Track 1: How To Go Green

Sustainability Doesn’t Mean Going Without ~ It Means, Wasting Less

April 20, 2009Holly Blake

Great River Energy

What to cover?

• Quickly ~ who is Great River Energy?

• What did we do that’s worth talking about?

• Why did we do this?

• What does this have to do with marketing?

• What could you take action on next?

Quickly ~ who is Great River Energy?

Second largest wholesale electric power supplier in the state and the fifth largest generation and transmission (G&T) cooperative in the U.S.

Serve 28 retail distribution cooperatives across Minnesota; 1.7 million end-use members

Headquartered in Elk River, MN until April, 2008

Who is Great River Energy? (continued)

Great River Energy

Member Cooperatives• Connexus• Dakota Electric• Wright Hennepin• Minnesota Valley• + 24 More!

What Did We Do?

We’ve been practicing sustainability for a while…

What did we do? (continued)

• We had a vision…to Lead by Example Move Towards Sustainability ~ Triple-Bottom Line

(Competitive Rates, Reliable Service and Environmental Stewardship)

Achieve LEED Platinum Certification Use building as showcase for energy efficiency

What did we do? (continued)

April, 2008 the vision became reality ~ company HQ moved to Maple Grove, Minnesota

First in Minnesota to earn

Platinum, highest LEED level through the U.S. Green Building Counsel

What Did We Do? (continued)

• Videos | Minnesota Brighter Ideas

What Did We Do? (continued)

• Quick Quiz:Q: In our sustainable building, what does it mean to go Up for #1

and Down for #2?A: Dual flush toilets!Q: What’s the best way to get rid of geese who are feeding on

indigenous landscaping and leaving gifts?A: Hire border collies to herd them – the geese don’t like

them at all!Q: What was the funniest thing that happened at our Grand

Opening on Earth Day?1. Someone ended up in our lobby pond, up to their ankles2. The elevator got stuck full of people3. It was a beautiful calm spring day and people were asking

why our wind turbine wasn’t “running” – no wind!4. Both 1 and 35. Both 1 and 26. All of the above

A. #5, Both 1 and 2!!

Why did we do this?

Lead By Example:Illustrates company’s commitment to energy efficiency and conservation

Energy conservation is the least cost resource alternative available to Great River Energy and our members

Energy conservation should be our first fuelWe need to better equip our members with conservation tools, programs, strategies and support

Great River Energy and our members will be considered as leaders in energy conservation

We are NOT going without, we are wasting less…

How can we ask others to conserve and be efficient if we aren’t doing it

ourselves?

What does this have to do with marketing?

As a marketing team we’ve been asked to:

Sell less of our product

Give people money for consuming less of our product

Track and measure how much people don’t use our product

PAWLENTY SIGNS NEXT GENERATION ENERGY ACT -- May 25, 2007Electric companies must reduce their energy consumption

by 1.5% in the year 2010 and every year thereafter.

What does this have to do with Marketing? (continued)

• Research Our members want to do good for the

environment, but not at a cost to them Our members want to do good for the

environment for future generations Our members are worried about future

electrical rates rising

What does this have to do with Marketing? (continued)

• Residential Lighting Appliances Phantom Load

What does this have to do with Marketing? (continued)

What does this have to do with Marketing? (continued)

What does this have to do with Marketing? (continued)

What could you take action on next?

• Reduce Phantom Load ~ Products use 40 percent of "on" power: VCRs, TVs, CD players, cell phone and battery chargers, microwave ovens and coffee makers

• Turn It Off ~ TVs alone account for four to five percent of the nation's annual residential electricity consumption, and plasma TVs can use as much electricity as a refrigerator in a year

• Shower Power ~ Use a low flow showerhead

• Set It And Forget It ~ Programmable thermostat. For every eight hours that you roll back one degree F, you'll save one percent on your energy bill

• Get an AC Tune-up ~ If your unit is more than 15 years old, then it may be time for a new one. Look for ACs with a SEER rating of 13 or greater and arrange for proper installation to maximize energy efficiency

• Get a Smarter Bulb ~ Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use 75 percent less energy than regular bulbs, last 10 times as long and generate 70 percent less heat

What could you take action on next? (continued)

• Make Your Holidays Brighter ~ Decorate with LED (Light Emitting Diodes) lights this holiday season and you'll use only one percent of the energy that was required for your old, standard string of bulbs

• Run The Numbers ~ Invite an energy assessor to evaluate the efficiency of your home. Services are offered by most energy companies as well as the Minnesota Building Performance Association and Community Action Partnerships

• Be an ENERGY STAR ~ When you buy new appliances and electronics, look for the ENERGY STAR logo

Visit www.MNBrighterideas.com

for more tips and tricks!

Key Takeaways

• Waste Less…take baby steps

• Visit mnbrighterideas.com for energy efficiency tips

• Come in for a tour – jzierke@GREnergy.com

• My slides will be on www.slideshare.net