Look no further for energy efficiency...

Julie Stofer | May 22, 2009

Climate Corps TrainingLast week, Millie wrote about the then-upcoming Climate Corps training, as well as what it takes to get 26 students placed in what David Baker of the San Francisco Chronicle calls "an unusual summer assignment: helping cut corporate America's energy bills."

The training took place over the past three days in our San Francisco office and was by all counts a resounding success.

In his post for Grist, Todd Woody calls the fellows "green moles" and asks the question that's on everyone's mind:

Why don't these wealthy corporations hire their own corps of energy efficiency experts?Mainly, the guys who keep the lights on don't talk to the gals who pay the bills, and no one wants to make more work for themselves or ask for money for capital improvements, especially at a time when the global economy it teetering.

Enter the tech-savvy MBA with dark green eyeshades who can bridge the gap between the two worlds. Half this year's Climate Corps members are trained engineers who didn't sweat solving boot camp exercises like, "How many gallons of gasoline equivalent would be saved every year by replacing a 60W incandescent light bulb running 4,000 hours with a CFL?"

Stay tuned for more about the fellows and tales from the training.