Homer’s Kachemak Bay Campus on Saturday was filled with renewable energy enthusiasts and experts, creative carpenters and curious community members for the Homer Energy Fair.

The fair was a project of Homer Drawdown, which first began in 2019 as a collaborative shepherded by Cook Inletkeeper and Alaskans Know Climate Change. Their focus was on finding solutions to mitigate climate change on the local level, in the belief that collaborative, community-led solutions could lead to the most impact.

There were many examples on display Saturday of ways in which individuals could increase their energy efficiency, including education on heat pumps and other efficient heating systems, information on home energy credits and tax incentives, and even innovative new options for homebuilding.

At one table, long, stocking-like appendages hung off the end, eye-catching in their collection of bright, patterned fabric. The table was set up for crafting, with friendly signs encouraging attendees to jump right in. Laura McBride, who was helping set up the booth, said these “door snakes” were for protecting against door drafts.

“I mean, energy is not always fun, but this is fun!”

The door snakes are one of the examples presented at the fair as an easy, quick fix that can make a big difference in a home. The weighted fabric “snakes” work to fill space that would otherwise let a cold draft into the house. But by keeping heat in and cold out, you end up expending fewer resources and saving money too, something that Steve Panarelli, of Stoat Home Inspections LLC noticed. He pointed out that something as simple as weather stripping — which needs to be replaced every three years or so — can make a big difference in retaining or losing heat in your home.

“It’s a wear product, so it only lasts about three years,” he said, showing an example of a long piece of malleable weather stripping. “But, a lot of people have never, ever replaced their weather stripping. It’s cheap. You can get it at Spenard Builders Supply. You cut it and then it just presses into your door or window jam.” He demonstrated how flexible the material is, pointing out that a simple $10 fix like this could make a big difference in stopping drafts and unwanted moisture from entering your home.

In addition to the exhibits and vendors, three free presentations were provided. The first — led by the Renewable Energy Alaska Project — walked attendees through the process of increasing home energy efficiency. The second delved deeper into energy rebates and incentives, including the New Home Construction Rebate program, which offers prospective builders a $10,000 energy tax credit. The last looked at building science, exploring how to best keep the driving forces of heat, air and moisture in check within homes through preventative maintenance. Recordings of the presentations will be available online in the coming weeks, according to Cook Inletkeeper.

Reach Chloe Pleznac at chloe.pleznac@homernews.com or by calling 907-615-3193.

Steve Panarelli of Stoat Home Inspection LLC stands next to a monitor showing an Infrared photograph of an interior house wall at the Homer Energy Fair on Jan. 25, 2025. The scale to the left of the screen shows differences in heat variation; the darker points represent areas where colder air is concentrated, highlighting areas where heat loss is happening. (Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)

The “snake”-making station at the 2025 Homer Drawdown Energy Fair on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 at Kachemak Bay Campus. (Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)