From Unemployed Berkeley Dropout to Climate Change Warrior, the Tyi Johnson and Rising Sun Energy Story

TOPIC The Green Economy and Workforce DevelopmentGUESTTyi Johnson is a graduate of the Green Energy Training Services (GETS) program at Rising Sun Energy Center. She is a program administrator at Community Energy Services Corporation and previously served as a crew member and office assistant for Rising Sun Energy Services, the organization’s social enterprise. She also has served on Rising Sun Energy Center’s Board of Directors since 2015.ORGANIZATIONThe Smart Lights Program at Community Energy Services Corporation is designed to help small businesses become more energy-efficient. This program offers free start-to-finish technical assistance and instant rebates to help defray the cost of upgrading and/or repairing existing equipment. SmartLights can help with comprehensive lighting retrofits, refrigeration tune-ups, controls, and seals replacement, and referrals to appropriate HVAC programs.Services include: a no cost and no obligation energy-efficiency assessment, instant rebates (typically range from 25%-75% of total project costs), negotiated volume pricing with qualified installation contractors, free start-to-finish project management and quality control, rebates paid directly to your contractor to help defray your out-of-pocket costs, and referrals to other energy efficiency programs as needed. See some of our work on cafes,auto repair shops, facilities, and retail stores.Website – http://ebenergy.org/commercial-services/smart-lights-program/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Community-Energy-Services-Corporation-610255012322031TAKEAWAY QUOTES“After the internship ended, it was hard-going for me. This is when unemployment was at an all-time high… I stayed the course, I was meeting with my case-manager week after week. I really appreciate the fact that Rising Sun continued to collaborate with me and to encourage me and work with me until I was gainfully employed.”“I feel like Rising Sun and the GETS program have put me in the prime position to be doing what I’m doing right now… I had three reasons why I joined GETS program: to learn about the green field, to learn about the energy efficiency field and by extension sustainability, and to learn how to save on my PG&E bill. And they did all three of those things for me. So it’s really great that I got all of those things, and got employed in the green energy efficiency field.”“If I can empower others to be good stewards of this one great beautiful planet called Earth that we have, then I’ll do so, and I’m so appreciative of Rising Sun for setting me on that path.”RESOURCESRising Sun Energy Center’s Best Green ResourcesRising Sun Energy Center’s California Youth Energy Services (CYES)Rising Sun Energy Center’s Green Energy Training Services...