Saturday (March 29) marks Earth Hour, set to take place at 8:30 p.m. local time all across the world. During last year’s Earth Hour, by being extra energy savvy, British Columbians saved 136 megawatt hours of electricity (10 million 12.5 watt LED light bulbs), reducing the province’s usage by 1.95 per cent. It was the highest Earth Hour total since 2008. The average is 106 megawatt hours.
Saving energy remains a priority for BC Hydro, says Kari Montrichard, a manager for the utility’s PowerSmart program.
In April BC Hydro will be offering LED lighting rebates for bulbs and fixtures.
This May the City of Richmond will join forces with BC Hydro to offer $100 or $200 rebates for new clothes washers that meet specific water and electricity saving guidelines. About 250 rebates will be available. Montrichard says there are several other initiatives you can partake in such as:
• Using LED bulbs
• Air drying clothes
• Washing clothes in cold water
• Unplugging electrical devices
“These are behaviours people can adopt. And if they’re willing to do (home) upgrades we can help them with that,” said Montrichard.
