The Greening of Curtis Park  

A neighborhood project of global proportions;
join the Curtis Park Environmental Leadership 100
By Kathy Les
Viewpoint Staff Writer

SCNA has entered into an exciting partnership with SMUD to help reduce home energy use on a neighborhood wide basis. We are the first Sacramento neighborhood to engage in such a project and the first in the state.

This partnership is being undertaken as our part as Curtis Park residents to help reduce toxic carbon dioxide gases that lead to global warming and climate change. SMUD and SCNA believe that Curtis Park can become a model for other neighborhoods throughout the city. But first it must demonstrated that a concerted effort on the part of a committed group of neighbors can make a difference in collectively reducing energy consumption.

To that end, SCNA is looking for a minimum of 100 Curtis Park households that will participate in this innovative program to help demonstrate how a single neighborhood can work together to fight global warming by reducing home energy consumption. These households will form the Curtis Park Environmental Leadership 100 - and hopefully it will grow even larger.

Participating households will be asked to monitor their energy consumption on a monthly basis for 12 months with the goal of reducing their electric use by 20%. Usage will be monitored using your SMUD bill and special account on the SMUD Web site. Special e-mails with energy-saving tips and motivation will be sent to participating households.

If you are interested in participating, the first step is to take a look at your own energy use and see how it compares with your past usage as well as other households of similar size and style. This is easy and can be done in three easy steps on the SMUD Web site.

· Step 1- log on to www.smud.org and click on the 'Manage Your Account' bar at the top right hand side of the web site.

· Step 2 - Register with 'Your Account' (To register you will need you SMUD account number located on the top left corner of your bill and the SS# of the account holder.)

· Step 3 - Click on the 'personalized home energy analysis' link and you are set to go. Registering with 'Your Account' will automatically populate your individual energy use into the analysis. In addition, the account function will provide personalized bill analysis and track daily energy use and compare it with past use as well as use of similar size households.

· Step 4 - email Green@sierra2.org with the words 'I did my audit' and you will be entered to win 1 of 6 - $50 gift certificates from Taylor's Market. This great offer is only valid until Oct. 15 so act quickly. If you wish to continue monitoring and reducing your electric usage, please also state in the e-mail "I wish to be part of the Curtis Park Environmental Leadership 100.

Help Curtis Park become a model neighborhood and take the challenge. Watch the Viewpoint or visit sierra2.org for more information on how Curtis Park is changing the world….one neighbor at a time.

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