Rochester-area communities challenged to reduce their energy use

Daily Record (Rochester, NY), Oct 2, 2008 by Elizabeth Stull

The turnout has been a little disappointing so far, but organizers remain optimistic that the "Low Carbon Diet Challenge" will take off in Rochester and on the region's college campuses.

Based on David Gershon's book "Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds," the challenge aims to bring residents together around a shared goal of reducing carbon emissions to improve the environment.

Households are responsible for more than 50 percent of a community's carbon emissions, said event organizer Jennifer Ahrens, of the Color Brighton Green taskforce.

Workshops are being held throughout the area to support participants who volunteer to reduce energy use. The challenge encourages friendly competition among communities, and the best carbon reducers will receive an award from Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy on Nov. 18.

More than 60 people have signed up to participate in the environmental workshops, according to event organizer Linda Isaacson Fedele, of Perinton. Although initial programs in Greece, Irondequoit and Perinton drew fewer than 20 participants, dozens signed up to attend Wednesday night's program at Rochester Institute of Technology.

RIT also will adapt the challenge for the campus community, organizers said.

Duffy said he will be reading Gershon's book at home. The City of Rochester is distributing the book for free to the first 100 workshop registrants in Rochester.

Scottsville Mayor Michael Souers said he plans to read the book and his village also will provide free copies to participating village employees.

The book also is available at the library and from the Sierra Club for $12.

The Sierra Club's Rochester chapter sought to bring the "Low Carbon Diet" to the area for the past few years; an initiative by the Green Brighton Taskforce served as the catalyst. A Brighton book discussion dubbed the "Climate Change Cafe," held in March, drew about 40 participants from as far away as Ithaca.

"The program is sort of intended to develop a sense of community. We're trying to build the team spirit and a little bit of friendly competition between the teams," said workshop facilitator Keri Kaminsky, of Greece. "We're trying to develop almost a support group atmosphere for participants."

Souers said the town, village and school are jointly hosting the event. Asked what impact it will have on the community, the self- employed cabinetmaker was cautious: "Let's look at it as a seed that we're planting."

"We're gonna continue to build on this, and make people aware of what they can be doing," he said.

The challenge can help homeowners to reduce costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions, according to Kaminsky, who said she has saved about $50 a month on utilities since making her home more environmentally-friendly.

"It sort of ranges from simple or easier things, like making sure everything's shut off, to washing clothes in cold water, and then, gradually, as it came time to replace things, keeping in mind the energy use," Kaminsky said.

Gershon's book offers two dozen suggestions for reducing a carbon footprint. Fedele said it's possible for a household to save $522 annually by adopting all of the actions in the book.

"Most people don't think that there's anything that they can do, and this program really shows that there's a lot that we can do, that people can make a difference," Fedele said.

Brighton, Rochester and Scottsville each will hold their initial workshops next week. More information is available from the Sierra Club's Rochester Chapter, (585) 234-1056 or lowcarbondietchallenge@hotmail .com.