Three dozen Elk River families are unplugging home appliances, grabbing their reusable grocery bags and following a trail lit by compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Six months into Project Conserve, some say they've never felt more energized.
"My electric bills and heating bills are down," said beaming homeowner Jennifer Wagner, whose enthusiasm for this energy-saving pilot project seemed to rise the day she lowered her thermostat.
Neighbors tease her, calling her Mrs. Green. But by the time Elk River's yearlong pilot program is completed, those same neighbors may be green with envy when they see the decline in kilowatt hours on her energy bills. City official Vance Zehringer says reducing energy bills by 20 percent is not an unreasonable goal.
Twelve years ago, the Minnesota Environment Initiative dubbed Elk River the Energy City, choosing the Sherburne County suburb from 30 applicants as a role model for demonstrating efficient and renewable energy products, services and technologies.
But last year, Zehringer, the city's conservation-improvement manager, decided that Elk River was ready "to demonstrate to the nation" that families could save as much as $400 a year in energy bills without compromising lifestyles.
Grass-roots efforts
Elk River is not the only Minnesota city creating a buzz through energy conservation. Last month, Willmar held a Citizens Energy Summit, a grass-roots gathering in that central Minnesota city of energy experts, business executives and homeowners who plan to write and present a National Energy Plan to Congress next year.
