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Get Help Making Your House More Energy Efficient

Courtesy
/
Kansas Chapter of Sierra Club

Two local groups are partnering in an attempt to reduce Wichita’s energy use and save homeowners money.

Members of the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club Southwind Group are collaborating with Wichita’s Sunflower Community Action to sign up residents in certain zip codes for free assessments of their homes.

The Energy Efficiency Project was created to help people learn new ways to save energy and reduce utility bills in their homes or their businesses. The Sierra Club is providing the grant for the project.

The two groups are targeting diverse and low-income populations in Wichita, covering four zip codes: 67214, 67208, 67209 and 67219.

“We feel that the education is not getting out to this community,” says Yvonne Carther, chair of the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club. “They need to know that they can save on their energy and that they don’t need those high energy bills.”

A representative from Sunflower Community Action or the Sierra Club will conduct an energy assessment and show residents where they can make some changes.

“Some of the things that we will show them is where there’s air that’s leaking through their windows,” says Carther. “If they have incandescent light bulbs, we change everyone of those out with a compact fluorescent light bulb.”

Improvements could also include minor repairs such as caulking doors and windows.

Carther says the services will be provided for free.

“The residents don’t have to pay anything." she says. "However, we are asking them to share what their utility bills are so we can compare whether we are helping them reduce their costs.”

Anyone interested in receiving an energy assessment can contact the Sunflower Community Action at 316-267-3580.

You can also contact the group to schedule a presentation about saving energy for your community group or business.

Carla Eckels is Director of Organizational Culture at KMUW. She produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsations and brings stories of race and culture to The Range with the monthly segment In the Mix. Carla was inducted into The Kansas African American Museum's Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020 for her work in broadcast/journalism.