April 8, 2011, Greencastle, Ind. — "An initiative is under way in Putnam County that encourages residents,
civic organizations and governmental units to cut energy use and
support the local economy," begins an article in today's Bloomington Herald-Times. "Energy challenges are heating up homes and
schools, with cash and prizes valued at more than $40,000 at stake."
"Our interest is, on the most broad level, to help households across county to secure energy savings from efficiency and conservation efforts represented in the pledge," Steve Setchell tells the newspaper. Setchell, major gifts officer at DePauw and 1996 graduate of the University, is chairman of the Greencastle Sustainability Commission. "Greencastle schools, for example, have been working on this since 2006, and have secured well over a half-million dollars in savings at a time when budgets are streamlined. That’s money we can reinvest in teachers, students and instruction."
Dawn Hewitt writes, 
"The project is called Putnam RISE -- Renewal, Investment, Savings and
Efficiency -- and is funded by the Putnam County Community Foundation
and the Vectren Foundation. Partners are numerous, including all 16
schools in the county’s four public school corporations; the
Greencastle Chamber of Commerce; Greencastle Presbyterian Church; and
Shuee & Sons Great Buys Plus, the local store that will donate the
four appliances. Similar initiatives have been undertaken or are
under way in Monroe County -- examples include free home energy audits
from the city of Bloomington, the Earth Care interfaith coalitions’s
energy conservation program and Indiana University’s own campuswide
energy challenge competition. However, Putnam County’s approach is to
reach multiple constituencies with a single, comprehensive program."
The complete story -- "Putting the 'green' in Greencastle" -- is available to paid subscribers of the newspaper via this link.
Read more about Steve Setchell's efforts in the community in this previous article.
Last month Greencastle learned it is receiving a Stellar Communities grant from the state. Details can be found here.