SEEDS hires local students for free home energy assessments

HONESDALE — SEEDS (Sustainable Energy Education and Development Support) over the summer hired three area students who learned about energy efficiency while helping Wayne and Pike county residents save money on their energy costs.

Michael “Jake” Burkhardt, Alexandra “Ally” Mosomillo, and Kyle McDermott were hired because of their enthusiasm for the project and their past experiences, says SEEDS' executive director, Jocelyn Cramer.

“It is a unique summer job for these students," said Cramer. “This program, in its 5 years, has provided 20 jobs for local students, and assessed over 200 homes. I wish every home owner had the knowledge these students have after one summer.”

SEEDS is a local non-profit organization dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable living. This free residential energy assessment program, now in its fifth year, is partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection for the last two years. Its dedicated volunteers who make this program happen each year.

The energy assessment takes approximately one hour. The students, accompanied by at least one adult SEEDS volunteer trainer/supervisor, walk the perimeter of the home with the owner, then the interior including attic and crawl space or basement. Within two weeks, homeowners receive a report detailing ways they can improve the home’s energy efficiency and comfort. All these efforts are better for the long-term health of the home, and can save significant money in energy costs.

“Once you get excited about saving money on energy, it can be addictive,” said Kathy Dodge, Chair of SEEDS and one of the volunteers who helps make this program happen. "You are always looking for new ways to save more. There are great websites out there, not just our SEEDS website that can help you. Some families even install solar panels, once their home’s efficiency is improved, and are generating much of the power they need by their own system.”

To sign up for a free assessment, call the SEEDS office at 570-245-1256 or email Kathy@seedsgroup.net.