An award-winning energy efficiency campaign was launched today in Grande Prairie, part of a province-wide campaign to deliver 500,000 free energy-efficiency light bulbs to Alberta households. Project Porchlight volunteers are heading into the community to spread an important message: Everyone can conserve energy, save money, and help the environment with simple, effective actions.

"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 the people here in Grande Prairie and people across Alberta to be a light in their own communities by delivering bulbs door-to-door."

Switching just one old-fashioned incandescent bulb to an energy-efficient 13-watt compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb will save up to $50 in electricity costs over five years. With 18,000 bulbs in use, the collective savings for Grande Prairie residents will be $900,000 over that time. CFL bulbs are more efficient because they use 75% less electricity than old-fashioned incandescent bulbs. 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 Cable, Climate Change Central, the Kiwanis Club, and the 4-H Foundation of Alberta. Sponsors joined volunteers at a community launch hockey game celebration today in Grande Prairie at the Crystal Centre Canada Games Arena. In attendance were a local representative on behalf of EnCana Corporation; Helen Rice, Alderman and official representative on behalf of Grande Prairie Mayor Dwight Logan; and Stuart Hickox, Executive Director of One Change.

The support of these sponsors and partners will enable local volunteers to deliver 500,000 CFL bulbs to Alberta homes. This campaign joins other province-wide initiatives that are helping Albertans become more energy efficient.

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 core 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 compact fluorescent light 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."

The City of Grande Prairie has also expressed support of the Project Porchlight campaign in the community. "This initiative is a prime example of how each one of us can make a tangible difference in reducing energy consumption and I encourage everyone to participate in this very worthwhile program," said Grande Prairie Mayor Dwight Logan.

"Our City is working hard to be environmentally responsible and promote sustainability," added Grande Prairie Alderman Helen Rice, who will flick the switch that lights up a CFL bulb that symbolizes the commencement of the campaign at Saturday's Grande Prairie Storm hockey game.

Grande Prairie bulb distribution began immediately after the launch; Project Porchlight will continue to deliver its half million bulbs to communities across Alberta through the year. Volunteers and community groups can visit the web site www.projectporchlight.com to sign up to volunteer.

About Project Porchlight

Project Porchlight is an award-winning not-for-profit organization. The goal of Project Porchlight is to get every household in Canada to change one old-fashioned, inefficient incandescent to an energy-efficient CFL bulb.

For more details or to arrange an interview, please contact:

• Manon Crôteau, Project Porchlight, 866.585.6359 x 218 or manon@onechange.org, or
• Brian Doyle, Project Porchlight (403) 771-7694 or (403) 645-8694 or brian@onechange.org

About Project Porchlight Sponsors

Government of Alberta

The Department of Energy's resource portfolio includes natural gas, conventional oil, oil sands, petrochemicals, electricity, coal and minerals, renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation. Alberta Energy manages the development of provincially owned energy and mineral resources by industry and the assessment and collection of non-renewable resource revenues in the form of royalties, freehold mineral taxes, rentals and bonuses.

The Department promotes development of Alberta's energy and mineral resources, recommends and implements energy and mineral related policy, grants rights for exploration and development to industry and establishes and administers fiscal regimes and royalty systems.

EnCana Corporation

With an enterprise value of approximately US$50 billion, EnCana is a leading North American unconventional natural gas and integrated oilsands company. By partnering with employees, community organizations and other businesses, EnCana contributes to the strength and sustainability of the communities where it operates.

Climate Change Central

Climate Change Central is a unique public-private partnership that promotes the development of innovative responses to global climate change and its impacts. Climate Change Central builds links and relationships between businesses, governments and other stakeholders in Alberta interested in pursuing greenhouse gas reduction initiatives.