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The struggle for power (saving) is on!
Toronto Hydro pits city wards against each other in energy-saving, civic
pride driveTORONTO, May 21 /CNW/ -
NEWS
Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited ("Toronto Hydro") hopes to set off
a wave of competition within the city limits. The aim is to drive energy
conservation through civic pride in a race between Toronto's 44 wards to
achieve the most participation in conservation-related programs this spring
and summer.
The utility is stimulating Torontonians' civic mindedness with a new
campaign dubbed Count Me In Toronto. Residents across the city can log onto
www.countmeintoronto.ca. Just by registering, 'points' will be applied to
their specific ward and they will be automatically entered into a draw for one
of five MacBooks.
To help spur Torontonians into action, Toronto Hydro is encouraging
residents to take advantage of the Spring Turn On and Keep Cool programs. The
Spring Turn On program involves giving away 40,000 free CFL bulbs at
participating Canadian Tire and The Home Depot stores in Toronto on the
weekends of May 23 and May 30, and offers consumers discounts on the purchase
of specialty CFLs and power bars with timers. Starting at 10 a.m., the first
350 Toronto residents at each Toronto location will receive a free specialty
CFL (limit one specialty CFL per City of Toronto household).
Keep Cool, a program of the Clean Air Foundation, is returning for its
fifth year on June 3 and is once again providing Torontonians who bring in
their old, inefficient air conditioners to The Home Depot to be responsibly
recycled with a $25 The Home Depot gift card. New in 2009, Keep Cool will also
reward Torontonians with a $10 gift card(*) to those who bring in an old,
inefficient dehumidifier. The program will run in Toronto-area The Home Depots
for the first three weekends in June.
Actions taken from May 18 to September 6 will qualify for the Count Me In
Toronto challenge. The winning ward will receive an environmentally
sustainable retrofit to a public building within its civic boundaries.
QUOTES
"The purpose of Count Me In Toronto is to foster a greater sense of
community pride by encouraging residents to green their neighbourhoods," said
Toronto Hydro President and CEO, David O'Brien. "The hope is that citizens'
competitiveness will come out once customers log on to the website and see how
their ward is doing and inspire them to participate in as many conservation
programs as possible."
"This is a great opportunity for Torontonians to better get to know their
neighbourhoods and the wards in which they live, and to take pride in making
their immediate environment a cleaner, greener place," said campaign supporter
and Ward 13 resident Mayor David Miller. "We encourage everyone in the city to
have fun being eco-friendly and earn their community a green makeover for a
public building."FACTS
- According to a recent Leger Marketing survey commissioned by Toronto
Hydro, 87 per cent of Torontonians would like to see more energy
conservation activities in their ward, and yet only 31 per cent of
respondents could identify the ward in which they live. To find out
which ward they live in or find out where their ward stands, Toronto
residents can visit www.countmeintoronto.ca.
- Based on Toronto Hydro's previous electricity-saving programs, the top
five wards at the outset of Count Me In Toronto include: Ward 30
(Toronto-Danforth) in first place; followed by Ward 40 (Scarborough
Agincourt); Ward 1 (Etobicoke North); Ward 13 (Parkdale-High Park); and
Ward 29 (Toronto-Danforth).
- Actions taken from May 18 to September 6 will qualify for the Count Me
In Toronto challenge.
- Macbook contest details: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest open to
residents of the City of Toronto, at least 18 years of age. Chances of
winning depend on the number of eligible entries received by 11:59 p.m.
on August 31, 2009. Winning entrants are required to correctly answer a
mathematical skill-testing question. Limit one prize per person or
household. Other terms and conditions may apply.
The Count Me In Toronto website has been designed in a fun and
user-friendly format. Customers will be able to learn about all the ways to
earn points such as:
- signing up for the peaksaver® program;
- taking part in the Great Refrigerator Roundup program;
- picking up free specialty compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) at
participating Canadian Tire stores and all The Home Depot stores in
Toronto;
- returning old room air conditioners and dehumidifiers; and
- installing other energy-saving devices like power bars with timers.About Toronto Hydro-Electric System
Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited is the regulated "wires" affiliate
and is one of the largest municipal electric distribution utilities in Canada,
delivering electricity to a broadly diversified, economically robust,
residential, commercial and industrial customer base in the City of Toronto.
The utility serves more than 684,000 customers./NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
members of the media/