The 11th Annual La Plata County Energy Tour

“Sustainable development is a dynamic process which enables all people to realize their potential, and to improve their quality of life, in ways which simultaneously protect and enhance the Earth's life support systems.”
(Forum for the Future Annual Report 2000).

I really like the quote above. It expresses, in one sentence, what my philosophy is all about: Sustainable living can improve your quality of life while also protecting and conserving the earth's resources. The question is, who wouldn't want to improve their quality of life? If I am not mistaken, this is a desire that every single human being on this planet has in common. We all dream of a higher quality of life. For some, that means earning more money so that they can afford beautiful homes and cars. For others it means moving out of an urban area to be closer to nature. For others still, it could be saving money on energy costs in order to spend that money on something more important, such as school fees or healthier food. 


You do not have to be an environmentalist, by any means, to want to live a sustainable lifestyle. Whether you get your home weatherized or you invest in renewable energy, the end result is the same. You are doing something good by becoming more energy efficient and conserving resources (whether you intend to or not), and you are saving money on energy costs: That is what I like to call a "win-win". 

To show you all that this is not just a theory, but that there are lots of people out there who invest in renewable energy and save money because of it, 4CORE is putting on the 11th Annual La Plata County Energy Tour. The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the umbrella organization for this event. On October 2nd, 2010 there will be Solar Tours taking place in 42 states all over the country. The La Plata County Energy Tour  taking place right here in Durango, will showcase various houses and buildings in and around town that have invested in renewable energy, including solar, wind, or geothermal power. 

The tour will start at the Farmers Market in downtown Durango. Take a self-guided tour or a guided bicycle tour of homes close to downtown. Please car pool if you go on the self-guided tour. 4CORE will have a booth set up at the Farmers Mark where can purchase a $5 map of showcased buildings, and you can also purchase them online this year. We will also be handing out information on each of the houses on the tour. Home owners and/or installers will be present at each location to answer any questions you might have.  

The goal of this event is to help spread information on renewable energy. If you have ever thought about installing renewable energy, or are just interested to see how it works, we invite you to come out on October 2nd for the Energy Tour. Stop by our booth to get your map and a hot beverages before you head out. Come before 9 am if you would like to join the bicycle tour.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the tour or anything related to it, feel free to contact me, Vanessa. I think that this will be a great event and I am really looking forward to being a part of it. I hope to see you out there! 

About Vanessa Von der Heyde, 4CORE Outreach Intern

Vanessa was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and moved to the States in 2005 to attend the University of Alabama on a swimming scholarship. After graduating from University with a Bachelor’s in Marketing, she decided to experience living in different parts of the States and promptly moved to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to work and give tours at a dog sledding kennel for the Winter Season. There she met a Durango Native, which opened up the door to live and work in Durango for a couple of months. Vanessa appreciates natural beauty and the outdoors, and loves animals. She wants to dedicate her life to preserving the natural environment, and educate people in becoming more environmentally conscious.