NY utility puts conservation message on pizza boxes
Date: 19-Jul-02
Country: USA
"Radio and television ads don't always get the job done ... sometimes people zone out when commercials come on. But one thing everyone has in common is a love for pizza, and they'll order one or two this summer," said Michael Lowndes of LIPA, a state-owned utility that serves more than one million customers on Long Island in New York.
Power supplies in the New York City suburbs of Long Island, are some of the tightest in the nation because construction of new power plants and transmission lines has not kept pace with the region's economic and population growth.
"Conservation is absolutely key. We had a couple of incidents that could have been a disaster had they not occurred on a holiday when loads are low," said Lowndes, referring to the loss of a major transmission line over the Fourth of July weekend.
Electricity demand typically peaks during the summer, when air conditioning accounts for about a third of all power used on hot afternoons.
While acknowledging the "Power of Pizza" campaign was unusual, Lowndes said it would be successful because pizza boxes get into most of homes on Long Island.
"Remember the chef with the hat? Well, he's gone. We've replaced the cover with our 'Watts Going Down' conservation campaign. We're using every opportunity to get the word out. Hopefully, some of our message will sink in," he said.