CROP

CROP: Four Steps for Reforming Your Energy Use

“CROP” is a tool, developed by the Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE) in 2007, to help local governments, businesses, and residents use energy more wisely. It is a decision making process that helps to prioritize and evaluate energy related actions. CROP stands for:

Calculate your carbon footprint by inventorying your energy use and carbon emissions;
Reduce your energy use – and energy bills! - by setting goals for conserving energy and improving efficiency;
Offset your carbon footprint by purchasing green power and donating to emissions-reducing projects;
Produce zero-carbon power through local renewable energy investments.

Because energy is an integral part of all of our lives, we would like to clarify some terms. "Energy use" is the energy you consume in your daily life. "Carbon emissions" are the harmful gases (e.g. carbon dioxide, methane, etc.) that are released into the atmosphere as a result of certain activities – both natural and human – on earth.  Your "carbon footprint" is an estimate of the HYPERLINK "http://www.ecomii.com/ecopedia/Carbon-Dioxide" \t "_blank"carbon emissions released into the atmosphere as a result of your daily activities. "Zero-carbon power" is a term used to describe energy that does not emit carbon emissions (solar, wind, etc.).
If you would like to CROP your carbon footprint – whether “you” are an individual, a business, a government or another entity – use the steps below to set out on the path toward energy reform.  

C (Calculate) establishes the baseline for setting your energy reduction goals. ORE recommends that everyone start with this step to get an understanding of your current energy use. Too often we jump to the easy "Offset" step or the exciting "Produce" step, and skip past this one. The “Calculate” step will help you to measure progress as you make your way through CROP.
To measure your carbon footprint visit ColoradoCarbonFund.org and click on THINK. Use the basic online calculator to measure the carbon emissions from your energy use at home and for transportation.
To do this, you will need: 1) Kwh of electricity consumed in the past year, 2) therms of natural gas consumed in the past year, 3) gallons of propane consumed in the last year, 4) average distance traveled in your car in the past year, 5) type of fuel your car uses (diesel or gasoline), 6) vehicle’s miles per gallon, and 7) an estimate of total miles flown in a year. These can be found on your utility bills.

R (Reduce) is about setting goals for using less energy, either through conservation practices or increased efficiency. ORE can give you recommendations to reduce emissions through simple low or no-cost measures.
There are five categories for reducing your energy/emissions: 1) building efficiency (e.g. proper insulation and weatherization), 2) sustainable living (e.g. using compact fluorescent light bulbs or CFLs, drying laundry outdoors), 3) recycling (e.g. plastics 1&2, aluminum, newspaper, junk mail, cardboard, batteries, old electronics etc.), 4) transportation (taking the bus), and 5) water efficiency (e.g. responsible lawn watering, use of gray water).

O (Offset) means compensating for the carbon emissions that your daily activities put into the environment by financially supporting emissions-reducing causes and projects. ORE is an Outreach Partner for the HYPERLINK "http://www.coloradocarbonfund.org/"Colorado Carbon Fund (CCF) and Project C, who provide high-quality carbon offsets to consumers as a way to support new energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the State of Colorado. 20% of the proceeds from the offset sales donated to the CCF are re-invested into our local community for projects that reduce energy use and increase renewable energy opportunities.  
Much of these funds go toward financial incentives for participants in ORE programs, such as incentive, loan, or rebate programs. ORE can help you purchase carbon offsets based on your calculated carbon emissions (step 1).

P (Produce) is generating your own power with the use of local renewable energy. ORE can help you determine which resource best fits your house or business. There are a number of options, including: solar hot water systems, geothermal systems, photovoltaic systems, biomass, or renewable fuels in your vehicle. The upfront costs of these systems can be daunting, but ORE can provide information on incentives, rebates, and grants that can drastically reduce these costs.  

By following the guidelines set by CROP, you will see a real reduction in energy use and dollars spent on energy consumption.