Greg is an Energy Services Representative (ESR) who gives conservation presentations as part of his job. At the time he began as an ESR one of the types of presentations he had to give involved a bicycle with a generator on it, a display board, and some appliances that could be plugged in and turned on. Although the audience loved the concept and learned a lot about energy conservation, what he had to work with required frequent repairs before, during (at times), and after presentations.
The frustration that came from this constant need for maintenance and the experience Greg had in research and development made it easy for him to decide to design a completely new display that would work reliably for every presentation. Because travel was frequently involved he also needed his design to be lightweight, portable, faster to set up, and simpler to use.
“The Pedal
Power has been a popular teaching tool for educators who are looking for
hands-on energy resources. It is quick to set up, user-friendly, and easy to
transport. We've had the Pedal Power for almost two years now and have never
had any problems with it. All components of the Pedal Power are durable and
sturdy and require no maintenance. Laurie and Greg are quick to respond to
questions with thorough explanations and advice! They are very helpful and
friendly, and are truly excited about energy education. I recommend
this fun, reliable resource to anyone looking to expand their energy
lesson.”
Sara Windjue,
Resource Specialist
Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP),
Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE)“I just wanted to thank you
for the Pedal Power display. It was a huge hit at our Indiana State
Fair – our Lieutenant Governor even rode it!! It was
irresistible to all ages and brought people into our booth where we could
share our “use energy wisely” message with them.
I especially appreciated
your quick rescue when a part on the trainer stand broke. It wasn’t
your fault (turns out the manufacturer had a recall) but you certainly went
above and beyond the call of duty that weekend to track me down at the
fairgrounds to diagnose the problem over the phone and then overnight me
your production model to keep us up and going for the rest of the fair.
Several of our member systems have borrowed the
display so it’s getting plenty of road travel and holding up well.
They all love being able to borrow it for their local fairs, annual meetings
and school demonstrations.”
Laura Matney
Residential Energy Advisor
