Lexington, provides the opportunity for any member who wants to offset their carbon footprint and lower their energy bill to invest in solar energy without having to put panels on their home or business.

Guy Huelat knew Cooperative Solar One was a good investment when he looked into using solar to offset his energy bill. He and his wife Debbi licensed 77 panels.

“The idea of someone else maintaining it was very attractive to us,” said Huelat. “This is much more efficient than everyone trying to figure this out on their own.”

The Huelats were concerned that the solar panels wouldn’t match the aesthetic of their home and property. Cooperative Solar Farm One was an attractive option because it made getting access to solar energy easy, without the hassle of putting the panels on their home.

“We have good friends in Florida, and about every seventh house has solar panels on the roof,” he said. “The reason is that it’s not offered by their electric company. The consumer is going to do this. This is proof that co-ops can be more competitive than other power companies.”

Huelat estimates that the panels will pay for themselves within 15 years, and said one of his concerns when he considered solar was the cost of fossil fuel energy will eventually go up.

Cooperative Solar Farm One has about 32,000 panels which make enough electricity to power about 1,000 homes.

For a one-time payment of $460 per panel, participating members will receive a 25-year license to one of the panels. That means they will get credit on their monthly power bill for their proportional share of the energy generated by the solar farm, as well as the market value of their panel’s capacity. And they can monitor panel performance online.

*Sponsored by Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

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Who Powers You (and your community)?*

Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives’ Who Powers You contest is back for 2023, and now is the time to think about who powers your community. You can nominate someone who plays a vital role in your community by going to http://www.whopowersyouky.com/.

If you know of someone who’s making a positive impact on the environment in their community, nominate them for Who Powers You. If someone you know is modeling positive environmental behavior such as organizing cleanups, planting trees or working to make their community a nicer, more beautiful place to live, they could be rewarded for their efforts.

Nominees are eligible to win cash prizes – $1,000 for the winner, $750 second and $250 for third place.

The #WhoPowersYou contest in which we invite the public to submit photos and stories about co-op members who are making a positive impact in their co-op community.

The 2022 winner and Owen Electric member David Lilly was nominated for his extensive volunteerism to help those who are less fortunate in his community. Lilly is the board chair for Meeting the Needs Ministry, a non-profit in Owen County that serves disadvantaged youth and seniors. “David Lilly might just be the busiest guy there is,” said Whitney Duvall, who nominated Lilly for the award. A retiree, Lilly volunteers his time and energy to collect food, hygiene products and commodities for people and families in need in the Owenton area, a place where the need is great. “The ultimate goal of the program is to make sure nobody goes hungry,” Lilly said.

The contest was created to reward and support co-op members who are making a difference in the communities served by Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Co-ops serve more than 1.1 million people in 89 counties.

To make a nomination, go to www.whopowersyouky.com. You’ll simply share a photo of the nominee and a brief description of how he or she makes a difference in the community.

Nominees must also be at least 18 years old, a member of Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives (see website for complete list of co-ops) and a U.S. citizen or permanent legal resident.

The contest begins Oct. 1, 2023 and ends Oct. 31. Winners will be selected by a panel of out-of-state judges.

*Sponsored by Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

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Energy Efficiency Programs

Whether it’s keeping more of the hot or cold air out, or keeping more of the comfortable temps in, one of the easiest ways to save money on your electric bill each month is by using less energy. And Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have energy efficiency programs that can help.

Major upgrades to your home aren’t necessary to improve your energy use, lower your energy bills and help the environment along the way. Small, often inexpensive energy-saving upgrades can lower your monthly energy usage.

There are also rebates available for doing a few money-saving “button ups” to your home, including sealing air leaks from your home and sealing your ductwork, if you meet certain criteria. It’s an inexpensive way to participate in an energy-saving program, while saving money on your energy bill.

Another program which offers a significant rebate is the heat pump retrofit. By installing an ENERGY STAR-rated 15 SEER 8.5 HSPF heat pump, and replacing older, inefficient heating sources, you could receive up to a $750 rebate. There are smaller rebates for heat pumps that meet minimum standards as well. Not only will the heat pump save you money over the long term, you’ll get a rebate just for installing it.

If you’re buying a new manufactured home, you can get up to a $750 rebate for installing the ENERGY STAR heat pump, or smaller rebates for other types of energy-efficient heating systems. Same goes for new home construction. Combine the efficiency of electric heating and cooling with high insulation standards when building a new home, and you have the basis for the Touchstone Energy Home. By meeting minimum Home Energy Rating System (HERS) standards, you’ll save money and lower your energy usage over the lifetime of owning that home.

The SimpleSaver program is another way that we are working to keep your electricity affordable. Your participating co-op will pay you up to $20 per year for each central air conditioner you enroll into the program for as long as you remain in the program.

The program helps you limit your electric use at peak times during the summer and winter. Managing peak load also decreases Kentucky’s carbon footprint and gives all of us more time to explore affordable sources of renewable energy. Plus, that smart thermostat may earn you a $100 rebate.

Learn more at www.simplesaver.coop.

 

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Education Spotlight: Watershed Education in the Bluegrass

Community Watershed Education programs are something Bluegrass Greensource (BGGS) knows how to implement. We work with many communities throughout Central Kentucky to teach youth and adult programs about the importance of good water quality. For the past few years, BGGS has worked on a youth watershed education program with an artistic outcome. Through our partnerships with the Friends of Stoner Creek and the Kentucky Division of Water, Bourbon County students participated in watershed-based environmental education throughout the year. Then they depicted their knowledge of our creeks and streams by creating watershed art for the Friends of Stoner Creek Art Competition. The lessons focused on water quality, riparian buffers, and aquatic habitats. The top three winners received a cash prize and free passes to attend the Annual Friends of Stoner Creek picnic in August. The top three Winners are as follows:

1st Place – Laney W.

Bourbon County Middle School

2nd Place – Brynlea C.

Bourbon Christian Academy

3rd Place – Carly P.

Bourbon Christian Academy

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Education Spotlight: Mary G. Hogsett Wins Green Ribbon Schools Award

We are thrilled to spotlight Mary G. Hogsett Primary School this month! They recently were recognized as one of the 2023 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees for their work to reduce campus impacts, improve health and wellness, and integrate environmental education! Hogsett’s primary students are immersed in thematic units on birds and trees, monitor trees, and bluebird boxes they have adopted on the school grounds. In their monthly lessons with Bluegrass Greensource, they’ve also been learning about water and water quality. This week, they planted hundreds of native plants along a stormwater drainage area in front of their school with their families.

Read more about their Green Ribbon award »

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Get ready for Lexington Water Week – March 18-25 with Our Resource Library!

Lexington Water Week is right around the corner and we have an entire Resource Library available for checkout so you can bring water education to your classroom or home! With over 90,000 miles of surface rivers and streams in Kentucky, there is so much to learn about our water systems, the importance of those systems in supplying our communities with a healthy water supply, and how to ensure those sources stay protected – that’s where our Resource Library comes in.

We house a free library of classroom materials, books, and other resources available for teachers and community members to check out. Resources may be checked out for a maximum of two weeks and can be picked up from/dropped off at our offices Monday-Friday 9am-4pm by appointment. Here are just a few of the items in our library that you can check out specifically for water education:

  • Preserved macroinvertebrate specimens, including a crayfish, dragonfly larvae, and leech! This kit also includes ID keys for macroinvertebrates.
  • Kit for a stream study, including flashcards for identification of salamanders, frogs and toads, macroinvertebrates, and turtles. The stream walk kit also includes 5 small nets, bug viewers, a turbidity tube, books and more.
  • Classroom set of mini stream table kits for experimenting with and observing erosion.
  • Book sets on Wetlands and Aquatic Systems
  • Incredible Journey (Learning activity that explores the movement of water through the natural water cycle.)
  • …and MORE!

Save the date for Lexington Water Week March 18-25 and make sure to contact info@bggreensource.org for additional information or click here to reserve materials.

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Creating Environmental Solutions Using STEM

Students at Garrard County Middle School have been studying the problem of floating plastic litter getting into our water.  The force of gravity and flowing stormwater can pull pollution, like litter, into our local waterways. The debris follows the path of the creeks and rivers and eventually empties into the ocean. Our educator, Kara Sayles, provided lessons to help students understand the detrimental effects littering can have on aquatic habitats and water quality and then posed the question, “How do we remove this litter from the water?”

Using the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Concepts, the students created a device to clean the floating plastic litter out of the water. In this process, students identified a need, researched the problem, imagined solutions, planned by selecting a promising solution, created a prototype, tested the process, and improved their designs. They used critical thinking and built their teamwork skills while developing solutions.

Students studied litter-trapping devices that are in use today before creating their models. They enjoyed making a prototype, but the real excitement was counting how many pieces of litter their device could retrieve from the water. It was a wonderful learning experience for all!

This activity is part of Bluegrass Greensource’s Water/Litter Abatement Environmental Education Program for Middle School. To learn more, visit bggreensource.org/prek-12-education/.

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Saving Energy and Saving Money with Co-ops

The following article is sponsored content by Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives.

Whether it’s keeping more of the hot or cold air out, or keeping more of the comfortable temps in, one of the easiest ways to save money on your electric bill each month is by using less energy.

And Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have energy efficiency programs that can help.

Major upgrades to your home aren’t necessary to improve your energy use, lower your energy bills and help the environment along the way. Small, often inexpensive energy-saving upgrades can lower your monthly energy usage.

There are also rebates available for doing a few money-saving “button ups” to your home, including sealing air leaks from your home and sealing your ductwork, if you meet certain criteria. It’s an inexpensive way to participate in an energy-saving program, while saving money on your energy bill.

Another program which offers a significant rebate is the heat pump retrofit. By installing an ENERGY STAR-rated 15 SEER 8.5 HSPF heat pump, and replacing older, inefficient heating sources, you could receive up to a $750 rebate. There are smaller rebates for heat pumps that meet minimum standards as well. Not only will the heat pump save you money over the long term, you’ll get a rebate just for installing it.

If you’re buying a new manufactured home, you can get up to a $750 rebate for installing the ENERGY STAR heat pump, or smaller rebates for other types of energy-efficient heating systems. Same goes for new home construction. Combine the efficiency of electric heating and cooling with high insulation standards when building a new home, and you have the basis for the Touchstone Energy Home. By meeting minimum Home Energy Rating System (HERS) standards, you’ll save money and lower your energy usage over the lifetime of owning that home.

The SimpleSaver program is another way that we are working to keep your electricity affordable. Your participating co-op will pay you up to $20 per year for each central air conditioner you enroll into the program for as long as you remain in the program.

The program helps you limit your electric use at peak times during the summer and winter. Managing peak load also decreases Kentucky’s carbon footprint and gives all of us more time to explore affordable sources of renewable energy. Plus, that smart thermostat may earn you a $100 rebate. Learn more at www.simplesaver.coop.

You can find many energy-saving tips on www.Togetherwesaveky.com.

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Staff Spotlight: Staff Members Recognized for Their Achievements

Rachel Patton, Environmental Educator

2022 M.K. Dickerson Outstanding Educator Award

Since beginning at BGGS, Rachel has developed a robust preschool education program. First through the development of the Junior Nature Program (JNE) and then expanded with the development of the Junior Energy Explorers Program (JEE). This past year, across Central Kentucky Rachel led education in 41 preschool classrooms for JNE and worked with 27 preschool classrooms and led six energy labs for caregivers and preschool students for JEE. This honor is well deserved and we are so proud to have her as a part of our team!

Chris Howard, Watershed Coordinator

Appointed Member of the Kentucky Agriculture Water Quality Authority

Since joining the BGGS team last November as our Watershed Coordinator, Chris has worked diligently to further water quality education and improvement within our service region. He has hosted public workshops and implemented private and public projects such as riparian buffer plantings, septic system repairs, and rain garden plantings. In addition to these programs, Chris has worked to host field days for community education and continued to build partnerships for future water quality improvement projects. As representative for Environmental Groups At Large on the commission, his role is to represent the interest of environmental organizations in the Bluegrass. We’re so proud of Chris and all he has accomplished and look forward to seeing him grow our water quality programming even further!
UPDATE: Chris was also recently commissioned a Kentucky Colonel! More on that later…

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