It seems pretty simple: we should use energy as efficiently as possible. It saves money and avoids negative environmental consequences and costs next to nothing. Why waste electricity to get the same results?

Yesterday, Fresh Energy - together with the Izaak Walton League - hosted a factory tour of AmeriStar Manufacturing in Mankato, Minnesota. The tour featured the work of The Retrofit Companies, who completely replaced AmeriStar's lighting in their factory, saving the company $4,000 per year and creating clean energy jobs. Senators Sheran, Anderson and Carlson were there, as was local Representative Brynaert, and Congressman Walz's staff. Check out our press coverage below.

KEYC (Fox/CBS affiliate) news story:

Mankato Free Press:
Groups push Klobuchar on federal energy bill

Factory tour sheds some light on energy

Minnesota has an energy efficiency standard that requires us to reduce our electrical consumption by 1.5 percent per year - just by using our electricity more efficiently.

Now, the U.S. Senate has the opportunity to do the same thing for the whole country by passing efficiency legislation like Senator Schumer's (D-NY)  Energy Efficiency Resource Standard (S. 548). Passing a nationwide standard would help companies like The Retrofit Companies and AmeriStar across the nation.