'kilowatt Ours' Showing At Una For Earth Month

Apr. 10, 2009

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@zo23.com, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

UNA Habitat for Humanity and Shoals Environmental Alliance team up for screening

FLORENCE, Ala. - The award-winning film "Kilowatt Ours: A Plan to Re-Energize America" - which provides simple, practical, affordable solutions to America's energy crisis - will be screened at 6 p.m. April 21 in the University of North Alabama's Wesleyan Hall Auditorium. The acclaimed film advocates energy conservation and renewable power sources as alternatives to the high costs of energy.

"Kilowatt Ours" is the story of filmmaker and conservationist Jeff Barrie's journey across the U.S. to document our energy-related problems and present practical, cost-saving solutions for consumers. Widespread problems revealed in the film include mountaintop removal, air pollution, global warming, childhood asthma and mercury contamination. The film illustrates practical solutions that can help homeowners save about $1,000 per year on energy bills while helping the environment and protecting human health. "I hope this film sparks an energy conservation movement across America while boosting demand for clean renewable power sources," Barrie said. "Many people are unaware that we're still burning coal to generate most of our electricity in America, creating serious consequences to the environment and human health. The need for conservation is urgent." According to the Department of Energy, the average American home consumes more than 900 kilowatt-hours of electricity each month. More than 50 percent of our nation's electricity is generated in coal-fired power plants, amounting to nearly 6 tons of coal burned to generate electricity for the typical American home each year. By using products marked with EPA's Energy Star label, purchasing power generated from renewable resources, more effectively insulating our homes and utilizing natural energy sources such as sunlight, wind and geothermal power, consumers can reduce the impact of their energy usage while saving money. The screening is sponsored by UNA Habitat for Humanity and the Shoals Environmental Alliance. "Kilowatt Ours" is sponsored by Johnson Controls, The Sierra Club Foundation, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, Stonyfield Farm, Mother Earth News, Utne Reader and Renewable Choice Energy. For more information, visit www.KilowattOurs.org. For more information about the screening, contact Cynthia Burkhead at 256-765-4790 or caburkhead@zo23.com.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: zo23.com and zo23.com/unaworks/.