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National Energy and Utility Affordability Conference
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Projects and Partnerships
Collaborating With Other Organizations
Drive $marter Challenge Campaign
In May 2008, the National Low Income Energy Consortium joined the Alliance to Save Energy and more than a dozen other public- and private-sector partners in launching the Drive $marter Challenge, a campaign to empower U.S. consumers to lower their gasoline use and costs.
A unique feature of the campaign’s interactive website, www.drivesmarterchallenge.org, is a calculator that takes information on the type of vehicle owned by the visitor and immediately calculates the potential money, gasoline and carbon dioxide emissions the visitor can expect from taking the recommended Drive $marter steps. To reward action, visitors committing to take the Challenge will receive a money-saving coupon redeemable at AutoZone.
The site also provides extensive web resources ranging from where to find the cheapest local gas to information on public transportation, biking, car sharing and carpooling. Additional campaign elements include English and Spanish radio public service advertisements and printed tip cards.
The
Cold Facts
Both versions of this report are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing. A free copy of the Adobe Acrobat Reader may be downloaded from the Adobe web site.
Working with
Local Communities
Each year's national conference is
developed with the assistance of a planning committee from the locale where the conference
is to take place. This helps ensure the conference agenda will address the low-income
energy issues of greatest importance to the local community. In recent years,
the NLIEC has
placed a greater emphasis in partnering with local organizations to assist them in
reducing energy hardships experienced by their low-income residents:
St. Louis
The NLIEC chose to measure the extent and determine the consequences of energy poverty in Missouri because the lessons learned there can be applied throughout the nation. The state has both urban and rural areas, and it has energy hardships from both cold winters and hot summers.
Among the study's key findings were that:
The complete report, titled Paid But Unaffordable: The Consequences of Energy Poverty in Missouri, was released in St. Louis at the NLIEC's 18th annual conference.
Pittsburgh
The NLIEC sponsored a fundraising event for the local fuel fund that raised over $15,000 for energy assistance. As a result of a dollar-for-dollar match by a local utility company, this endeavor resulted in over $30,000 in fuel assistance funds for low-income consumers in the Pittsburgh area.
Ohio
The NLIEC provided organizational development, training and technical support to community groups throughout the state, resulting in a statewide low-income energy collaborative called the Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy (OPAE). The OPAE provided strong representation of low-income energy interests during discussions of state legislation to deregulate the electric utility industry and was successful in getting electricity deregulation legislation enacted that provides substantial protections and financial support for Ohio's low-income consumers.
New Orleans
The NLIEC helped a local weatherization organization secure a donation of fiberglass insulation. It also fostered dialogue between grassroots organizations, local government and a utility provider, resulting in more open channels of communication and improved services for low-income residents.
Baltimore
NLIEC helped a budding, local nonprofit organization complete its first housing project, an energy-efficient row house, by assisting the group in locating donations of funding and materials. It also sponsored a small fundraising project for the local fuel fund.
Indianapolis
NLIEC launched a community education and information exchange project which, through a grant from the Indianapolis Foundation, provided scholarships to 30 local energy and housing organizations. National experts who spoke at NLIEC conference workshops, made site visits to the local organizations' housing/energy rehabilitation projects, providing advice and stirring local interest.
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National Low Income Energy Consortium
Headquarters: 6324 Beryl Road, Alexandria, VA 22312 Ÿ Phone 703-642-9070 Fax 703-916-7850 Conference Office: 226 Paul Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15211 Ÿ Phone 412-431-5087 Fax 412.431.5214 Ÿ conference@neuac.org © 2012, National Low Income Energy Consortium To make a tax-deductible donation to NLIEC, click on the Network for Good icon below:
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The campaign offers extensive money- and gasoline-saving tips in both English
and Spanish for vehicle upkeep, sensible driving and ways to drive less, as well
as helpful resources to ease the pain of this year’s high gas prices.
In
2004, the National Low Income Energy Consortium commissioned a statewide energy
poverty study in Missouri showing that unaffordable energy bills threaten families’ health,
education and employment. The 