The Energy Committee "will make recommendations on how to promote sustainable energy resources and reduce our carbon footprint," Town Administrator Christopher Martin says.
GRANBY – Ever hear of “vampire” energy?
It has nothing to do with Robert Pattinson (the actor who portrays the vampire Edward Cullen in the "Twilight" film series). It’s the amount of energy that is wasted when people turn off their appliances but neglect to unplug them, according to Margaret (“Peggy”) Jedziniak.
Jedziniak is a member of the new Energy Committee in Granby. She joined Erica Bischoff White and Arthur Krulewitz on the committee when the Selectboard appointed her last week.
Town Administrator Christopher Martin said the board had been talking about creating the new committee since last winter. Interest grew when the town applied for, and was granted, designation as a Green Community by the state.
To become Green Communities, towns must agree to a list of energy-efficient standards. In return they become eligible for certain grants.
The Energy Committee “will make recommendations on how to promote sustainable energy resources and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Martin.
The recommendations will address municipal buildings as well as the town at large. “Anything that can help us reduce our energy usage is a good thing,” said Martin.
Mark Bail, chair of the Selectboard, said the reasons Granby needs an Energy Committee at this time are both local and global. “The most immediate reason is the cost savings for the town,” said Bail.
Jedziniak, who has lived in Granby for 12 years, said energy efficiency has been an interest of hers since the 1970s. “When we had the gas crisis, I thought it was an excellent opportunity for the country to look at what assets we have here that could make us independent of foreign oil,” she said.
Jedziniak uses solar panels on her own home and is a member of Co-op Power, a network of New England communities devoted to saving energy.
Her other great interest, she said, is the Granby Public Library. She can’t wait for a new library that would be LEEDS-certified. LEEDS stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a program of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Any Granby resident who is interested in applying for a seat on the Energy Committee can call Town Administrator Christopher Martin at (413) 467-7177.