"Save Green by Going Green"
Golden Results is a student organization working with West Lafatette REMC's to help spread our knowledge and goals to help the environment. We are aiming to work with consumers to use less energy by doing little things like changing the standard halogen light bulb to a compact flourescent bulb.
Megan contributed greatly in the focus group survey which can be found on the focus study page. Ben produced the green bill and helped put together the works cited page. Erika did the literature review, the cheap and easy ways to do marketing, and the social aspect of marketing. Todd made the wix page and helped in the production of the video. Without the great teamwork of this group, this would not have been possible.
1. Does an REMC provide you with energy? 82% Yes 18% No 2. Are you aware of the benefits of using a Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb over a regular halogen or incandescent light bulb? 67% Yes 33% No 3. If given a coupon to buy Compact Florescent Light Bulbs (CFL), would you switch from using a regular halogen or incandescent light bulb to using a CFL? 58% Yes 33% No 9% Maybe 4. If you saw a comparison of your own energy bill with a “green bill” (a mock bill that would reflect lower prices due to switching to CFLs) would you be interested in switching to Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs? 98% Yes 2% No 5. On a scale from 1-10, with one being not very likely, and ten being very likely, how willing would you be to make small changes to save money on your energy bill?
6. 15% 7. 29% 8. 15% 9. 7% 10. 16%
1. 2% 2. 0% 3. 4% 4. 5% 5. 7%
We surveyed 50 Tippecanoe REMC users for the purpose of this survey.
Calculate your own potential savings here! Calculate your own potential savings here!
The top bill shows a balance of $127.50 while the bottom "Green Bill" shows a balance of $99.09!
According to our literature review, we found the following information pertaining to social marketing and how it can be used to persuade consumers to conserve energy. Campaigns are often issue specific, therefore to be effective; a campaign needs to be targeted to each situation. Education remains a crucial factor in any public program that deals with reducing energy use. BC Hydro, an Energy Company in Canada, ran a very successful energy conserving campaign. -The program offered coupons to their consumers for two free CFL light bulbs that were redeemable at participating retail outlets. - At the retail outlets were BC Hydro employees that provided consumers with information about CFL light bulbs, and answered any questions that they might have. - Resulting in 73% of BC Hydro customers now average 9 CFL light bulbs per household. BC Hydro Manager of Residential Marketing believes using incentives to conserve energy does two things: 1. It addresses any money obstacle that consumers might have. 2. Incentives gain attention to a campaign better than just a general awareness campaign.
After looking at the literature review and reviewing our survey results, Golden Results is going to focus on encouraging consumers to switch to CFL light bulbs instead of regular light bulbs. We feel that we can effectively campaign this idea to REMC consumers by drawing off some of the successful ideas that BC Hydro implemented. Our campaign will be centered around what is called a “green packet.” The "green packet" will be sent out to REMC consumers in the Tippecanoe county along with their regular electricity bill. The green packet will feature a “green bill.” The "green bill" will show a comparison of the consumer’s electric bill with a reduced electric bill that illustrates how much money could be saved on their electric bill by switching to CFL light bulbs.
The "green packet" will also have a grid of information to help educated consumers on simple and cost free ways to reduce energy use and while continuing to save money on their electric bill. The "green packet" will also contain information about the negative consequences the environment will face if consumers do not strive to conserve energy. Drawing off of the successful idea of the BC Hydro campaign, our "green packet" will also have coupons for two free CFL lights bulbs, redeemable through participating retailers in the Tippecanoe area. Golden Results feels that this campaign will be very successful and beneficial for all parties. It will be beneficial to consumers because it is educating while also helping them to save money. It is also a positive to the REMC because it is reducing energy use in Tippecanoe County, and, of course this change will definitely be good for the environment. We also feel that our campaign will encourage a change in social behavior because we have drawn off the information our group has retained from our literature review on how to successfully market conserving energy.
Here are some easy ways to conserve energy that require little installation at little costs, and will actually save you money!
Your Actions
Money Saved
Turn off appliances that are not in use. Put weather stripping around door frames. Lower your thermostat by a couple of degrees. Lower your water heater temperature. Wash cold and dry double.
Easy Ways to Conserve
This concept can save anywhere from $10 a month, to $50 dollars a month, depending on how many home appliances you have in your home. Saves around $30 dollars a year in energy costs. For every degree the temperature is lowered, you can expect a 5% decrease in your energy bill. Setting back the thermostat will save you 2% on the heating bill for every degree it is turned down. Each 10 degree reduction will save 3-5% on your energy bill. Assuming your home averages one load of laundry a day, by washing your clothes in cold water could save you $100 a year.
Check your favorite local store's ad for coupons, and great deals on CFL bulbs!
MORE WAYS TO SAVE. (2007, October). Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database. Clark, J. (2007, October). 29 WAYS to conserve & save. Kiplinger's Personal Finance, 61(10), 72-75. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database. (January 2008 ). Campaigns stimulate behavior change to conserve energy. Retrieved December 4, 2008, from Climate Change Control Web site: http://www.climatechangecentral.com/publications/c3-views/january-2008/campaigns-stimulate-behaviour-change-conserve-energy Corbin, Robert.2006. What is Global Warming? November 24, 2008, from http://www.climatecrisis.net/thescience/ "GO GREEN" image retrieved on November 23, 2008 from http://www.ifls.lib.wi.us/AboutIFLS/NewsFlashes/NewsFlashes05152008/tabid/489/Default.aspx Lighting Calculator from Tipmont REMC. Retrieved on November 25, 2008 from http://tipmont.apogee.net/homesuite/calcs/lightcalc/