duncan cooper
Contact Info
Send e-mail to: duncan@renovusenergy.com
Personal Statement
I am amazed by the sense of paralysis that seems to be taking over the mainstream culture. People correctly perceive that our world is a complicated place, and that doing the right thing takes time, energy and deliberate action. What confuses me is the sense of hopelessness that accompanies this realization. Personally, I feel just the opposite. It is exactly the challenges, the complications, and the increased potential to do well by our earth and our fellow human beings that motivates me. I believe that Renovus Energy is taking on the task of living responsibly directly, and I couldn't be more pleased to join the team.
Brief Bio
Duncan has felt at home in the suburbs of Massachusetts, the woods of Maine, the hills of Vermont, the streets of Portland, Oregon and, most recently, the gorges of Ithaca. He recently joined Renovus as a Customer Liaison, and is excited to share everything he knows about renewable energy systems with clients. He is not as excited about getting over his fear of heights. Before coming to Renovus, Duncan worked as a Project Analyst for the consulting firm CRA International. He majored in Economics at Middlebury College, where he also studied Philosophy and Music Composition.
Resources
The resource that excites me most these days is “The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book: A Guide to Whole-Grain Breadmaking” by Laurel Robertson. It has guided me to many a delicious loaf thus far and demystifies baking with whole grains. Also, I find it very easy to get inspired reading cook books by Debra Stark (http://debrasnaturalgourmet.com/). Her thoughts on eating well have filled me up and kept me coming back for more. "The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Chaelie Papazian is a great resource for anyone looking to become more self sufficient by brewing their own beer.
I think the most important thing people can do to begin reducing their energy use is understand how much energy they are using right now. Take a look at your utility bills and start tracking how many kilowatt-hours you use per month, or how much fuel oil you are burning. Once you have a couple month's worth of data, compare them to your state averages, with a neighbor, or with your friends at work. Knowing how much energy you use is important. With regards to renewable energy, I found "Solar Power for Your Home (for Dummies)" by Rick DeGunther to be a good place to start if you are completely new to the world of renewable energy. "The Solar Electric House" by Steven Strong is also a good resource.