Green Living Is A Family Affair

Last Friday, we had a great time hosting a table at the Durham Bulls baseball game on Earth Day. Aside from the fact that we just like baseball, it was a lot of fun to meet different families that came up to our booth for a chance to spin our “Wheel of Fortune” and win some great prizes.

The best part was seeing parents explaining to their kids about green living, and showing them samples of insulation to explain how it works. The team here is so used to helping to educate and explain to adults how to make their homes more energy efficient that we were really pleased to stand back and watch the parents passing the message on to their kids!

That’s why it was funny this week to talk to a terrific teenager who was in the opposite situation. Kristen Powers is a 17-year old Junior attending high school in Chapel Hill, where she and her family live. For years, she’s been pushing the eco-living movement in her community – being President of her school’s environmental club, petitioning her school to install energy efficient solutions like motion sensors, and starting a community vegetable garden to grow local produce.

Given her passion, it’s not surprising that a year or so ago she began an eco-friendly campaign on the home front to get her parents to improve the energy efficiency of their historic 1850’s home. She says initially her mom and dad laughed it off, until a home energy audit showed them just how inefficient their home truly was. Kristen not only pushed for the audit, she also researched all the energy efficiency companies in the area and hand-picked Green Horizon to add insulation and improve the efficiency of the home.

Talking to folks like Kristen – young, energetic green leaders– is inspiring, and whether they’re practicing green living at home, at school, or in the community at large, they’re helping not only themselves but also the environment for everyone.  As Kristen summed it up – “The great thing about sustainability is that you can attack it from any angle, no matter where you are, to make an impact”

Kristen (2nd from left) and her family on the steps of their now energy efficient home!