Fred Kirsch
Solar on Schools
Solar on Schools
Fred Kirsch
Responsible Climate Spending
Responsible Climate Spending
Fred Kirsch
Audit Fort Collins Climate Programs

What is going on with the Climate Action Program?

Audit Fort Collins Climate Programs
Fred Kirsch
Fracking Leak Detection, Report & Repair

Leaks should be detected and repaired as soon as they occur.

Fracking Leak Detection, Report & Repair
Fred Kirsch
100% Renewable Electricity in Northern Colorado

PRPA should achieve an interim goal first.

100% Renewable Electricity in Northern Colorado

Fort Collins

We’re Taking CforSE to the Next Level…Will You Join Us?

It’s been an eventful and successful seven years since we began our CforSE journey way back in 2006. We’ve been advocating for healthier sustainable energy practices and empowering individuals to act as a community and taking names along the way!

We live to defend our beautiful state by working toward sustainable energy as well as a healthy economy and social condition without compromising future generation’s ability to do the same.  Colorado is a magical place and we intend to keep that magic intact for generations to come.

We’ve experienced some amazing wins along the way! We assisted in improving the Fort Collins bus system, organized support to get a Community Solar Garden in Durango, helped to get safer drilling practices in Northern Colorado towns, and continue to prod Fort Collins Utilities and Colorado’s electric co-op’s to improve energy efficiency programs for customers.

We are determined to take the decision making process out of the “backroom” where special interests often hold the power and bringing it back to the people so that citizens can influence the process.

Now we’re asking YOU to empower us to help get this message out to a larger segment of our community.

There are few ways you can help us do this.

  1. We have set a goal to raise $5,000 by July 31, 2014 to further our mission and stop the construction of an unneeded new coal plant. We can easily reach this goal if each of you donate a small amount ($15 – $25), and of course more is always welcome 

  2. FWD this blog post to your friends and encourage them to sign up to receive our updates.

  3. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Google+ and help share our message through your social networks.

Will you help us?

If so, donate now.

We are so grateful for all of our amazing proponents in our quest for safe, healthy, and happy environment, economy and social condition in Colorado. We love our state so much and we know that you do too. Help us help Colorado and let’s do this together!

Mayor Responds to Citizens Letters

Mayor Responds to Citizens Letters

Well sort of.  Mayor Wietkunat signed her name to a letter written by Fort Collins Utilities staff.  Her position on holding staff accountable to their job is still unclear.  She has taken no action to correct the failure of the on-bill financing program, even after acknowledging that it is failing.  Councilman Gerry Horak is the only council member I know of who has read his constituent letters. Councilman Horak is directing staff to fix the problem and is meeting with myself and other community members.

Community Solar Comes to Fort Collins!

Now you can own a solar plant at an unbeatable price!  And it doesn’t even have to go on your roof!  Clean Energy Collective has brought their Community Solar Garden project to Fort Collins.  If you want to go solar, there is no better way then to buy a piece of the FTC solar array. Read about our program!

Watch this short video by the clean energy collective that explains the the benefits and accessibility of community-owned solar:

On-Bill Financing Update

Good progress to report on this Earthday 2014!  Gerry Horak (Councilman district 6) asked Darin Attaberry, City Manager, to direct the Citizen Energy Board to explore the situation and make an official recommendation for council action.  Also, John Phelan, Fort Collins Utilities Service Manager in charge of energy efficiency, provided a chart of next steps to make this program work!  This is all much more then what would have happened without Cforse agitation, so thank you to all of our 14,000 Fort Collins contributing members and to everyone who has a written a letter of support.  We will get this done! 

3 Minute Lecture Series to Council on On-Bill Financing

Starting on April first, I am presenting a 3 minute lecture every other Tuesday at 6pm in the Fort Collins Council chambers during the public comment section of the regular Council meeting.  The first lecture can viewed here at 25 minutes and 45 seconds into the video.  I managed to use some humor to get their attention and I think they are looking forward to the rest of the series.

Letter to John Phelan, FCU Efficiency Manager

Hi John,

I’m doing a calculation of my home (rented) needs to be most efficient.  Estimated with rebates is about $6,000 for weatherizing/insulation, replacing 5 single pane windows and a in-efficient sliding door, furnace, water heater, and refrig (all from early 90′s or before).  We are 100% cfl lighting.

Energy Efficiency Financing Screw-up a Result of Miscommunication

January was meeting month!  I kicked off the new year by meeting with Fort Collins Utility’s (FCU) efficiency manager John Phelan.  My impression leaving the meeting was that FCU is focused on new goals and philosophy.  That is important and needs to be done, but not at the expense of implementing “on the ground” projects that actually help people.  The On-Bill Financing program had a first year goal of 30 and achieved 6 (details on our “financing efficiency” page).  It is a recognized failure.  FCU knows why the program was a flop and what needs to be done to fix it but they don’t want to take the time to do it right.  That is not acceptable!