Gen Y Getting Smart About Energy Conservation

July 17, 2013 by Tamara Bell

Alicia Dixon is manager of Public Relations for CenterPoint Energy, a Houston-based domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. A graduate of Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Alicia joined CenterPoint in 1990 and has been in her current role since 1999. She also is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators.

It’s no surprise that Gen Y is known to be the most environmentally aware generation. But while they express interest in being eco-friendly, surveys show they’re not any more likely to be involved in green-related activities than older generations. Alicia joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to talk about how new technologies, including Smart Meters and Intelligent Grids, will help consumers conserve more by allowing them to keep track of their energy use. She also points out that Gen Y, who typically don’t have the money to buy hybrid cars or energy-efficient appliances, can make little changes that pay off in a big way towards saving energy at home and at work.

Filed Under: World Tagged With: Alicia Dixon, CenterPoint Energy, energy efficiency, environment, gen y, Keeping Up with Gen Y, tamara bell

About Tamara Bell

Tamara Bell is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Y Gen Out Loud, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that provides a platform for Generation Yto discuss national politics and public policy issues.

Tamara began her journalism career as a staff reporter for the Dallas Times Herald. A few years later, she moved to York, Pa., as a political reporter for the York Dispatch, covering local, state, and national government as well as writing investigative stories for the mid-sized daily newspaper.

A Texas girl at heart, Tamara returned to Dallas a year later to work as press relations director for the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. John Bryant. The next year, she moved to Austin and the Texas Legislature, where she stayed for 15 years. While at the Legislature, Tamara worked for Democratic House members as Chief-of-Staff and Press Secretary, and as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Senate State Affairs Committee chaired by a Republicansenator.

In 1996, Tamara became co-owner of a political newsletter covering state issues and elections. As Editor-in-Chief, Tamara helped shape the weekly publication into a must-read for state officials, legislative aides, and lobbyists. More recently, Tamara wrote a regular column analyzing coverage by the Texas Capitol Press Corps for an online political publication. She also works as a lecturer in the Advertising Department at The University of Texasat Austin.

Tamara has also been a judge for the 2010 Bright Ideas Award given by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, served as a panelist at the Society of Professional Journalists 2010 Region 8 Conference where the theme was How to Save Journalism, and has been a guest lecture for the Advertising Department’s Internship course, speaking about the jobs outlook for graduating seniors.

Tamara earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin, and her B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University. She resides in Austin with her son, Jackson.

Tamara Bell is also the Host of Keeping Up with Gen Y on WomensRadio. Keeping Up with Gen Y offers discussions, interviews, and commentary about important issues of the day from the perspective of Generation Y (18-to 30-years-old). Aimed at all generations interested in learning about and inspiring young people, this show features professionals, experts, researchers, and members of Gen Y who share insights and experiences about the topics on the minds of today’s young adults.