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The Star-Telegram used the advice of these nine experts to devise and help with the Green Challenge.
John AllenAn energy-efficiency expert for Reliant Energy, Allen is a master at tracking down exactly what’s devouring the most energy in a household, whether it’s a poorly insulated attic or an outdated appliance. As an efficiency auditor, Allen helps investigate customer concerns about high electricity bills. He toured the Price and Ledesma homes and suggested changes large and small, from thicker insulation to cleaner air filters. Jon BennettBennett is the senior manager of community relations at TXU Energy. He has worked with TXU for 21 years and has a master’s degree in management from the University of Central Texas,Ö now Tarleton State University-Central Texas, in Killeen. He visited the Davis and Gault homes, suggesting ways they could make their houses — from windows to appliances — operate more efficiently. Steve ChaneyChaney is the Tarrant County extension agent for home horticulture and coordinator of the county’s Master Gardener program. Before moving here in 2004, he was horticulture extension agent for Wichita County in North Texas.Chaney has a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and a master’s degree in agricultural education from Oklahoma State University; he owned and operated a design/build firm in Oklahoma for more than a decade.During the Green Challenge, he met with the Ledesma and Gault families, offering them lessons in composting and advice about water-conscious landscaping.Lori De La CruzDe La Cruz is the principal and owner of Blue Marble Media in Euless, a consulting firm that develops environmental and educational programs for local governments, businesses and nonprofits.She has a long history of developing award-winning environmental education programs, as a public-education and recycling coordinator for the city of Fort Worth and as the communications/marketing manager for the city of Euless. In 2006, her “Compost-ology” program earned Euless the City Livability Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors.De La Cruz met with Amber and Jonathan Price, suggesting ways they could make greener choices and lifestyle changes.Robert JacksonAn expert on climate change and the environment at Duke University, Jackson is a respected — and outspoken — proponent of the need to take action to address global warming. Jackson holds the Nicholas Chair of Global Environmental Change and is a professor in the biology department and Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences. He has had more than 100 peer-reviewed articles published. Last year, he wrote a children’s book titled Animal Mischief designed to teach youngsters about nature.Kathy Keller-MielkeKeller-Mielke has made a career of teaching the public about recycling and waste management. From 2006 until earlier this month, she was the public-education specialist for the city of Fort Worth’s environmental management department. She came to Fort Worth from Erie, Pa., where she was the recycling coordinator for Erie County.
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