Nature loving bears fruit for Cobourg woman

Northumberland News
August 5, 2010
Karen Lloyd

Nature loving bears fruit for Cobourg woman

GORES LANDING -- Environmental stewardship has paid off for one local woman.

Jane Weeks of Gores Landing, was the grand prize winner of the Clean Air Alliance peaksaver program this month.

After recently taking the time to enter a few details online about her home energy consumption, Ms. Weeks received an email this Tuesday with the subject heading: You Won!

"Jane, I know the subject line might look like spam, but you really did win the grand prize in the peakbusters contest -- a $1,000 getaway," wrote Angela Bischoff, an outreach director with Ontario Clean Air Alliance -- a coalition of health and environmental organizations, faith communities, unions, utilities, municipalities, corporations and individuals working for cleaner air through a coal phase-out and the shift to a renewable electricity future. Partner organizations represent more than six million Ontarians.

Ms. Weeks said getting involved was free and easy.

All it takes is getting the local utility company to attach a small programmable thermostat to the central air conditioner to reduce its energy use during periods of peak electricity demand -- usually hot summer weekday afternoons when air conditioners are running at a maximum.

Participants win by entering their lower utility bills online. Ms. Weeks was the winner for July.

"I thought it would be interesting to see how I'd do on the Clean Air Alliance's contest survey," she said. "I really didn't think about winning. I was just curious."

Attached her email this week was a release form that Ms. Weeks had to sign and send back. "Also we need to have a brief conversation on the phone," wrote Ms. Bischoff. "And that's it. I'll courier you the certificate."

Ms. Weeks, who owns the Small Bones Studio of Arts and Sustainable Living in Gores Landing, has long been advocate for the environment, and it seems to have paid off.

Not only has she reduced her carbon foot-print significantly, she'll soon be on her way to relax on the Niagara Peninsula, enjoying a taste of wine country, perhaps a hot stone massage or little green tea treatment.

"Now I just wait for the certificate and choose when and where I'll go -- and who I'll take with me," she said.

According to its website, everykilowttcounts.ca, anyone can sign up and win.

Today, less than 10 per cent of eligible homeowners have enrolled in the peaksaver program, according to the coalition. By doubling this percentage, it would be like taking the entire Town of Oakville off the electricity grid in periods of peak demand.

In August 2009, those enrolled saved as much power as the City of Kingston uses on its highest demand day.