[getsmart-l] Province-wide distribution of 25, 000 energy efficiency kits to Ontario First Nations households nears completion

[Don Huff]

Emacs!



*Province-wide distribution of 25,000
 energy efficiency kits to Ontario First Nations households nears 
completion

**/Six Nations Territory Energy Efficiency Kit distribution guaranteed 
by involvement of Gil & Essie Martin's Walk with Me for Diabetes program

/*(Oshweken, Ontario, December 10, 2007)  This summer and fall an army 
of students and volunteers fanned out across Ontario First Nations 
communities to deliver Mana-cha-toon Wash-ti-ni-gun or Conserve the 
Light (CTL) energy efficiency kits.  
 
The Conserve the Light project has delivered energy conservation kits to 
almost all of the 25,000 on-reserve homes in over 100 communities across 
Ontario. The final few communities such as Six Nations will be completed 
by year end. Each kit includes easy-to-install compact florescent light 
(CFL) bulbs, faucet aerators, pipe wraps, fridge and freezer 
thermometers, a low flow shower head, an outdoor timer for Christmas 
lights and other devices that will result in immediate reductions in 
energy use.  A website with directions on how to use the kit is also 
available www.conservethelight.ca <http://www.conservethelight.ca/>. 
Electricity conservation is critical for many remote communities with 
power often provided by diesel generators that require fuel delivered by 
aircraft or winter roads, both expensive procedures.

The Conserve the Light concept was developed to reduce electricity 
consumption in First Nation communities.  The program is being run by 
Charles Fox Consulting of Thunder Bay, with funding from the Ontario 
Power Authority. CTL is part of the Provincial Energy Efficiency & 
Conservation Measures for Aboriginal Communities (EEMAC) initiative

An excellent example of how the kits are being distributed can be found 
on the Six Nations territory, where a team from Gil & Essie Martin's 
Walk with Me for Diabetes organization is quarterbacking the kit 
delivery.  During a site visit, last weekend Mr Fox noted, "Gil Martin's 
annual effort to raise money to increase awareness of Diabetes is well 
respected in this community. The same focus that he, Essie and his team 
bring to fighting diabetes is now extended to getting these energy 
saving kits into peoples hands."

Speaking from the Community Minded Spirit Action Building, near Oshweken 
(south of Hamilton/near Caledonia), Mr Martin stated, "Whether educating 
people about Diabetes or energy conservation it is important that 
everyone in the community is involved. Here, every household will have a 
kit delivered; they can install it and make an immediate cut to their 
electricity bill."

Mr Martin joked, "Any money people save on their electricity bill, they 
can donate to the Walk With Me program to fight Diabetes in our community."

Mr. Fox, whose office is located on the Fort William First Nation (near 
Thunder Bay), observed, "Gil, Essie and their volunteer team are already 
ahead of their delivery schedule. Over the next few weeks, every Six 
Nations household will receive one of a total of 2,969 kits being 
shipped there. In fact, when the group has completed their task, they 
will have delivered more kits than any other distribution team in the 
Province."

Mr Fox stated, "Kits have been delivered from as far north as the coast 
of James Bay, and south to locations on the coast of Lake Erie and Lake 
Ontario. We have used planes from native owned Wasaya Airlines in the 
far north, as well as trucks, trains, cars, boats, and now the 
volunteers from Gil and Essie Martin's Walk with Me for Diabetes team."

Fox concluded, "The kits are resulting in energy savings, but more 
importantly, there is now a much higher level of activity and interest 
in energy conservation in First Nations communities.  We need to 
revitalize our conservation culture, a culture that is based on our 
traditional teachings." 

*-30-

_For more about the Conserve the Light program, to arrange interviews or 
receive digital images of the Energy Efficiency kits, the Six Nations 
team, or Charles Fox, contact:

_/Don Huff/, Environmental Communication Options, 416-972-7404, 
huffd(at)huffstrategy.com

_For information on the Six Nation distribution contact:

_/Gil Martin/, Walk With Me for Diabetes, (519) 445-4094 & Cam Staats at 
(519) 732-5705

/Charles Fox/, Charles Fox Consulting Inc., (807) 622-8008* 

/This initiative is part of the Provincial *Energy Efficiency & 
Conservation Measures for Aboriginal Communities *(EEMAC) program 
launched in Thunder Bay at the Mana-cha-toon Wash-ti-ni-gun (Conserve 
the Light) Gathering last May. The Gathering was attended by over 130 
representatives from 65 First Nation communities; EEMAC is funded by the 
Ontario Power Authority (OPA). Visit www.conservethelight.ca 
<http://www.conservethelight.ca/>.

The* Ontario Power Authority *is working directly with First Nation 
communities on a range of initiatives, including long-term systems 
planning, and is committed to ensuring that First Nation communities 
have access to the tools to participate in Ontario's growing culture of 
conservation, in a manner that complements First Nations values and 
heritages.

In addition to the distribution of the Energy Conservation Kits, five 
Ontario First Nation communities are undertaking community energy 
retrofits and benchmarking projects: Anishinaabeg of Naongashiing and 
Stanjikoming (both near Fort Frances), Slate Falls (near Sioux Lookout), 
and Sheshegwaning and Sheguiandah (both on Manitoulin Island).

/ Emacs!
*/Photo (clockwise from bottom left): 
Essie Martin, Gil Martin, Cam Statt







/*
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