An Ottawa-based organization that started five years ago reaches out to the public locally and beyond by encouraging and facilitating simple, economical steps toward energy conservation.

One Change [1] teams up with provincial, local, and even (U.S.) state governments to distribute tools and information by campaigning door-to-door, participating in community events, and liaising with similar groups. Other partners include retail outlets, utility companies, financial institutions and energy efficiency enterprises. One Change is a non-partisan, not-for-profit group. Its activities have attracted more than 12,000 volunteers and have reached more than 900 communities in North America.

One Change follow the principle of "community based social marketing [2]," which involves grassroots, interpersonal communication to raise awareness of environmentally friendly products and behaviors. One Change believes that for an environmental initiative to succeed, people should believe they can make a difference through simple actions and smart energy choices in their daily lives that do not demand great sacrifice. This principle motivates the organization's current efforts, Project Porchlight and One Change: Fuel.

• Read the entire article as a JPG [3].
• source: The PEN Insider: Peace and Environmental News