Governor Rell Unveils Conservation Campaign: ‘OneThing’

I must admit I knew little to nothing about Governor Jodi Rell until recently. It's not that I'm not interested in politics, but somehow local politics--the very arena I should care most about--has been overshadowed by national and international events.

Since digging around to uncover ways Connecticut is green, I've become deeply impressed with her commitment to addressing the Climate Crisis in practical and pragmatic ways.

The recently launched One Thing campaign shows us that however small, our actions do make a difference. Now all I have to do is get her to make Biodiesel available at local gas stations...anyone?   

July 16, 2007 Hartford, Conn. - Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced the launch of a new, statewide marketing effort and advertising campaign that will help residents save on their energy bills and make a positive contribution to the environment: OneThing.

OneThing builds on the enormous impact that could be achieved if every person in Connecticut did one thing, every day, to help conserve all forms of energy – from electricity and gasoline to natural gas and renewable resources.

“Energy is a global issue and sometimes we have trouble getting our arms around it – not just the ‘we’ of policy-makers but the ‘we’ of you and me,” Governor Rell said.

“Think about it: If everyone in Connecticut did one thing that would be 3.5 million OneThings. If everyone in the state did one thing a day, every day, that would be more than a billion OneThings over the course of a year – a billion ways to reduce greenhouse gases, save energy and save money. That’s enough to have a truly profound impact, to make a real difference. OneThing really can change everything,” the Governor said.

In a news conference at Elizabeth Park in Hartford, accompanied by state agency officials, the Governor announced her own OneThing: She has replaced all of the standard incandescent light bulbs in the Governor’s Residence with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). According to the federal Energy Star web site, a single CFL bulb uses 75 percent less energy than standard bulbs and lasts up to 10 times longer.

If every household in the nation replaced just one incandescent bulb with a CFL it would save enough energy to light 3 million homes, save $600 million in energy costs or remove the equivalent of 800,000 cars’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Energy Star estimates.

“Of course, this is just the first of the OneThings I plan to do,” Governor Rell said. “I will also be advocating this program on a regular basis, including publicly recognizing those who have firmly demonstrated a commitment to OneThing and working with state lawmakers to foster their commitment to the idea. I truly believe that all of our OneThings will add up to thousands of things that will save money for consumers and business alike, reduce energy consumption and protect our earth – and ultimately, these are the things that matter the most.”

To find out more, visit the campaign at www.onethingct.com/

Source: Governor's Office Press Release

Comments

[Heather]

Great question, Leila. Check out the new post, "Bio Diesel in Connecticut" Link: http://ctgreenscene.typepad.com/ct_green_scene/2007/07/biodiesel-in-co.html

Have your recently started using biodiesel? What kind of car do you drive? I'd love to hear more about your experience and how you like it, or if you're new to biodiesel, what made you make the switch? And please let us know how your search pans out!

Heather

[Leila DeForge]

I was wondering if there were any biodiesel stations in the enfield ct erea? thanks for any info