This is not a get rich quick scheme, but you could earn some pocket money without leaving your house — and help improve air quality in your neighborhood at the same time.
Residents in South-Central Fresno can earn up to $250 in the next few months by participating in an energy-savings study.
The program from PG&E and Olivine, Inc. is to study air quality and energy use in South-Central Fresno, and is meant to encourage people to lower energy use during peak times, reducing the likelihood that a gas-fired power plant is used and instead energy can come from renewable sources, according to the program.
Air pollution from gas-fired power plants like Malaga Power in Fresno contribute to poor air quality that can cause high rates of asthma and heart disease in the neighborhood. In 2019, that power plant released poisonous gasses into the air, including 1.47 tons of nitrogen oxide, one ton of carbon monoxide and .14 tons of PM 10, according to the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District.
People who qualify in the program can get paid for reducing energy use at certain times, filling out surveys and referring others. That may include turning off and unplugging appliances or lowering your thermostat or heater during peak energy use times. You can get $50 just for enrolling. The deadline to enroll this time is Dec. 31.
To be eligible, you must:
- Live in one of these ZIP codes: 93701, 93702, 93703, 93704, 93706, 93721, 93725, 93728.
- Have access to the internet and a web/mobile app through a smartphone or computer.
- Have or can create an online PG&E account.
Visit fresnoenergyprogram.com/join-now to learn more or to sign up.
Any information collected from participants will be anonymous, but will help the company design energy savings programs in California in the future, according to a news release from Olivine.
The company is working with local community-based organizations including Fresno Community Center for Art and Technology, the local United Way and the Fresno Housing Authority.