Conservation contest: Shave bills, save earth, go Oshkosh!

Fomr an editorial in the Oshkosh Northwestern:

In 2008, it'll be oh-so-easy for the city to forget the fact that, in October, the Oshkosh Common Council officially signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, joining a coalition of, at that time, nearly 700 cities vowing to promote environmentally sustainable practices within government and find ways for the citizenry to catch the same fever.

Not sure what the city and a planned citizen commission overseeing execution of the agreement has in store.

But how about this as an idea to get the ball rolling in 2008:

- Mayor Frank Tower and the Oshkosh Common Council work with a citizens panel to develop a special contest. This contest would require a quick communications and awareness blitz.

- The premise: Citizens are urged to find creative, penny-pinching ways to combat the sure-to-increase electricity and gas rates by actually REDUCING their 2008 energy bill. That's right – our city council would find a prize or worthy incentive to get people participating.

- Home and business owners in Oshkosh would be required to save copies of their 2007 energy bills. Then, at 2008's end, the contestants have to compared their annual energy bills to those generated in 2008. Compare "therms." Calculate costs. There are a few things to gauge.

- The home and business with the greatest percentage reduction in energy consumption for 2008 wins the prize.