The City of Livermore, California is using a portion of their EECBG funds to bring green job training to Livermore youth through the non-profit agency Rising Sun Energy Center’s “California Youth Energy Services” program.  California Youth Energy Services (CYES), established in 2000, provides youth training services in 12 cities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.  Specifically, CYES trains youth aged 15 to 22 as Energy Specialists for summer employment activities.  These young Energy Specialists provide FREE energy and water conservation assessments to homeowners and renters throughout the City, targeting low-income, non-English speaking, and/or disabled housing.  After the assessment, the youth provide the clients with a personalized energy saving plan and assist with the installation of various energy and water saving fixtures such as CFLs, efficient-flow faucet aerators and showerheads, and retractable clotheslines.

And the results are in!
In the summers of 2009 and 2010 combined, Livermore’s partnership with Rising Sun Energy Center hired and trained 18 Livermore-area youth. Collectively, these youth:
• Served energy and water conservation assessments to 527 households,
• Installed 6,030 CFLs at no cost,
• Installed 540 efficient-flow showerheads and faucets at no cost,
• Installed 106 retractable clotheslines at no cost, and
• Installed 75 CFL touchier floor lamps at no cost.

In EECBG metrics the above numbers translate into:

• 9 Livermore-area youth received green job skills and leadership development training,
• 122,346 kWh of electricity saved,
• 217 gallons of water saved, and
• 95 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions saved.

The city is also contracted to continue working with CYES in both 2011 and 2012!  Dr. Marshall Kamena, Mayor of Livermore, stated: “This was a very wonderful experience.  We learned a great deal about energy conservation.  Everyone should have this service!”
Tell us, what is your community doing to build workforce capacity and raise environmental awareness thanks to your funding from DOE? We’d love to hear about your success engaging your communities in projects that reduce costs, save energy and emissions, and create jobs. Please post in the comments section below!

Content for this blog post courtesy of Caroline Cochran, West Regional Coordinator, ICF International.