(HAMILTON, ONTARIO) July 7, 2008 – Today, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats helped Horizon Utilities and the Ontario Power Authority score an extra point for the environment when all-star kicker, Nick Setta, converted an energy-guzzling refrigerator into electricity cost savings to kick-off the second season of The Great Refrigerator Roundup. Horizon Utilities and the Ticats recently renewed their partnership to motivate more people to go on the offensive and remove energy-sapping fridges and freezers from the electricity system.
“We’re committed to helping create a culture of conservation – what better way to build awareness for that goal than to team with an organization that knows how to rally community support,” says Brian Smith, Manager of Conservation and Demand Management for Horizon Utilities. “We’re thrilled that Nick Setta, one of the league’s most reliable kickers, and his tenacious Tiger-Cat teammates, are joining with us once again to help spread the power savings message and support The Great Refrigerator Roundup.”
Old, inefficient appliances draw as much as three times the electricity of newer ENERGY STARï¢ models. Consumers can tackle wasteful consumption and save on their utility expenses while reducing grid demand and CO2 emissions simply by unplugging and removing energy-guzzling fridges and freezers.
“Our goal is to roundup 4,700 appliances in 2008,” explains Smith. “That alone would free up enough energy to power about 620 typical Ontario homes and save 1,337 tonnes of CO2. Combine that with savings from a variety of additional energy conservation
initiatives (like peaksaver and Summer Sweepstakes) and you’ll see we have a solid game plan designed to help us all win.”
“The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are excited to team up with community leaders like Horizon Utilities and the Ontario Power Authority. Our organizations share a common goal to improve the communities in which we live in, so we applaud their efforts to promote conservation community-wide and are proud to direct our energy toward this innovative initiative,” says Scott Mitchell, President, Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Horizon Utilities began collecting refrigerators as part of the OPA’s pilot program in 2006. Since then, it has rounded up more than 4,000 appliances from its customers in Hamilton and St. Catharines. Across Ontario, the OPA and its energy distribution partners have removed and recycled nearly 50,000 fridges and freezers and aim to increase that number to 100,000 by year’s end.
“Our goal is to remove 100,000 old fridges and freezers from the electricity system by the end of 2008, province-wide,” says Peter Love, Ontario’s Chief Energy Conservation Officer. “That’s the equivalent of powering all the homes in a town about the size of Orangeville for an entire year. Programs like The Great Refrigerator Roundup make it easy for Ontarians to take conservation action and help ensure a reliable, sustainable electricity system for the future.”
They’re consumers like the Ardron family of Dundas, who decided to give their 1980s fridge the boot when they upgraded to ENERGY STAR appliances and realized they wouldn’t achieve the potential energy savings while keeping their old fridge operating in the basement. “We’re committed to doing what we can to reduce our ecological footprint so buying more energy efficient appliances was important,” explains Greg Ardron. “Plus, with two university-aged daughters and a third close to graduating high school, every penny saved is important. The old fridge was mostly empty most of the time – having it picked up for recycling was a no-brainer.”
Consumers can sign up at www.everykilowattcounts.com/roundup or call 1-877-797-9473 to book a free refrigerator pick-up. Upon request, window air conditioners and smaller bar fridges will also be collected along with fridge and/or freezer pick-ups.
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