From the President's Desk: Nov. 10, 2010

It is common knowledge that the American people are pleading for a “back to basics” approach to national energy policy. In fact, the polls say that Americans want government to promote global self-sufficiency while leaving more money in their pockets – not taking more out. Energy efficiency is the "win-win" answer to this policy demand because it is affordable, effective and quick to deliver.

But how can we get anything done in the new Congress, which appears to be shaping up to be even more partisan than the last? We believe the obvious answer is to leverage the bipartisan power of energy efficiency to incite swift and decisive action. Keep in mind that energy efficiency is increasingly viewed by policy makers – and their constituents – as a non-partisan and eminently “doable” means for improving the quality of life here in America. Over the next few months, we will be seeking out key lawmakers to lead a campaign for swift enactment of bipartisan legislation to advance energy efficiency as America’s “first fuel of choice.” I look forward to working with the new Congress on adopting a strong national energy policy that includes building energy codes and labeling, appliance and equipment standards, consumer and business incentives, and investment in research and development.

This drive toward policy change also serves to fuel our work at the consumer level. To support recent legislation that will phase in efficient lighting products by 2012, the Alliance and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), an Alliance Associate, hosted a webinar briefing for international and domestic energy leaders on how to make the lighting change easy on consumers. Get ready to see a variety of consumer education campaigns from the public and private sectors, including initiatives by the Alliance, NEMA and other efficiency and environmental organizations!

Alliance to Save Energy Staff (click image to enlarge)

But we, as a whole, are only as good as the sum of our parts. I was proud and gratified to witness the collective energy, creativity and passion of the Alliance staff at an off-site retreat that we held at the tail-end of October in Warrenton, Va. So many great things came out of the retreat. I am particularly excited about our staff members’ many wonderful ideas for improving the performance of the Alliance. We really fostered a deep esprit de corps that is already being used to build collaborations among and between the talented teams that are the Alliance. For instance, we are working on an improved organizational strategy to communicate our mission, as well as to strengthen our position as a “first resource” for energy efficiency on and beyond the Web. We also are investing more resources into the development team and into
junior staff, who represent our next generation of leaders across the organization.

Thank you for your support as we strive to continually improve!

Best,

Kateri Callahan