GPI Unplugged
By now, we hope you’ve circled March 28 on your calendar to Celebrate Earth Hour with the Green Piece Indy girls and other supporters at South Bend Chocolate Cafe on Monument Circle at 7:30 p.m. If you can’t make it, we’ll forgive you, though that’s no excuse to waste electricity. (And, for the record, we do consider watching the NCAA Tournament a wise use of wattage.) If you’re up on the northside, swing by Whole Foods Market, 14598 Clay Terrace Blvd, in Carmel. They’re celebrating Earth Hour by providing flashlights to customers so they can still shop comfortably sans overhead lights. We think it’s a clever way to celebrate…and to avoid potential jokes about shopping in the dark to prevent sticker shock. Darn economy!
Still not planning to power down on Earth Hour? We hope you’ll try one of the following electricity-saving tips.
- Check out Greenway Supply for their new GreenSwitch device. Paired with a Kill-A-Watt, which locates phantom energy in your home, these innovative outlets and switches reduce energy draw when your electronics aren’t in use. It even has a remote control system that allows you to power down from one spot (as you’re leaving home or going to bed). Tune in to WTHR’s Treeboy next Thursday morning and at lunchtime for an on-air demonstration!
- If Indianapolis Power & Light is your service provider, you can participate in its Green Power Option program. The Green Power Option allows you to specify an amount equal to 10% to 100% of your monthly power to be generated by clean, renewable resources like wind, solar, and geothermal. Once enrolled, you will pay a small premium to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates helping displace traditional coal-fired electricity. As a nod to Earth Hour, IPL will also power down for one hour on March 28. If the electric company can do it, so can you!
Piece out,
Renee & Meghan