An award-winning energy efficiency campaign was launched today in Medicine Hat, part of a province-wide campaign to deliver 500,000 free energy-efficient 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 are asking the people of Medicine Hat 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 30,000 bulbs in use, the collective savings for Medicine Hat residents will be $1.5 million 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, EnCana Corporation and, in Medicine Hat, by the City of Medicine Hat. 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 celebration today. In attendance were the Honourable Rob Renner, Minister of the Environment and MLA for Medicine Hat; Medicine Hat Mayor Garth Vallely; Florence Murphy, Vice-President of Public & Community Relations from EnCana Corporation; Boyd Alcock from the Kiwanis Club; 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. "Through our partnership with Climate Change Central we are helping all Albertans - whether at home, at the office or on the farm - conserve energy and save money," said Minister 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, Public and Community Relations.

The City of Medicine Hat stepped in with additional funding to ensure that Project Porchlight volunteers will be able to deliver bulbs across the whole city. "Our partnership with Project Porchlight is an excellent example of the City's commitment to provide leadership through Hat Smart environmental initiatives that are designed to educate and assist residents with improving the environment and stretching their energy dollars," said Mayor Garth Vallely.

"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."

Medicine Hat 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

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$55 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.

City of Medicine Hat

Located in southeastern Alberta, "Canada's Sunniest City" is a thriving municipality of approximately 56,997 residents. The City of Medicine Hat municipal government is a steward and a leader of responsible environmental and sustainable energy decisions and actions.

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.