Free "Green" House Calls Save You Money and Help Mother Earth

How many Pleasanton youth does it take to screw in a light bulb?

Two: One to steady the ladder and one to replace your incandescent with a compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb.  

In fact, teen energy specialists affiliated with the nonprofit California Youth Energy Services (CYES) have been busy this summer replacing bulbs for free in Pleasanton homes, saving homeowners money and reducing energy usage.

Sound like a good deal? It is, and 90 households have signed up for the free service. 

Along with replacing wasteful incandescent bulbs (which use 75 percent more energy than CFL bulbs to create the same amount of light), CYES will upgrade your inefficient showerheads, install water-saving sink aerators, and provide water- and energy-saving suggestions specific to your home or apartment.

The service is free and you can sign up online.

City of Pleasanton Energy & Sustainability Manager Laura Ryan said she is excited to provide support to CYES and that this is the first summer the program is available in Pleasanton.

“We knew immediately that the program perfectly complemented our outreach efforts to help residents conserve energy and water and save money,” said Ryan, noting that most of the energy-efficiency programs available today require either an up-front investment, strict financial and credit requirements or home ownership.

“None of these apply with the CYES program,” she said. “If you live in Pleasanton and have a PG&E account, you’re in.”

In addition to providing free energy- and water-efficiency assessments and installations, CYES provides green jobs and training to youth.

As someone interested in environmental conservation, I applied for the energy specialist position and was fortunate enough to get the job, along with seven other Pleasanton youth energy specialists.

Jason Spooner, a 2010 graduate now attending Las Positas College, is reconsidering his area of focus after his second week of work.

“I’ve been trying to figure out what type of engineering I want to major in,” he said. “But now it’s clear I want to be an environmental engineer.”

After a week of intensive training, the fun began Wednesday, when we began visiting homes.

Since then, Jason and I have replaced 88 light bulbs in five homes, measured water efficiency on countless sinks and showers, installed water-saving measures, and recommended tips on insulation and energy savings—and we’re just one of four teams in Pleasanton.

One reason I love this program is that we aren’t selling something people don’t need. Rather than fuel wasteful consumerism, our program preserves natural resources and provides households with reduced energy bills and free efficiency measures.

As a new CYES site, Pleasanton is working hard to promote the service to residents who have not had access to this program before.

"We hope to reach 250 homes in Pleasanton this summer,” said Ryan Jackson, Pleasanton CYES outreach coordinator.

“I know there is a ton of work to be done by both greening the city’s homes and leaving residents with a positive impression. So far, so good."

He and Elizabeth Colman manage the Pleasanton office, which is at 333 Division St.

Feedback from residents has been encouraging. Human Resources Commissioner Dave Lambert, whose home received a green house call, said, “What a great way to provide jobs at no cost to the resident. Everyone wins, including Mother Earth.”

If you’re interested in saving money, supporting green jobs for local youth and helping Mother Earth, call CYES Pleasanton at 925-931-3481 for an appointment. Get more information or sign up online here.

California Youth Energy Services was established in Berkeley in 2000.

Since its founding, CYES has provided free green energy- and water-efficiency assessments to more than 12,000 homes and apartments in the Bay Area.

This year, the program is taking place in 12 Bay Area cities, including Livermore and Fremont. More information about the organization and its history can be found at the Rising Sun Energy Center website, here.

Questions or concerns?  Contact me by email or give our office a call. Just to be clear, energy specialists will only replace what the resident is comfortable with, and any showerheads or sink aerators we replace will be kept at the Pleasanton office until the program ends Aug. 11 in case residents want them back.

Here’s a list of the cities that CYES is serving this summer:

• Berkeley
• Fremont
• Hayward
• Livermore
• Marin County
• Oakland
• Richmond (including San Pablo and El Cerrito)
• Pleasanton
• Emeryville/
• San Mateo