10% Challenge:  Advertising and Community Relations Opportunity 

Contact:  Melissa Everett, Ph.D., Executive Director, Sustainable Hudson Valley

www.sustainhv.org/     everett@sustainhv.org    845-384-1189

The 10% Challenge is a dynamic campaign to cut energy use 10% and get ten percent of our communities involved.  Launched by Sustainable Hudson Valley and piloted in 2010-11 in Red Hook, New York, the campaign is scaling up with a vision of at least:

• 10 communities

• 10 prizes 

• 10 months (or less) to show initial results (though the campaign may continue as long as they are productive and fun).

The pilot phase of the campaign was generously sponsored by Central Hudson, SunDog Solar, Prestige Toyota, Synergis, Ryan and Ryan Insurance, Clean Air - Cool Planet, and by EarthKind Solar through its offer of a solar thermal system for the first community to document 10% reductions in its carbon energy footprint.  The winning community will also get a day of R & R at Omega Institute for its hard-working council or board, a sail on the Clearwater for the star students in its schools, and a solar opportunity assessment from staff at The Solar Energy Consortium.

The 10% Challenge is a "turbo-charge" for community energy-saving and greening activities.  It fits with, and supports, the New York Climate Smart Communities Pledge, and the energy programs of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.  The Challenge provides an ongoing news story, an added source of motivation, and a playful, educational way to reward virtuous behavior.  The campaign has been covered in the Poughkeepsie Journal, Times-Herald Record, Mid-Hudson News, Journal-News, Northern Dutchess News, Zest of Orange, WKZE, WDST and other media.  Already, outreach at festivals and events has reached several thousand citizens around the region.  

Red Hook, with a population just over 10,000, secured 10% commitments from an estimated 5% of households (200 households) in the first 5 months of its efforts reached 300 at the 7-month mark.  The town and its two incorporated villages, the school system, and the library all made formal pledges and are at work on their action plans.  Almost 10% of the Chamber of Commerce's membership has had energy audits, and most implemented some upgrades as a result.

 

The Town of Warwick and its three villages joined early, and deployed a science teacher as full-time outreach professional. The Villages of Walden and Montgomery are gearing up.   Around the region, participation is being actively explored by elected officials, legislators, and environmental commissions.

Now the villages of Walden, Montgomery, and Maybrook, and the towns of Waterviet and Wappingers Falls, have all stepped up.  We have a campaign!

The 10% Challenge is a cost-effective way to move the needle on energy conservation and market innovation, because it mobilizes volunteers and motivates groups and institutions to take action.  Still, an effective regional campaign requires technical assistance and troubleshooting, coordination and communication, and regular presence in the media.  In order to minimize the costs to communities, Sustainable Hudson Valley is financing this campaign by means of sponsorships and small grants.  Sponsors benefit throughout the campaign, with ongoing visibility in communities that are early adopters for energy efficiency and clean energy products and services.  That visibility continues until somebody wins, and at least through February 2012. 

Sponsors can advertise products and services by supporting the campaign at any level:

$500 = CAMPAIGN SPARKPLUG  Logo/ profile/ link on the campaign's website, with social media driving traffic to it regularly.  Payable $100/ month.

$1,000 = MEGAWATT SPONSOR   The above, plus logo on all campaign signage and brochures; ongoing literature placement in a resource kiosk in each partner community; opportunity to participate in at least one public forum in Challenge communities. [payable $200/ month]

$2,500  = GIGAWATT SPONSOR   All the above plus profile on weekly campaign email messages to SHV's list of 2,000 and partner communities' lists; and logo/ link as a sponsor of SHV's educational webinars.

$10,000 OR MORE = TERAWATT SPONSOR   All the above, plus logo/ name on at least 500 "goodie bags" of energy saving supplies to be distributed to participating households, and the opportunity to be part of the awards ceremony and finale press conference.

Sponsors can also support the Challenge by:

* Offering 10% off products and services in Challenge communities;

* Participating in educational workshops in Challenge communities;

* Contributing a prize for the first community to meet the 10% Challenge;

* Providing incentives to communities for adopting the Ten Percent Challenge.

Any well-established company in energy-efficiency, clean energy or allied fields,  with a track record of good corporate citizenship, is welcome to sponsor the 10% Challenge campaign.   Sustainable Hudson Valley will work with sponsors to establish productive channels of communication in each community.