Town to Promote Energy Conservation by Participating in the Count Me In! Community Challenge on August 14, 2009

On Friday August 14, 2009, in collaboration with Halton Hills Hydro, the Town of Halton Hills will once again help increase awareness of the need for energy conservation by participating in the Count Me In! Community Challenge.

This voluntary challenge will occur on August 14th, marking the anniversary of the widespread blackout which occurred in North America on August 14, 2003.

Speaking about the Community Challenge, Mayor Rick Bonnette said:

“Our community has previously demonstrated its commitment to energy conservation through its strong participation in the global Earth Hour events. To continue this commitment, today, we are joining the Count Me In! Community Challenge. To make this event a success, the Town, residents, businesses and all other community stakeholders will collaborate by conserving energy on Friday August 14, 2009 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

The Town has taken on a leadership role with respect to energy conservation. For example, we are proceeding with four major capital projects which will be constructed to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. These projects are the two new fire stations and the two libraries.”

The Community Challenge is a joint initiative of the Ontario Power Authority (OPA), the City of Woodstock, which has led a municipal Blackout Day Challenge for the past several years, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO), the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), and the Electricity Distributors Association (EDA).

The success of the Community Challenge will be measured in two ways:

• The highest percentage drop in electricity consumption on August 14; and
• The highest per capita participation in the Count Me In! pledge drive between now and August 14.

Results will be announced at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario’s (AMO) Conference in Ottawa this August.

How to Participate?
The objective of the Community Challenge is to encourage energy conservation, reduce energy consumption and increase public awareness of the importance of the electricity supply. To do this and to help the Town win the competition, everyone is encouraged to take the following simple actions:

• Register now. Once registered Town of Halton Hills residents may send an email to jennifers@haltonhills.ca confirming registration and the email will be entered into a draw for 2 prizes donated by Halton Hills Hydro.
• On August 14th, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.:
  • Turn off any unnecessary lights
  • Completely unplug any unnecessary electronic equipment (e.g. TV, DVD, computer, etc)
  • Turn off the air conditioner
  • Avoid using major appliances
  • Take a walk through your neighbourhood
  • Additional energy conservation tips and information on the Community Challenge is available at: www.countmeinontario.ca and on www.haltonhillshydro.com/conservation.asp
• Watch for additional information. Visit www.haltonhills.ca/sustainability.

Please remember to do all of the above without compromising safety and security. In addition, please continue your energy conservation actions throughout the year. Be creative, have fun and stay safe.

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