Under New Reward-Shopping Program, Consumer Choice Funds Domestic Renewable Energy

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Under New Reward-Shopping Program, Consumer Choice Funds Domestic Renewable Energy

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, Aug. 2 -/E-Wire/-- If you could make a tangible contribution toward improving your country's energy situation without writing a check or paying higher taxes -- without even leaving the house -- would you? Even the least jaded among us are probably suspicious of such something-for-nothing propositions, but in this case there's absolutely no "catch."

You go to www.peapod.com to shop for groceries and a small SpeedSaver box pops up on your screen for a few seconds thanking you for supporting clean renewable energy. You place your order, totaling $147.95, and 6 percent of your Peapod grocery bill -- on this shopping day, a total of $8.88 -- will go toward the renewable energy organization of your choice.

With this one purchase on Peapod.com, you have funded slightly more than one-half of the $17.50 it costs to clean the average home's electricity each month. All because you signed up with Our Energy -- an online renewable energy reward-shopping program introduced this week by The Renewable Energy Center based in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Our Energy enables every American and Canadian consumer and business to contribute toward renewable energy development simply by shopping online and selecting a renewable energy supplier to support in the process. The contributions generated by purchases through Our Energy are funded solely by the more than 700 participating merchants, including Barnes & Noble, Macy's, and Office Max. For consumers and businesses, it's a free and effortless way to help fund clean domestic renewable energy generation, requiring nothing more than a single visit to an Our Energy website to enroll. (In the U.S., www.ourenergy.us, and in Canada, www.ourenergycanada.com.)

A recent study by Yale University shows that 92 percent of Americans worry about the nation's dependence on foreign oil. Furthermore, 93 percent of the American public is in favor of the government supporting new energy technologies. But the abstract nature of energy can make it a tough sell when the time comes for individuals to allocate their charitable dollars.

"Let's face it: People don't want to pay for what they can't see," says John Zyskowski, President and CEO of Our Energy. "We have no problem paying for the power windows in our cars, because the results are right there for us to experience at the push of a button. Not so with renewable energy."

In addition, until now there has been no incentive for consumers to use renewable energy, Zyskowski points out. "If you want to clean your electricity, you have to pay for it, and the most you can expect is a pat on the back or a word of thanks," he says. "Hardly the enticement that many of us need to open our wallets or checkbooks and fund our good intentions."

Our Energy is poised to change the landscape by using the donation-shopping model employed so successfully by such organizations as Upromise. "The energy industry has no reason to clean up its act, it's doing fine under the status quo," Zyskowski says. "So we're putting the power in the hands of consumers and businesses."

Here's how Our Energy works:

1. Sign up at www.ourenergy.us or www.ourenergycanada.com and choose a renewable energy organization to support. Enrolling is quick, easy and free, and is available for individuals now. Businesses can enroll in Our Energy beginning November 30, 2005. 2. Shop online as you normally would. Participating online merchants will contribute a percentage of your spending to the organization you chose when you are enrolled in the Our Energy program. 3. Check in from time to time and see how much renewable energy generation is attributable to you! Your contributions are tracked and available for you to review on your country's Our Energy website.

John Zyskowski, [REDACTED-PHONE], [REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.ourenergy.us

http://www.ourenergycanada.com

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