Mad River Valley residents have an opportunity to reach out and help their neighbors make their homes more energy efficient through a pilot project from Efficiency Vermont. Efficiency VT will train local volunteers to conduct free home visits designed to help homeowners learn about energy-saving opportunities.

Volunteers will assist in identifying inefficient use of energy in the home, provide information about additional ways to reduce energy costs and help residents find area professionals trained to make further energy-efficiency improvements. Volunteers also will install free ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent light bulbs, water-saving devices and, if applicable, programmable thermostats. Efficiency Vermont will fund the cost of installed energy-saving products and the volunteer training. Locally, the project is being spearheaded by the Valley Futures Network, the Carbon Shredders and the Mad River Valley Planning District.

Volunteers should try to attend the training session on Monday, February 9, which will be held at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. The training session will begin with a light meal starting at 5:30 and is expected to run until 9:00 PM. To RSVP for the training session or for more information on the project, call Dennis Derryberry at 496.7662.