[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 29, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE STUDENTS OF THE INSULATE! PROGRAM FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS 
                       TO WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HEATH SHULER

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 29, 2009

  Mr. SHULER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the invaluable 
contributions of a group of altruistic college students from Warren 
Wilson College in Asheville, NC. INSULATE! is an ongoing project at 
Warren Wilson College through which students assist low income home-
owners in reducing their utility bills and their carbon footprints by 
means of weatherization.
  As part of the INSULATE! program, students weatherized 5 homes in 
five days during their Spring Break this year. The students were able 
to help one 84-year-old retiree who was spending over a third of her 
income on utilities alone. After the students' intervention, her 
utility costs have decreased over 20 percent.
  Their efforts will be filmed later this year in an attempt to educate 
and empower those with similar ambitions on how to help reduce their 
carbon footprint.
  The benefits of increased energy efficiency at a national level are 
immense. As the United States moves towards energy independence and a 
large-scale reduction of greenhouse gases, efficiency must play a major 
role. The ultimate goal of the INSULATE! program is ambitious, they 
seek to improve the lives of those less fortunate on an individualized 
basis. The potential on a national level is staggering--in Western 
North Carolina alone there are 44,000 eligible households. For each of 
these households helped by INSULATE! roughly two tons of carbon dioxide 
are prevented from escaping into the atmosphere each year.
  On behalf of myself, and my constituents, I would like to thank the 
INSULATE! program for their contribution to meeting America's energy 
goals and for their assistance to those less fortunate in our 
community.

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