I-Renew Director Focuses On A Better Way for Energy

When it comes to saving energy, it's not just about renewable energy - like solar and wind power - it's about tuning in, and unplugging, electrical appliances.

"About 30 percent of the energy we consume is in our homes and we can very easily reduce that by doing simple things like unplugging appliances when not in use," said Steve Fugate, the executive director of Iowa Renewable Energy Association, or I-Renew.

Fugate said little changes like using power strips to power TVs, microwaves, cable boxes and even cell phone chargers - and turning those stips off when not in use - adds up fast.

"A Dish TV box could be drawing 20 watts, some draw more power when they’re turned off," he said. "After 24 hours in a day, all of a sudden your talking tons of coal for something you don’t watch but a few hours a day."

Fugate said a 100 watt light bulb burning for 10 hours equals a kilowatt, or a pound of coal. With growing technology toys, the average dorm room, apartment or home is drawing a lot of energy, causing the need for more power plants and coal to fuel the majority of them.

"Some draw just a few watts, some are more," he said. "All of a sudden you add up all the people doing this and it’s millions of tons of coal." 

Iowa imports 90 percent of its energy - in the form of coal for electricity, natural gas and fuel - which puts Iowans at a huge disadvantage, Fugate said.

"I live out in the country and rely on gas," he said. "The price of LP (liquefied petroleum) gas tripled last winter. Our economy is based on cheap energy so mild fluctuations result in tsunami like ripples."

Iowans are among many U.S. citizens who feel helpless in the face of rising fuel and electricity costs.

"Last year in Afghanistan, (the government) spent $30 billion dollars a year on air conditioning, and the only reason we’re there is because of oil," he said. "If we really all jumped on this, we could do something immediately that will have profound benefits."

The second part of I-Renew's mission is to educate, educate, educate - from business owners to citizens through classes and documentaries. Last week the nonprofit showed a movie at the Iowa City Public Library called "Kilowatt Ours," which traced what happens when a light switch is turned on.

"It’s out of sight out of mind for us, but these documentaries are meant to create awareness," he said. "You don’t see the fish in the mercury in the Atlantic ocean. You don’t see the mountain top removal for a coal mine. The vast majority of our energy, electricity comes from the coal."

The free documentary about the environmental effects of gas, "Fuel," is scheduled at 6 p.m., Wednesday, July 13 at the Iowa City Public Library in Meeting Room A.

"That’s kind of the idea," Fugate said. "To get people angry enough to do something."

I-Renew is also holding a Solar and Wind Technologies RE101 class, Saturday, July 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Kirkwood Center, which includes simple, low cost ways to lower utility bills by lessening energy consumption in addition to an overview of solar and small wind technologies for homes and businesses. Register at http://kirkwood.augusoft.net/index.cfm?method=ClassInfo.ClassInformation... 

For more information, visit irenew@irenew.org or call (319) 338-1076.