Here are the primary benefits each group can expect from Our Energy Independence Community.
To Members
- Local experts, our sponsors and other members blog at least weekly in the 10 categories seen on the front side and interact through our Community forums which are always open about: how to make energy saving improvements to your new or existing home; how to locate, grow, store and prepare local food; and how to reduce energy in transportation. Live well with less energy!
- Access our database for local energy saving information: articles; commentaries; opinions/editorials; both success and failure stories; how-to notes; lessons learned; recipes; Q&A; book, product and material reviews; tips; and annotated links contributed by local experts, our sponsors, and members.
- Learn of, interact with, and possibly meet area residents who have similar concerns and goals as you have.
- Participate in Our Community: comment on blogs; ask questions; make suggestions on how to improve the Community; provide testimonials; participate in challenges and contests, and possibly even write a guest blog or two of your experiences. Also participate in a variety of energy, environmental and neighborhood discussion forums, as well as, in our “Politics in Energy” and “Religion in Community” forums. Optional information sharing allows you to maintain the degree of privacy you desire.
- Participate online (from home, work or wherever), no meetings or presentations to attend (no driving) and at a time of and in the attire of your choosing. Web 2.0
- Learn of and about local sponsors (businesses that can help you reduce your energy usage and obtain local foods); evaluate them based on information they provide to the Community (their educational blogs and articles, as well as other traditional sales material and website content) and from comments & testimonials about them provided by others members.
- Ask our sponsors questions through the Community email; observe forum discussions with them and related comments by other members; develop a relationship with these sponsors to whatever level you wish and are comfortable with.
- Identify and join local neighborhood groups and/or area Transition Networks, or develop such a group in your neighborhood.
- List or locate local homes for sale that are energy efficient. We help you define what is “energy-efficient” and present your case.
- Develop skills and knowledge that will be helpful as energy prices increase and availability decreases.
- Develop your own or join a network of like-minded people who may call on you or vice versa as we transition through these times of disruption and change.
To Area Experts
- Share specialized knowledge and opinions with our sponsors and with area residents who are interested and have a desire to learn.
- Develop connections with our sponsors, members and other experts with similar or complementary interests.
- Display your expertise and build your following or grow your related business.
To Sponsors (contractors & other providers of products and/or services that save energy)
- Demonstrate expertise in your field of business.
- Educate members on the proper way to do things and on the difference between quality and shoddy products and services.
- Respond to member questions directly via Community email and indirectly through blog comments and forum discussions.
- Exposure to area residents and to our members who are interested in purchasing products and services and investing to reduce energy usage, save money and improve the environment.
- Advertise generally in our website header or with ads that display when related content is accessed.
