Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Helps Make Homes More Energy Efficient

By Maggie McCauley

During a recent survey, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens found that 90 percent of its visitors felt that climate change is or will be a threat to our planet. “Addressing it is hard because everyone has a hundred things to do when they get home,” says Adam Haas, interpretive specialist at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. To help make it easier, Phipps has partnered with Green Mountain Energy to help guests switch to a green power provider that uses renewables like wind and solar. “Renters can make the switch, too, depending if they’re responsible for the electricity portion of their utility bill,” says Haas. And it only takes a few minutes to do so! As an extra incentive, guests who make the switch also receive a complimentary one-year family membership to Phipps or a six-month extension on current memberships. To date, over 400 households have already made the clean switch! If you’re interested in participating, too, stop by Phipps any time from 11:30 a.m. to close.

+ Looking for other ways to be more environmentally responsible? “Eating less red meat is huge,” says Haas. This can mean honoring “meatless Monday” or choosing chicken instead, as it has a lower carbon footprint. Also, make an effort to avoid over-buying or letting food expire, as food waste is a major problem.

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, 1 Schenley Drive, Oakland. 412.622.6914. phippsconservatory.org.