Community Corner

Greenest Scarecrow Award Goes to HESTER

Part Three in Patch's 2013 Scarecrow Series: Wilton Go Green gets into the act with its energy efficiency scarecrow.

Part 3 in our Scarecrow series. Part one featured Dr. Seuss! Part two featured "It Can Wait" scarecrow from WVAC.


Raffi the Havanese sized up the likes of HESTER the Home Energy Solutions Visit scarecrow as his owner Jana Bertkau, president of Wilton Go Green and Carey Duques, Community Program Manager for Next Step Living  assembled the energy efficient scarecrow in Bertkau's Thunder Lake  driveway on Wednesday.

With his blue jean legs filled with a variety of types of insulation "Roxul" made of wood fibers, to cellulose made from paper and is most commonly used because it is cost effective and has a high thermal resistance value. 

The various insulation options were visible through clear plastic cutouts in the denim of HESTER's blue jean legs. HESTER was ready to dispense Energy Efficiency Tips:

  • Unplug appliances and electronics, especially cell phone chargers and video game systems, when not in use. Energy Vampires (aka Phantom Loads) are appliances that are continually sucking electricity even when they are turned off.
  • Look for the ENERGY STAR logo on appliance labels. This means an appliance meets strict energy-efficiency guielines set by the US EPA and the US Dept. of Energy.
  • Save water by turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, shave or wash your face.
  • the most important step toward home energy conservation is the installation of thermal insulation. Be sure to insulate ceilings, walls and floors over unfinished crawl spaces. Insulation reduces home heating and cooling costs by around 20%.

He enjoyed keeping Lauren McNamara company as she outlined the scarecrow's face across, which was fashioned from a plastic garden pot. McNamara, a 5th grader at Cider Mill School, said "Making your own scarecrow sounded so cool, I really wanted to help." 

Bertkau, the president of Wilton Go Green said the goal is to get more people aware of the availability of home energy audits and ideas for next steps like insulation or solar panels. 

Bertkau said WGG teamed up with Next Step Living to help promote energy efficiency. "We're based out of New Haven," said Duques. "We complete energy assessments and help homeowners have more energy efficient and comfortable homes."

Wilton Go Green has plenty of information on its website about home energy assessments and on 

On Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013 from 6:30p.m. to 9:00p.m., there is a program at the library entitled, "A Dummy's Guide to Home Energy Upgrades: part 1" 

According to Bertkau there are three approved Wilton vendors who do the audits and for each completed audit, they will give a donation for the Norwalk River Valley Trail:
  • Next Step Living
  • New England Smart Energy
  • Handyman Express Energy Solutions


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