Prince Edward Island’s Office of Energy Efficiency and the Provincial Library Service are making it a little easier for Islanders to get a handle on the amount of power used by electrical devices in the home.
Carolyn Bertram, Minister of Communities, Cultural Affairs and Labour and George Webster, Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry, announced today that portable electrical meters are available for loan from every branch of the public library system across the province.
Beginning March 12, anyone with a Prince Edward Island library card will be able to borrow the compact meter for one week and use it to determine which household devices have the greatest energy appetites.
“It’s surprising sometimes how much electricity is used by everyday appliances. By using these meters, Islanders will be able to know how much they can save by shutting down or unplugging these devices when they are not in use. They’ll also be able to see the money that can be saved by choosing high efficiency devices when the time comes for old ones to be replaced,” said Minister Webster.
Minister Bertram said the provincial library system provides a ready-made distribution network that puts these meters in the communities where Islanders can use them.
“Staff in our libraries are working with community groups to help Islanders learn how to live in environmentally-friendly ways. Helping people understand their home electricity consumption is part of our mandate to provide useful information to Islanders,” she said.
The meters will be available for loan for a one-week period, and anyone wishing to borrow a meter can reserve one through the library hold system.
For more information you can contact the Provincial Library Service at 961-7320, drop into your local public library or log onto www.gov.pe.ca/go/library.