{"id":5172,"date":"2013-10-02T20:27:47","date_gmt":"2013-10-02T20:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/?p=5172"},"modified":"2025-07-09T13:43:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T17:43:13","slug":"the-power-of-networks-to-drive-environmental-results","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2013\/10\/02\/the-power-of-networks-to-drive-environmental-results\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Networks to Drive Environmental Results"},"content":{"rendered":"

This commentary originally appeared on EDF\u2019s\u00a0Climate Corps blog<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The\u00a0world\u2019s top scientists<\/a>\u00a0reminded us last week that the case for action on climate change has never been more urgent.\u00a0 And turning the corner on carbon emissions and avoiding the worst impacts of a warming world will require nothing less than a full-scale transformation of our energy system.\u00a0 That is a huge political, technological and cultural challenge \u2013 one that no individual, organization or country can solve on its own.\u00a0 It will take the leadership and collaboration of people across the world, pulling together toward a common goal.<\/p>\n

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) has a staff of 400 \u2013 small in the global scheme. That is why we are experts at deploying powerful networks to get results. Our success with businesses \u2013 whether it\u2019s improving the safety of products sold at\u00a0Walmart<\/a>, or saving water at\u00a0AT&T<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 all rest on our ability to tap into the knowledge, connections, and influence of our partners.<\/p>\n

One of our most successful networks:\u00a0EDF Climate Corps<\/a>. \u00a0Hundreds of\u00a0organizations<\/a>\u00a0ranging from PepsiCo and\u00a0Office Depot\u00a0to the Chicago Public Schools and New York City Housing Authority have tapped EDF Climate Corps for energy strategies and solutions that\u00a0cut costs and emissions<\/a>.\u00a0 And best of all, our hosts and fellows are now spreading these innovations through their own networks, creating a multiplier effect that expands our impact exponentially.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Case in point: EDF Climate Corps fellow Jenise Young<\/a> spent this summer working with professors and administrators at Texas Southern University (TSU). \u00a0She learned that minority communities, like those surrounding TSU, are already experiencing the effects of climate change<\/a>. This inspired Young to help develop a climate education consortium for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the Southeast. In addition to identifying energy efficiency upgrades on TSU\u2019s campus, Young helped the dozens of HBCUs in the region see why they should invest in such upgrades too.<\/p>\n

EDF Climate Corps fellow Kate Daniels<\/a> worked with the Mayor of Sacramento on one of the nation\u2019s largest Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) projects, which uses innovative financing so that property owners can invest in energy upgrades. Daniels tapped into a network of community leaders<\/a> to expand this initiative across the city. \u00a0Beyond immediate energy cost savings, the project is expected to deliver a huge economic boost to the region, as energy retrofits keep contractors busy and facility upgrades attract and retain businesses \u2013 all without spending public dollars.<\/p>\n

EDF Climate Corps is bringing a networked approach to saving energy in Chicago<\/a>, where buildings account for 70 percent of the city\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions.\u00a0 We\u2019ll provide boots the ground to help building owners enrolled in Retrofit Chicago<\/a> meet their commitments to cut energy use by 20 percent over the next five years.\u00a0 We\u2019ll bring building owners together to share their energy challenges and solutions.\u00a0 And we\u2019ll engage utilities, vendors and other partners essential to transforming the regional energy system.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re building a similar network in Boston in collaboration with the Boston Green Ribbon Commission<\/a>, and our work in these cities represents a microcosm of what EDF Climate Corps can do nationwide.\u00a0 We are weaving a web of connections among the people who have the power to transform the energy system:\u00a0 large energy consumers, passionate young professionals, policy makers, utilities and our colleagues in the environmental community.\u00a0 By forging connections and collaboration with and among these key players, we will create change on a scale that is equal to the challenge at hand.<\/p>\n

About EDF Climate Corps<\/strong>
\nEDF Climate Corps<\/a>\u00a0(edfclimatecorps.org) taps the talents of tomorrow\u2019s leaders to save energy, money and the environment by placing specially-trained EDF fellows in companies, cities and universities as dedicated energy problem solvers. Working with hundreds of leading organizations, EDF Climate Corps has uncovered nearly $1.3 billion in energy savings. For more information, visit\u00a0edfclimatecorps.org<\/a>. Read our blog at\u00a0edfclimatecorps.org\/blog<\/a>. Follow us on Twitter at\u00a0twitter.com\/edfbiz<\/a>\u00a0and on Facebook at\u00a0facebook.com\/EDFClimateCorps<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This commentary originally appeared on EDF\u2019s\u00a0Climate Corps blog. The\u00a0world\u2019s top scientists\u00a0reminded us last week that the case for action on climate change has never been more urgent.\u00a0 And turning the corner on carbon emissions and avoiding the worst impacts of a warming world will require nothing less than a full-scale transformation of our energy system.\u00a0 …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2034,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[439,1077],"tags":[152,84851,75],"coauthors":[114191],"class_list":["post-5172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-climate","category-edf-climate-corps","tag-climate-change","tag-edf-climate-corps","tag-environment"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe Power of Networks to Drive Environmental Results - Energy Exchange<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/energyexchange\/2013\/10\/02\/the-power-of-networks-to-drive-environmental-results\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Power of Networks to Drive Environmental Results - Energy Exchange\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This commentary originally appeared on EDF\u2019s\u00a0Climate Corps blog. 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