When it comes to rising energy costs and preserving the environment, there is no longer a debate about whether something needs to be done.

We're painfully aware - at the gasoline pump or supermarket, as our utility and heating bills arrive, while purchasing goods or services and when we contemplate transportation or buy new vehicles - that the expenses associated with these decisions are multi-faceted and more complicated than ever before. These costs aren't just measured in dollars. Every decision also affects the environment locally and globally, as well as our long-term personal and community health and economic well-being.

YOU have the chance to help lead our nation by practicing and sharing smart solutions relating to consumer and business conservation. No matter what you do or where you live in Connecticut, you can play a larger role in energy conservation. And it all starts by doing OneThing.

OneThing builds on the momentum that can be achieved if everyone in Connecticut takes one small step, every day. If each of the state's 3.5 million residents do OneThing a day, every day, for a year that would be more than 1.2 billion OneThings - more than enough to make a real difference on issues such as consumption, conservation and the use of clean and renewable energy.

My first OneThing? Replacing all of the incandescent light bulbs at the Governor's Residence with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL). Each CFL uses 75 percent less electricity than a standard bulb and lasts for up to 10 years!

Another OneThing I'm doing is encouraging Connecticut residents to do their part to conserve energy and protect the environment through the Web site you're looking at now.

So help me spread the idea. That could be your first OneThing!


Sincerely,

Governor M. Jodi Rell

To view Governor Rell's Energy Vision, click here