Visit five very different American communities where citizens are making smart energy choices based on economics and the environment. In Kansas, communities compete for $100,000 cash prizes in an energy conservation contest. In Baltimore, Md., the Neighborhood Energy Challenge is enabling low-income homeowners to save as much as $1,300 a year through simple measures like weather-stripping and reduced water use. In oil-rich Alaska, renewables are becoming an increasingly important part of the power portfolio. In Fort Worth, Texas, fracking has led to an economic and employment boom, even as citizens continue to pursue what they call "cowboy sustainability." And in Portland, Ore., forward-thinking decisions made decades ago have given rise to a vibrant economy and turned the city into one of the nation's greenest. In a political climate in which "going green" is often associated with a liberal agenda, Energy Quest USA sends the message that we need to get back to the all-American values of saving a buck, tackling problems head-on, working together in our communities, and looking out for the future of our kids and our country.
