Partnering to Save You Money on Energy Costs

Global Generation Group

The following might seem strange in this time of social distancing due to Covid-19. But I would argue now is the BEST time, as this will provide some great opportunities for you, and begin a new start when everyone returns.  After reading this description, please contact us to schedule a walk-through as soon as possible.


Do-Gooder Consulting is excited to once again partner with Global Generation Group , a service provider / trade ally of Commonwealth Edison.  We are charged with implementing Com-Ed’s 2020 Small Business energy efficiency program (their definition of small business includes churches and nonprofits; this program is a different department than their residential energy efficiency program, which has been advertised in the media). Global Generation specializes in helping organizations finding no cost improvements to upgrade their facilities with energy efficient equipment.



The Com-Ed Energy Efficiency Program for Small Businesses is paid for by an energy charge on EVERYONE’s bill).  See the graphic to check your own bill to see these state-mandated charges. 


This special program (paid for by an energy charge on EVERYONE’s bill) gives no-cost upgrades that include:


   

1. LED replacements of fluorescent lights (for certain types, determined by Com-Ed after free energy assessment)

2. HVAC upgrade (installing an economizer & sensors to help HVAC units pull in less air – and use less energy—when fewer or no people are in an area. This is called Demand Control Ventilation - DCV) 

3. Occupancy sensors that turn off/on lights automatically (such as for a bathroom).

4. Weather stripping for outer doors.

 The qualifications are simple – you pay an electric bill every month, which is classified at “Retail/Commercial = 0 to 100KW), and you are a small business, church or nonprofit. You can easily see if you qualify by checking your bill.


 We at Do-Gooder Consulting would like to do a walk-through of your facility (which proper precautions -- we do NOT need to touch anything) with you  sometime in the next two weeks and help you get these no cost upgrades. 

We will be happy to provide references so you can see how this has worked for others. When contacting them, please mention that JP Paulus who worked with the Com-Ed Small Business Energy Effficiency program refered you.  
Some of these organizations include:

·         Bowen’s Pizza (Bronzeville  neighborhood of Chicago)

·         Ephphtha Church of the Deaf (Chatham neighborhood of Chicago)

·         Chatham Fields Lutheran Church (Chatham neighborhood of Chicago)

·         Carey Tercentenary AME Church (North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago)

·         La Villita Community Church (North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago)

·         Neighborhood United Methodist Church (Maywood, IL)

We look forward to hearing from you soon by e-mail at jp@do-gooder.us or by phone or text at 872-222-8008

Even a Bootleg Business Card can work

Business cards are vital, people! They help you communicate with strangers and help them find a connection.

People can get uptight because they don't have the funds for a fancy business card. While presentation is helpful, the bottom line is the information.

Note: the card doesn't have to be a special shape, or super shiny and glossy.  Even if the information is handwritten, or a simple Microsoft Word print out that you cut with scissors, it helps.  The "card" may look "bootleg", but as long as the information is accurate and legible, it can help.

But if you DO want something a little more professional, VistaPrint is one that Do-Gooder Consulting uses. On a recent order, we were able to get 500 business cards, plus a metal card holder, for under $12!  That's less than $0.03 a business card!

It's definitely worth it!

And no, we did not get paid for that shout out! Check RetailMeNot.com for any special deals. There may be other ads and deals found elsewhere.

Whenever you go to a conference, such as the Reload Urban Youth Workers conferences, there are old friends, but often new people who you could have great professional or even personal relationships later on after the event. They may also be a connection to a much needed resource.  The possibilities are endless.

So some quick notes to remember about business cards and making them an effective tool:

• The night before you leave your home, make sure you have a bunch of business cards with you (I suggest putting a few in your wallet, a few in a shirt or coat pocket, several in your notebook or calendar, and even more in your computer/tablet case.
• While an impressive looking card is nice, having the basic info on a piece of paper the size of a card will work just fine
• Handwrite the event you are at before giving your card. It will help the recipient remember how you met
• Once you get your business cards, take a bunch and stash them in various places where you can access them: your wallet, purse, computer bag, messenger bag/briefcase, car glove compartment, jacket, conference name tag (if it allows for storage). Doing the entire list sounds excessive, but you never know when you can use them!
• Schedule a time after your conference to review the cards YOU have collected.  The point isn't collecting them like baseball cards -- it is to use them as tools for future relationships.

Now, I did want to note that sending business card information electronically (such as via smartphone) is helpful. But there are some dangers of that as well:

• Your information can be deleted, sometimes to easily. Anyone who currently has a 2 year old can testify to that.
• Your information can get buried. Unless you are a major speaker, you will only be one of 200-400 other contacts.

A business card has a chance to be found during laundry, housecleaning, or any number of instances that will not happen with a smartphone.

Business cards are a small thing, but they can provide big benefits later on.

Contact us if your organization or small business needs help in coordinating your communication. Either call/text 872-222-8008 or e-mail us at communication@do-gooder.us

You are NOT stuck with a .com for a website name

When many of us think of websites , we have been conditioned to think of it as .com  and not realize that there are a host of other opportunities, currently available, with more on the way..

The .com part is called a domain suffix. Others you may be familiar with include .gov (for US federal, state and local governmental bodies) or .edu (for schools, usually colleges, but even elementary school systems, such as cps.edu).  There are 22 of those top-level domain suffixes, and they exist alongside 250 country-level domains, such as .ca for Canada or .jp for Japan.

Another reason to consider something OTHER than a .com - the number of websites with that suffix. Here are the most popular(according to the above article, from WhoIs):
.com = 103.9 million (as of June 27, 2012)
.net =     14.8 million
.org =     10.0 million
  .us =       1.8 million

Looking at those numbers, if you've tried to register a domain name, you may be stuck with someone only insiders might remember, and not easy for outsiders (such as prospective customers or visitors) to remember.

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which regulates the domain suffixes, is opening up the extensions, with many more possibilities. Some would be exclusively for a corporation, such as .apple for (of course) Apple Computers, or .amazon for Amazon.com.

But others would be opened up for the general public. For example 2 organizations are vying for the use of .church, which they would re-sell to the public. So Uptown Baptist Church could go from www.UptownBaptistChurch.org to the easier-to-remember www.Uptown.church (and in the process drop the "Baptist" if they desired to not emphasize that part of their name).

The website rt.com has an excellent article which explains the possible extensions that have been applied for.
 There are 2000 suffixes that have been applied for, with each application costing over $185,000.

Ryan Faughnder of Tribune Newspapers wrote an excellent article regarding the status of these domain extension at the end of June. It is found here --> http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-internet-overseers-20120628,0,5690285.story 

We at Do-Gooder Consulting want to keep things simple, so our web site is simply do.gooder.us 
Because we know that confuses people, we will advertise the web site as www.do-gooder.us , as people also (falsely) equate all website names as starting with www.




Please contact us at Do-Gooder Consulting, and we can help your organization get set up with a web domain name that fits your needs and resources.

Even if you are not quite ready for a website, contact us so we can help you be on the cutting edge when domains become available, such as a possible .church suffix.

This article is copyright 2012 by Do-Gooder Consulting. Please contact us if you would like to reproduce it on your blog or newspaper.