Corvallis has made it to the quarterfinals for the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a $5 million incentive to reduce energy consumption. Now that we’ve made it this far, we need everyone’s help to save more energy than the 49 other American cities in the competition.The winning city will be judged based on reductions in energy use, innovation of approach, quality of community outreach, sustainability, and replicability.
The Corvallis application was submitted in June, including letters of support from numerous local businesses and non-profits, Mayor Julie Manning, the Corvallis City Council, and all three utilities: Pacific Power, Consumers Power and Northwest Natural.
Members of the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition’s Energy Action Team (EAT) and Energize Corvallis – a project of the Corvallis Environmental Center – spent months assembling the town’s application. The $5 million GUEP prize will be awarded to the community that reduces its residential and municipal use of metered electricity and natural gas more than any other contest entrant.
The goals of the GUEP are to foster innovative approaches to energy efficiency, educate the public and engage students in energy issues, and to grow markets for products & services that facilitate energy efficiency.
The final stage of the two-year competition began on January 1st, and now it’s time for us to put our best foot forward to help make Corvallis a national leader in sustainability! Together with help from volunteers, the City, and community, Corvallis will have a good chance of becoming a finalist.
Learn how you can reduce your energy consumption here, and visit the Energize Corvallis website to sign up for some energy-saving actions that will improve efficiency in your home as well as the community.
Visit the Georgetown University Energy Prize website for more information about the contest and find out more about Corvallis’ entry in the Georgetown University Energy Prize here.
CATEGORIES: Community Sustainability Energy