About
Are the projects on OurJoules specifically for low-income families?
Why would I help pay for someone else's solar panels?
What if my project doesn't get funded?
How do I know that these projects are legitimate?
A Joule is the SI unit for energy. It is named after James Prescott Joule, whose work led to the theory of conservation of energy. This theory states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed, but merely change form (i.e. from potential to kinetic energy).
OurJoules is about a different type of conservation of energy. It is a site dedicated to helping Americans use less energy every day. Through the site, people can propose energy-reducing projects, (e.g. a solar water heater), and/or fund others' projects. Many people want to do something to reduce energy usage in the U.S. to help mitigate global warming, to reduce our dependence on foreign energy sources, and to make our lives sustainable for the generations to come. But sometimes the problem seems too big, time consuming, or costly to do anything about.
That's where OurJoules comes in. We know that there is lots of funding out there for large-scale alternative energy projects, but what if you're one guy who wants to put a wind turbine in his backyard and can't afford it? We believe that you shouldn't have to build a 50 MWh wind farm to get outside funding if you are helping to save the earth. The mission of OurJoules is to help small-scale energy saving projects get funded. We call it micro-greening.
Are the projects on OurJoules specifically for low-income families?
No, anyone can submit an energy-saving project, regardless of their income level. The goal of OurJoules is to reduce America's carbon footprint in a timely manner. However, many studies show that global warming disproportionately affects the poor. Therefore, mitigating global warming is helping the less fortunate.
Why would I help pay for someone else's solar panels?
Here are four good reasons to donate to a project on OurJoules.
1. Pooling resources can speed up progress.
Here's a numerical example to show what Our Joules can accomplish:
Imagine that 1000 people each emit 2 tons of carbon per year. (That's 2000 tons per year). All of these people want to buy solar panels to reduce their carbon footprint to 1 ton per year. None of them can afford the panels now.
Scenario 1: The 1000 people save up for 10 years and buy their solar panels at that time.
Total tons of carbon emitted for the next 10 years: 20,000.
Scenario 2: The 1000 people each donate to Our Joules, so that 10% of them can buy their solar panels each year.
Total tons of carbon emitted for the next 10 years: 15,500.
2. You know where your money is going.
People donate money to environmental causes every day to organizations such as Sierra Club, Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection, or World Wildlife Fund. These organizations all do great things; however you don't know exactly where your money is going when you donate to them. You might be donating to a political campaign, or paying someone's salary. Our Joules offers an opportunity to put money directly towards a specific project. You can read about each project and see for yourself how it will lower one household's carbon footprint.
3. What if your house burns down?
If you believe that global warming is not a big deal, or that it is inevitable no matter what we do, then Our Joules is not for you. But let's say you are not 100% sure if global warming is man-made or can be mitigated. What if you gave it a 0.01% chance that scientists are right, and that the rapidly increasing amount of CO2 in our atmosphere will cause huge catastrophes all over the world. In that case, is it worth doing something to try to prevent that scenario? Even conservative magazines such as the Economist advocate spending money up front to try and avoid the worst case scenarios of global warming. They liken it to insurance. No one believes that their house will burn down, but isn't it worth spending some money each month or year, just in case? Otherwise if it does burn down, where are you going to live?
4. Help incentivize others
What if you have already cut the fat out of your own carbon footprint? You have a wind turbine in your backyard, grow your own vegetables, and ride your bike to the library. Now what? You can either sit back and relax, because the threat of global warming is over, or you can help motivate others to follow in your footsteps. There are several ways to motivate people. You can scare them with dire predictions about rising sea levels, appeal to their hearts by showing them photos of starving polar bears, or you can give them a financial incentive. Our Joules focuses on the last one, but feel free to try the others as well!
If you have a project idea, submit it here. The possibilities are endless! You could weather-proof your house, install a programmable thermostat, or setup a vegetable garden in your yard. You can browse other project ideas here. Tell us about what the project is, how it will help the environment, and how much it will cost. In short, sell your project to the world. Your family, friends, or even complete strangers who want to make a difference can contribute to your project. When OurJoules has collected the target amount, we will purchase the item or service and make sure it is delivered and/or installed.
What if my project doesn't get funded?
Your project will be on the site for 6 months. Hopefully your project will be funded quickly, but if it is not funded within 6 months, all money will be returned to the original donors. If you believe in your project idea, you can always post it again! One way to get funded faster is to put down some seed money when you submit your project. This will show the world that you are legitimate and dedicated to accomplishing your project.
Browse through the current project here. You can search by category, or by how close the project is to being fully funded. If the project you sponsor is not fully funded within 6 months of being submitted to the site, your money will be refunded in full.
As a donor, this is your chance to donate directly to small-scale projects that will add up to change the world. 100% of your donation will go directly to the project. OurJoules is not a 501(c)3 non-profit, so unfortunately your donation is not tax deductable. However, it is an investment in our planet's ability to sustain human life.
How do I know that these projects are legitimate?
Money raised on the site never goes directly to a project owner. Instead, OurJoules uses the donations to a given project to purchase all goods and services for that project. We verify with the vendor that the items have been delivered and installed. As far as the impact of the project, you can choose projects that you feel will achieve the greatest results. Project owners are encouraged to entice donors with statistics and data about the potential energy savings or other benefits of their project.
Send any questions or comments to admin@ourjoules.com