United We Serve to Save Energy & the Earth!! I organized a home energy efficiency event in Battle Creek, Michigan. The overarching goal was to reach out to the Battle Creek community to help lower their energy costs and decrease carbon pollution emissions.

Volunteers from the League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, the YMCA, and youth from the 21st Century after-school program gathered at the Battle Creek YMCA to kick off the President Obama's United We Serve initiative.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer joined us to create home energy efficiency kits.  With over 150 community members onsite that day, I'd say we are off to a great start!

With the generous donation of home efficiency supplies from Meijer, Inc., volunteers helped the children assemble the efficiency kits. Each kit contained CFL light bulbs, air pressure gauges, power strips, and low-flow shower heads - simple items that you can pick up on the cheap, to save dollars for years to come. The kids learned how to spot inefficiencies in their homes, and received some tools to make their homes more green.

I used this service initiative to educate the community on the many ways we can cut back on our energy consumption. I've found that it's much more fun to get a whole community involved because an individual can change light bulbs to save some cash, but when a whole community comes together - that's when we can shift the nation to a more sustainable future.

Together through service we made Battle Creek a better place for future generations. This event highlighted how to build strong, healthy, and sustainable communities throughout the United States. I hope that you will find ways to cut back your community's energy consumption.