| Take the pledge at Community Challenge |
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 HALTON HILLS – On Wednesday August 11, 2010 the Town of Halton Hills will once again demonstrate its leadership and commitment to energy conservation by participating in Ontario’s 2010 Conservation Community Challenge. The winning municipalities will earn the right to be considered Ontario’s most conservation-conscious communities, as well as win valuable “green” awards such as a $10,000 Renewable Energy Award that can be used towards the installation of solar panels on a municipal property. Winning municipalities will be announced on August 16, 2010 at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario(AMO) Annual Conference in Windsor. The Town’s participation will build on last year’s success in the Count Me In! Community Challenge Day where, of the 83 participating municipalities, HaltonHills placed in the top 10!To make this year’s event a success, the Town (Office of Sustainability) has partnered with Halton Hills Hydro, Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce and Practically Green Solutions to raise awareness of energy conservation. All residents and businesses are encouraged to take The Power Pledge at www.powerpledge.ca between now and August 11th – the day of the Community Challenge Day. Taking The Power Pledge is very simple. It involves taking a few simple actions to lower energy use, avoid energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a participating municipality, Halton Hills will compete in two different categories: - The highest percentage drop in electricity consumption on August 11, 2010; and - The highest per capita participation in the Power Pledge drive. Speaking about The Power Pledge, Mayor Bonnette said: “I encourage all residents and businesses to come together in order to help implement the energy conservation objectives of the Town’s Green Plan by taking The Power Pledge. Energy conservation is an important way of addressing climate change, improving our local air quality, reducing energy use and avoiding energy costs. Like in the past, I am sure that our residents and businesses will once again rise to the challenge and help the Town be a leader.” According to Art Skidmore (President & CEO) of Halton Hills Hydro: “Halton Hills Hydro is committed to energy conservation as one of its strategic priorities. By participating in The Power Pledge initiative, all residents and businesses can take this opportunity to commit to simple and meaningful actions that will conserve electricity, and positively impact the environment. Visit www.haltonhillshydro.com to learn more about our programs.” Sue Walker (General Manager) of the Chamber of Commerce and Emily Dimytosh (Program Director) at Practically Green Solutions underscored the important role that businesses can play in fostering a culture of conservatio. As of May 19, 2010, about 22,000 Ontarians have taken The Power Pledge. Together, these individuals are saving over 67 million kilowatt hours of energy, over $7 million in energy costs and are avoiding about 15 million kilograms of greenhouse gases from being produced! How to Participate? To take The Power Pledge and help the Town win the competition, please take the following simple actions: 1. Register at: www.powerpledge.ca 2. On August 11th, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.: - Turn off any unnecessary lights. - Completely unplug any unnecessary electronics (e.g. TV, DVD, computer, etc) or use a power bar. This will reduce the phantom load which occurs when electronics continue to use power even though they are turned off. Reducing the phantom load can decrease electricity use by 15%. - Turn off the air conditioner. - Avoid using major appliances. - If doing laundry, do so during off-peak hours, use cold water, only run a full laundry load and use a clothesline. - Take a walk through your neighbourhood. 3. Between now and August 11, 2010, watch for and take advantage of the events/initiatives that will see the Town, Halton Hills Hydro, Halton Hills Chamber of Commerce and Practically Green Solutions in the community promoting energy conservation and The Power Pledge. For more information on the Town’s sustainability initiatives and Green Plan implementation, please visit: www.haltonhills.ca/sustainability. For further information contact: Damian Szybalski Sustainability Coordinator Planning, Development and Sustainability 905.873.2601 ext. 2289 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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