Success Story: Solar Energy Society - Northern Alberta Chapter
Rob Harlan, executive director of the Northern Alberta Chapter of the Solar Energy Society of Canada, teaches renewable energy classes at Grant MacEwan College.
With help from “The Carbon Buster’s Home Energy Handbook” his classes have successfully reduced their carbon footprint by making simple changes in their lifestyles. Here is what they did in the 50-ton challenge:
His most recent class (Oct.-Dec. 2008) lowered its greenhouse gas emissions by over 65 tons, as outlined in the following table:
| Measure | lbs CO2e | |
| Furnace replacement | 15,000 | |
| Eliminate refrigerator | 2,680 | |
| Lights and phantom loads | 4,500 | |
| Phantom loads | 520 | |
| Bullfrog Power Carbon Offset | 5,425 | |
| Bullfrog Power Carbon Offset | 9,400 | |
| Vehicle change out | 40,000 | |
| Reduce commute to work | 1,050 | |
| Office solar system | 7,120 | |
| 16 strings Xmas lights to LED | 11,200 | |
| Replace dual with triple glazing | 13,200 | |
| Replace old refrigerator | 3,547 | |
| Replace old refrigerator | 3,364 | |
| Replace dryer with clothes line, move freezer outside | 10,000 | |
| Lights, phantom loads | 4,200 | |
| 131,206 | lbs. | |
| Total Tons of CO2e displaced |
65.60 | tons CO2e |
A previous class of 30 students reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by over 67 tons:
| Measure | Tons CO2e | |
| Replace Truck with VW Jetta, Take Bus to Work | 9.50 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 7.50 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 6.55 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs. Replace Electric Range with Gas Range | 6.18 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs and Eliminate Phantom Loads | 6.05 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 3.96 | tons |
| Elininate Dishwasher | 2.90 | tons |
| Eliminate Mini Refrigerator | 2.64 | tons |
| Replace and Remove Lightbulbs and Eliminate Phantom Loads | 2.53 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 2.43 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 2.33 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs and Eliminate Phantom Loads | 1.96 | tons |
| Replace Refrigerator | 1.88 | tons |
| Unplug Cooler | 1.75 | tons |
| Unplug Clock | 1.70 | tons |
| Replace Washer with Front Load Model | 1.65 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 1.63 | tons |
| Replace Lightbulbs | 1.60 | tons |
| Unplug Cooler | 1.60 | tons |
| Repair Leaking Toilet | 0.85 | tons |
| Total Tons of CO2e displaced | 67.19 | tons |
You can learn more about the Solar Energy Society’s Alberta chapter by visiting their website at: http://solaralberta.ca This class will be offered again in future.
