MP Jean working with Project Porchlight to bring energy savings to residents as part of province-wide campaign

June 13, 2008

FORT McMURRAY, Alberta – Albertans across the province are volunteering with Project Porchlight to deliver 500,000 free energy-efficient light bulbs. Local MP Brian Jean is also getting involved to help spread an important message: Everyone can conserve energy, save money, and help the environment with simple, effective actions. All residents are invited to drop by the MP’s local constituency offices (Fort McMurray & Athabasca) to pick up one compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb per household. In total, 8000 will be handed out.

“It’s important to realize that we can all affect change and when we work together towards a common goal, great things are possible,” says Brian Jean, Member of Parliament for Fort McMurray – Athabasca. "Changing one bulb may seem minor, but these small changes in each household are what add up to big changes for the environment."

“This is about more than changing light bulbs,” said Stuart Hickox, executive director of One Change, the organization that runs Project Porchlight. “Everybody can change a bulb, and once people realize that simple actions like this really do matter, they want to do more. A light goes on. So we’re asking people in the counties of Fort McMurray and Athabasca to be a light in their own communities by delivering bulbs door-to-door.”

The reasons to switch to CFL bulbs are compelling. Replacing just one old-fashioned incandescent bulb with an energy-efficient 13-watt CFL bulb saves up to $50 in electricity costs over five years. With 500,000 bulbs in use, the collective savings for Alberta residents will be $25,000,000 over that time. CFL bulbs are more efficient because they use 75% less electricity than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. And if every household in Alberta replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL bulb, Albertans would save enough natural gas to heat 8,400 homes for an entire year.

Project Porchlight is sponsored by the Government of Alberta and EnCana Corporation. Its partners include Shaw Cablesystems and Climate Change Central. This campaign joins other province-wide initiatives that are helping Albertans become more energy efficient. “Through our partnership with Climate Change Central and Energy Solutions Alberta, we are helping all Albertans—whether at home, at the office or on the farm —conserve energy and save money," said Provincial Environment Minister Rob Renner. “Even a seemingly small action like changing a light bulb can make a significant difference.”

EnCana Corporation is also a key contributor to this volunteer-led initiative. "Contributing to the strength and long-term viability of the communities where we live and work is key to EnCana's business objectives. Project Porchlight is an innovative program and we applaud One Change for their efforts," said Florence Murphy, EnCana's Vice President of Public and Community Relations.

“Switching from incandescent to CFL bulbs is something simple that every Albertan can do,” said Simon Knight, President and CEO of Climate Change Central. “Despite its simplicity, the cumulative impact such an action has on the environment is significant.”

Volunteers will deliver half a million CFL bulbs door-to-door and at local community gatherings throughout the province this spring. Interested individuals of all ages and walks of life, and local community groups can visit the web site www.projectporchlight.com to sign up to volunteer or obtain more information on the campaign.

To pick up your free CFL bulb, MP Jean’s constituency office in Fort McMurray is located at 102-9912 Franklin Avenue, and the constituency office in Athabasca is located at 5105 50th Avenue. Both are open between 8:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Friday. Please call 780-743-2201 in Fort McMurray or 780-675-8100 in Athabasca with any questions.