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Audio: Co-founder Gina Soble ('07) describes the formation and strategy of the Back Porch Energy Initiative.

Did you know that for every incandescent light-bulb you replace with a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) you can save $45 in annual electrical costs? Or that older model American cars will run on vegetable oil?  

If not, there are a dozen William and Mary students that hope to teach you that and more about energy conservation. The 12 undergraduates are working this semester as interns with the Back Porch Energy Initiative to educate communities about methods and resources for energy conservation.

“Oil is running out and global warming…people are finally starting to pay attention to it, there’s no time like the present [to make these changes],” said Back Porch intern Sean Walsh (’08).

Back Porch, a non-profit organization, was created earlier this year to increase awareness about energy conservation and green energy methods. This week the group begins an East Coast tour to spread its “energy conservation starts with simple steps” message in communities around Virginia. In addition to the interns, the group is spearheaded by five William and Mary alums.

“[William and Mary] is an environment that encourages getting out and getting involved,” said intern Sarah Baum (’09).  “It’s very infectious; it’s the spirit of the campus.”

The William and Mary interns will serve as the group’s ground team supplying support services including logistical planning, press relations, program research and grant writing.

Through secondary education outreach, energy audits and community awareness campaigns, the group hopes to encourage citizens to commit to reduce their energy consumption through a “greening commitment,” a pledge to make five energy saving changes in their home or business.
 
“Community action is one of the most important ways to make change,” added intern Ashley Pierce (’10). “Without public support the government won’t make changes.”

The Back Porch Energy Initiative grew out of an idea by William and Mary alums Virginia Walters (’07) and Gina Sobel (’07) for a post-graduation road trip. After deciding to make their interstate drive using bio-diesel, the pair committed to take the adventure one step further and committed to using the trip to try and make a difference – the Back Porch Energy Initiative was born. The duo drafted three other alums for it’s founding board, added a friend from Connecticut College and in less than five months the group was up and running with non-profit status.

Back Porch will spend the first part of their road trip in Virginia and then head to areas in America’s southeast region at the beginning of the year. They decided to focus the road tour on the southeastern part of the country, in part, because the region spends 1/5th  the national average on alternative programming and conservation, said the group’s Marketing Director Jon Davidow (’06).

The group feels the keys to change are awareness and education.

“Change for global problems only comes from local solutions,” said Davidow.
 
“It’s one thing to say ‘reduce energy in your home’ and it’s another thing to say ‘replace your light-bulbs with CFL bulbs’ and yet another thing to say “let’s go to the hardware store and we’ll show you some thing you can do in your home,’” added Walters, who serves as the group’s executive director.

For additional information about the Back Porch Energy Initiative and their road tour visit the group’s Web site at www.backporchenergy.

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Why study environmental science at the College? See video or visit the environmental science Web site.