Where there's a "ville" there's a way
June 4, 2009—Sometimes it takes a small town to solve a big problem. Hollowayville is proof.
The town, which lies about two hours west of Chicago, finished among the top ten communities in CUB’s “Get Green Community Giveaway,” where residents pledge to use energy-saving “CFL” light bulbs in their homes.
The ten communities with the highest percentage of pledges in 2008 each won CUB’s “Bright Future” award and a share of CUB’s 10,000-CFL prize. Hollowayville’s 90 residents will split 200 CFLs.
“It says something about a small town if we can win something like this,” said Mayor Tony Ponsetti.
Even though the town’s entire population could easily fit in a college lecture hall, their pledge to become more energy efficient has shown that making small changes can add up to big savings, helping to tackle the tough energy problems facing the state.
CFLs, which use just a quarter of the energy of regular incandescent bulbs, can each save up to $50 over their lifetime. Using CFLs not only lowers individual electric bills, it also helps lower energy prices for everyone by reducing overall demand.
Ponsetti is a perfect example of how his town adapted to the problems posed by wobbling energy prices and a weak economy without changing its roots: His gas-sipping hybrid car is parked a stone’s throw from a pasture populated by a horse and half a dozen cows. Ponsetti also illuminates his home with CFLs.
“Anything we can do to help the economy and the environment,” Ponsetti said. “Even though it’s just a little thing, it helps.”
The one-business town hasn’t been immune to the economic woes facing the state. Ponsetti said Hollowayville has been struggling to acquire the funds necessary to make some much-needed road repairs. And although he said the money-saving bulbs won’t generate enough cash to fix the roads, every little bit counts.
The 200 CFLs that will light up the homes of Hollowayville residents are a sign that the state’s energy problems aren’t limited to the big city. But they’re also a sign that the solutions aren’t limited to big city either.