Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to watch a TV for three hours - its equivalent to half a gallon of gasoline.

Originally built as a cinema, the Belvedere Theater on Rozzelles Ferry Road has been completely re-purposed and retrofitted into an energy efficient dentist office.  They added features such as a tankless water heater, white membrane roof that reflect sunlight, and energy efficient appliances.

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Plaza Midwood Neighborhood, a Neighborhood Energy Challenge winner, used funding to support a holiday project that was popular with both the residents and entire Charlotte community who also benefitted from enjoying the atmosphere while visiting the area.

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Apply now for the Neighborhood Energy Challenge (NEC) – Power2 Live Green Grant.  This is a competitive grant opportunity designed to encourage neighborhoods to implement practical strategies for reducing energy use and costs; which saves money and is good for our environment.  Neighborhoods are eligible to apply for up to $10,000 for any or a combination of the following projects:

• Alternative Transportation Challenge
• Home Energy Audits
• Energy Efficient Product Distribution
• Energy Efficient Home Improvement Incentive/Rebate Program
• Energy Efficient Lighting Program
• Energy Star Appliance Upgrade Program

The application deadline is February 15th, 2012. Neighborhoods are required to attend one pre-application workshop to be eligible to participate.

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The electric vehicles have started to arrive, and will soon be wrapped with Power2 graphics so you won't miss them when they hit the streets of Charlotte.

As one of the Commercial Building Retrofit funding recipients, Mechanical Contractors Inc. installed solar panels on the roof and solar tubes and sun lights on the ceiling.  They also installed signage and held an open house to explain the purpose of their new updates.

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Electric Vehicle Charging Stations have begun going in at set locations.  Keep an eye out for them to be popping up all over the city.

The City of Charlotte donated a house in the EcoDistrict, to Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity and Lowe's Home Improvement to be used as an example for energy efficiency.  The house was donated primarily for use as an educational tool to showcase energy efficient techniques that are available to residents to help them save money and reduce energy waste.

Goodwill industries plans to use this project as a training tool, to train job seekers in construction contracting and prepare them for careers. The trainees will learn green technology from the ground up, giving them an advantage in the marketplace by training them on current technologies available in construction.

David Smith, the Electric Vehicles and Charging Station project leader, speaks with local students at an event at Discovery Place.  David spoke about the benefits of electric vehicles, and Siemens representatives spoke about the technology behind the charging stations. The students also got a first look at 2 of the electric vehicles.

(FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE MAYOR'S YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM HERE >)

The City of Charlotte used Renewable Energy Grant funding for the installation of the solar power system mounted on top floor of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center Parking deck.  The alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) generated will help power the deck's electrical system, which includes lighting, security systems, gates, and the soon to be installed electric vehicle charging stations.  The project includes an educational monitor that will be connected to the system to monitor energy production savings on a real-time basis.

According to the Department of Energy's estimations, the solar structure will generate around 12,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year.  The energy savings generated from this structure itself are projected to be equivalent to the total energy consumed by an average U.S. household.

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Mecklenburg County received funds from the US Environmental Protection Agency to support Charlotte Douglas International Airport in a project to replace older diesel ground support equipment and engines with cleaner, less-polluting equipment.  This falls in line with Charlotte Airport's commitment to sustainability.  The project, named AeroGRADE+ is expected to reduce over 400 tons of ozone-forming nitrogen oxide polluction.

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Mayor Anthony Foxx and a delegation of business and civic leaders met with Chinese government and business leaders in Beijing, Baoding, Langfang and Shanghai in November.  The visit focused on economic development, including expanding investment in Charlotte, building on the city's new EcoPartnership with Langfang and highlighting Charlotte's emergence as a global energy hub.

Students in the Chinese Immersion Program at E.E. Waddell Language Academy in Charlotte have partnered with students in Langfang on energy conservation.  The video shows the Charlotte students greeting their Langfang counterparts.

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Valentine's Day is coming up soon.  With that in mind, more than 20,000,000 Hershey's Kisses are wrapped each day, using 133 square miles of tinfoil. All that foil is recyclable, but not many people realize it.

Keep up with Envision Charlotte's efforts to help reduce energy consumption in Charlotte's uptown business district through the at home kiosk, Smart Energy Now.  Click the image above, or come into Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center or Old City Hall to view the kiosk.