The Smallest User's Swan Song
& Congrats to Cooper-Young!

February 10, 2011
by Ashley Akin

Well Smallest Users, it is a bittersweet time here at SU-headquarters (i.e. my couch since the "huge blizzard" that hit Memphis yesterday shut down the university). Our year-long competition has ended, we have celebrated its success with BBQ, buddies and booze, and we have revealed that Cooper-Young emerged victorious to become The Smallest User!

If you'd like to read the final round-up, check out the article by journalism student Brennan Somers in The Daily Helmsman that ran last Tuesday. It shows that "Cooper-Young households finished an average of $19.59 below their 2008 total, while Evergreen's homes finished $1.36 higher."

Regardless of the outcome, both neighborhoods put forth valiant effort and enthusiastically participated to make this competition a success. The Smallest User committee cannot thank you enough for all of your curiosity, fervor and, most importantly, action.

As we attempt to take this contest-driven idea further, we will check back in periodically to update all of you who are interested on our progress. We would, however, like to make you an offer: if any members of the Cooper-Young or Evergreen communities would like to take over regular Smallest User blogging duties, we'd be happy to let you take this project and run. We had so many great guest-bloggers over the course of the contest, so please e-mail Ashley if you have any interest in going semi-pro with energy-savings.

Again, we appreciate all the support from the United Way, the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis , the Strengthening Communities Initiative, the U of M journalism department, MLGW, and especially Cooper-Young Community Association and Evergreen Historical District Association. Special thanks to Debbie Sowell who led Cooper-Young to their well-earned victory. She and CYCA will be receiving their handsome cash prize - which amounts to over $3500! - soon. She says they will be looking into putting solar panels and the CYCA headquarters, so she clearly plans to keep up the good work.

And with that we'll sign off here, but we want to remind you that bigger is not always better, and sometimes it really does pay to be the Smallest User.

Calling all Smallest Users! The energy-saving competition between Cooper-Young and Evergreen has come to an end, and we invite you to come celebrate with us and find out which neighborhood is The Smallest User!

We will have food from Central BBQ, beer and wine, live music by Hank & Nora, goody bags and giveaways. (We will also have a vegetarian food option available.) You can pick up your free Smallest User T-shirt* and enter the raffle to win the following: 2 In-home energy evaluations, 2 $50 gift certificates from Lowe’s, 4 smart strips, and multiple energy-saving kits and CFL light bulbs. We will also have experts on hand to answer any energy-saving questions you may have.

MLGW’s Tom Chamberlain will give a brief overview of the competition and Dr. David Arant, a representativeof The Smallest User committee from the U of M, will announce the contest winner and present the winning neighborhood with their handsome cash prize. It will be a celebration not to be missed, so grab your neighbors, come toast with us and find out which neighborhood is The Smallest User!

*while supplies last (first 150)

What is the Smallest User?

The Smallest User was a competition between the Cooper-Young and Evergreen neighborhoods in Memphis to see which community could reduce its energy use most in 2010.

We monitored the energy use of residents in each neighborhood in the hopes of reducing our city's carbon footprint, helping residents save a few dollars, and showing people how gratifying it can be to go green.

On February 5, 2011, Cooper-Young was announced as The Smallest User. Congrats to all who participated and many thanks to everyone who made the competition such a success!

 

Who sponsored the competition?

The competition is sponsored by a Strengthening Communities Grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, Memphis Light, Gas & Water (MLGW), the University of Memphis Journalism Department, the Cooper-Young Community Association (CYCA), and the Evergreen Historic District Association (EHDA).

 

How long did it last?

The competition began January 1, 2010 and concluded December 31, 2010.

 

How were the measurements taken?

MLGW measured the energy use of all residents on a monthly basis and compared the usage from 2010 with the usage from 2008. (MLGW implemented certain energy-saving programs in 2009 that might skew the results, so 2008 numbers were used and adjusted for weather discrepancies between the years.)

October 6: Do you have little ones who would like to help your neighborhood become The Smallest User? If so, be on the lookout for our Smallest User place mats in your neighborhoods restaurants. If your child colors one and you send us a picture of it, you will BOTH receive a prize!

Click here to download and print the place mat from home and be sure to print and post the 10 ways kids can save energy below!

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The Smallest User is proud to announce our new action-and-reward plan for all Cooper-Young and Evergreen residents:

Save Energy & Get Energy Savings

Here's how you can help your community and your wallet. Complete the steps, get the goods. The only thing to remember is that you have to complete the steps in order to get the prizes. It's that simple.

SAVE ENERGY	GET ENERGY SAVINGS
1. Pledge your support of The Smallest User campaign by filling out this form.	Smallest User window cling
2. Share your story about saving energy by e-mailing The Smallest User	AND Reusable grocery bag + energy-saving kit + information
3. Complete an energy-saving home improvement effort/project (Submit a photo or video of project completed during August-December 2010 to The Smallest User)      Debbie Sowell of Cooper-Young models her T-shirt.	AND Smallest User T-shirt
4. Wear your Smallest User T-shirt while helping a neighbor with an energy-saving home improvement effort/project (Submit a photo or video of a project you completed during August-December 2010 to The Smallest User)	AND $25 Lowe’s gift certificate to use for energy-saving purchases

 

Boundaries:

Central
East Parkway
McLean
Southern

To see a larger version of this map, click here.

Want to see how many of your neighbors have pledged to help Cooper-Young become The Smallest User? Check out the map below to find out.

Boundaries:

Cleveland
East Parkway
North Parkway
Poplar*

To see a larger version of this map, click here.

*The Poplar boundary is as follows: From East Parkway to Avalon, South on Avalon to Court, West on Court to Stonewall, and North on Stonewall to Poplar, and West on Poplar to Cleveland.

Want to see how many of your neighbors have pledged to help Evergreen become The Smallest User? Check out the map below to find out.