When most of the world shut down to stay home in the spring of 2020, Ameren Missouri found a way to continue serving families hardest hit by the economic effects of the pandemic to help them save money on their energy bills while keeping them safe.
Check out Loyola University Chicago's Office of Sustainability newsletter and scroll down the the Alumni Spotlight to read an interview with MEEA Executive Director Stacey Paradis. Stacey addresses how Loyola helped prepare her for her career, the role MEEA and energy efficiency play in solving the climate crisis and her advice for students applying for programs and embarking on their own careers.
Illinois’ massive new clean energy bill, signed into law last this month, is a landmark in the state’s battle against climate change: a systematic plan for boosting solar and wind power, getting a million electric cars on the road and phasing out coal and natural gas by 2050.
It’s also an opportunity for consumers to save some cash, analysts say.
On June 29, 2021, RENEW Wisconsin hosted a webinar titled “Focus on Energy: Economic Impact in Wisconsin.” Dan York from American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Scott Blankman from Clean Wisconsin, and Maddie Wazowicz from Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) provided an overview of the Focus
High energy costs for lower income families can create a sharp inability to pay and can also lead to negative health outcomes, a study released Thursday by a policy organization stated.
It also issued calls for steps to provide further assistance to households to meet their needs and reduce financial strife.
The study from the Michigan League for Public Policy reported households of up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level face an average shortfall of $1,315 annually between their energy costs and what they can afford to pay.
Iowa’s largest utilities have dramatically scaled back efforts to help customers conserve energy since a 2018 law gutted the state’s efficiency requirements. Dire predictions about the legislation’s impact have largely come true, with combined energy savings of the state’s two largest utilities falling more than 50% since lawmakers voted to limit spending on efficiency programs.
Full electrification remains out of reach for most in the food-service industry, according to an industry expert, but tons of carbon emissions could be prevented immediately by adopting high-efficiency gas equipment.
Cooling your home is necessary, but groups such as the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance say there are actions you can take to protect others and the environment. The Alliance's Programs Director, Molly Graham, said a lot of it comes down to timing.
"So, maybe around 3 p.m. to 8 or 9, when most people are at home or getting home from work - we're washing dishes, doing laundry, watching TV," said Graham. "So, there are times during the day that put greater stress on the electric grid than other times."
Cannabis legalization is expanding at a rapid clip into states not usually associated with large scale marijuana cultivation. This includes Midwestern states like Michigan and Illinois that don’t benefit from year-round sunshine like California, for decades the cannabis cultivation powerhouse of the United States.