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In this issue:

• NC GreenPower events Earth Day events are here!! Head out Saturday to enjoy the celebrations.
• Featured sponsor Plastic Revolutions announces new solar and energy efficiency projects!
• Upcoming community events Annual State Energy Office Conference - April 26 & 27
• The Smart Commute Challenge is going on now! Annual challenge starts as gas prices continue to rise
• Free your mailbox from junk! Brought to you by the Triangle Council of Governments
• April program update More solar on the grid = a better environment for North Carolina!

We will be out this Saturday, rain or shine!

NC GreenPower is a part of more than 100 events each year. Thinking about volunteering
as a member of our Speakers Bureau? Visit our events calendar and sign up to volunteer today.
We offer free trainings throughout the year and across the state.

Please email us at speaker@ncgreenpower.org to volunteer for us!

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How big is your ecological footprint? Ever wondered how much “nature” your lifestyle requires? You’re about to find out. The Ecological Footprint Quiz estimates the amount of land and ocean area required to sustain your consumption patterns and absorb your wastes on an annual basis. After answering 27 easy questions you’ll be able to compare your Ecological Footprint to others’ and learn how to reduce your impact on the Earth.

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NC GreenPower Friend level sponsor announces big strides in sustainability

JDC Manufacturing, LLC announced the completion of energy efficiency and solar generation projects at its facility located in Reidsville, North Carolina.  These projects were funded in part by a grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and administered by the North Carolina Energy Office.  The tenant in this building, Plastic Revolutions, Inc., is one of the largest plastic recyclers in the country and has been an NC GreenPower supporter for many years.  Plastic Revolutions has installed an internal water recycling plant, eliminating the production of all wastewater, and recently performed a three phase building-wide energy overhaul, including the replacement of existing fluorescent lights with higher efficiency, motion activated lights; the replacement of 13 outdated and inefficient natural gas furnaces with two high efficiency Cambridge heaters; and the installation of a 52kW rooftop solar photovoltaic array.  All products, including lights, furnaces, and solar equipment were made in the USA.  These projects were designed to save energy, increase renewable energy generation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The lighting retrofit is designed to save over 1.3 million kWh of electricity annually, the high efficiency heaters are designed to save 1.5 billion BTU’s of natural gas annually, and the photovoltaic system is designed to generate 66,000 kWhs of clean renewable energy annually, enough to power 6 homes.  The three projects are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by over 2 million pounds annually.  These projects will result in an investment of over 5,000 work hours, creating employment within North Carolina, and principally within Rockingham County.

For more information on Plastic Revolutions please see their website at PlasticRevolutions.com. 
To view more images and track the energy produced by the solar installation: SolarDyne's website

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April 20, 2011 - Sustainable Food Event
Anna Lappé will be speaking on Elon University’s campus @ 7:30pm in McKinnon Hall of the Moseley Student Center on Wednesday, April 20th. Ms. Lappé is respected for her work on sustainability, food politics, globalization and social change. Named one of Time’s “eco” Who’s-Who, Lappé is a founding principal of the Small Planet Institute and the Small Planet Fund. Her latest book is Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do about It. Following her talk, Ms. Lappé will be available to sign copies of her latest book. Copies will be available for purchase before and after her talk. Her visit is sponsored by Elon University’s Office of Sustainability, General Studies Program, Center for Environmental Studies and Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. www.elon.edu/sustainability

April 26-27, 2011 - 8th Annual Sustainable Energy Conference hosted by the NC Energy Office at the McKimmon Center (NC State University), Raleigh. Click here for more information.

May 17-21, 2011 - SOLAR 2011 hosted by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) in partnership with NCSEA at the Raleigh Convention Center. Click here for more information.

July 18-21, 2011 - Plug-In 2011 locally organized by Electric Power Research Institute, Progress Energy and Duke Energy in partnership with the Raleigh Convention Center. Click here for more information.

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Annual Commuter Challenge Starts as Gas Prices Continue to Rise

The SmartCommute Challenge is a great way to learn about all of the commuting options available in the Triangle. Trying a sustainable commute can help you save money, breathe easier, and have fun! Take the Challenge and Breathe Easy!

The SmartCommute Challenge is an annual spring campaign coordinated by GoTriangle and SmartCommute@rtp. From April 1 to June 1, we encourage Triangle commuters to try an alternative commute (not driving alone) to work or campus such as riding the bus, carpooling, vanpooling, teleworking, biking, or walking.

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Freemymailbox.com is a directory service of sites dedicated to reducing junk mail, catalogues,
and other unwanted clutter from people's lives. Visit the site today and begin to free your mailbox!

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A new milestone: We have more than 500 Renewable Energy project agreements
right here in our state through NC GreenPower. Find out more by clicking on the map below!

Sign up to donate just $4 a month to help support our projects, leading to
a more sustainable future for North Carolina's energy and economy.

 

What if NC GreenPower earned a donation every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause?

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

And if you download the GoodSearch NC GreenPower toolbar, our cause will earn money every time you shop and search online - even if you forget to go to GoodShop or GoodSearch first! Add the NC GreenPower toolbar at http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/nc-greenpower-green-power

 

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