Government unveils Energy Hog to promote conservation

Government unveils Energy Hog to promote conservation - Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With U.S. heating bills expected to hit record highs this winter, the Bush administration on Monday launched a conservation campaign featuring a cartoon mascot "Energy Hog," which critics said does little to discourage energy use.
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Energy Secretary Sam Bodman and the Alliance to Save Energy consumer group on Monday launched what was billed as a major campaign to encourage Americans to cut energy use this winter. It dusts off mostly old energy-conservation tips such as adding home insulation and turning down thermostats.

To help sell the plan, the White House created a cartoon mascot, the Energy Hog. The pig, who wears blue jeans and a leather biker jacket, will follow in the footsteps of Smokey Bear and McGruff the Crime Dog by appearing in ads.

Public service announcements sent to 4,500 radio stations say that consumers "have the power" to manage their energy bills and ease "the pinch of high energy prices."

One radio commercial encourages consumers to install insulation in their homes and use a programmable thermostat to lower winter heating bills. Another focuses on automobile maintenance and driving tips, such as reducing driving speeds.

"This effort will provide consumers, industry and federal agencies with a variety of energy savings ideas, which if done properly, can yield significant savings," Bodman said.

Yes, I know. More politics? Last one for today I promise. At least this one is funnier than the last one.
Brilliant! Not like Guiness brilliant, but surely some sort of genuis. If only we would have thought of this sooner! Nothing like a clever mascot to solve a world crisis. I'm going back to bed now.