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By Taekia Blackwell
Groundswell (n): 1. Usually ground swell: a broad deep undulation of the ocean caused by an often-distant gale or seismic disturbance. 2. A rapid spontaneous growth (as of political opinion). Those in the charter school movement know that behind any “rapid spontaneous growth” there’s a lot of hard work and a powerful and clear motivation, a mission that transcends. However, I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here’s a question: What do you know about collective bargaining for lowered energy prices and purchasing clean energy through Renewable Energy Credits?
This spring, FOCUS partnered with Groundswell a nonprofit organization that helps community-based institutions work together to purchase clean energy at lowered rates. These rates can be up to 20% lower than the standard rates the institutions were previously paying for electricity. Through their Community Power Project, Groundswell is able to bring these institutions together to select energy contracts at the same time, leveraging the size of the group, length of the contracts, and a competitive bidding process to find the lowest rates available.
When first considering this partnership, I was excited not only by the opportunity to offer schools lowered energy rates through the collective bargaining practice Groundswell has orchestrated, but also the mission behind the project. As stated on their website (which definitely deserves a closer look), Groundswell “unlocks a more just and clean economy by helping communities to leverage their shared purchasing power to transform markets from the bottom up.” The idea that by coming together schools and other mission-based organizations throughout the city could force the hand of larger corporations, and support sustainable energy development by purchasing clean energy with Renewable Energy Credit (RECs) is incredibly inspiring. The Community Power Project isn’t just about electrical power; it’s about the power of people.
For more information on Groundswell, check out their website at www.groundswell.org. FOCUS will be working with Groundswell and school leaders again in the fall to grow and strengthen the “group” of purchasing institutions in the District and further lower costs for participants.